Holly Park

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Holly Park is a large two storey gentleman’s residence of probable mid 18th century origin. It is set overlooking a slight rise, within its own grounds to the W of the Holly Park Road, roughly one mile SW of the village of Killinchy. The front S facade has a central projecting full height bay with vaguely Scottish feel, having a hipped roof and chamfered edges (i.e. a canted-like front). The entrance is located on the E face of this bay and consists of a panelled door with semicircular ‘spiders’ web’ fanlight, all encased with plain sandstone pilasters and archivolt with keystone. Four stone steps to doorway.
To the S face of the projecting bay there is a double sash window (with Georgian panes) to the ground and the first floors. To the ground floor on the W face of the bay is a narrow sash window, without glazing bars. To either side of the bay (on the main front facade) are two sash windows to the ground and the first floor, all with Georgian panes. The upper floor windows are slightly smaller.
The main W gable is blank. The E gable has a sash window (as front) to the left on the ground and first floors with two small PVC windows at basement level. This gable merges with a rear two storey lean to section (the rear roof merges into the lean to roof). To the E facade of this lean to is first floor sash window.
To the N (rear) facade of the lean to are two modern four pane windows to the first floor (made to resemble sash), with a narrow sash window to the ground floor. To the immediate right of these windows is a large two storey gabled return. The E facade of this return has a sash window to the first floor and a four pane window to the right on the first floor. To the far left on the first floor is a tiny fixed light window which follows the roof line of the main house (where it intersects with the return).
The gable of the return is blank. The W facade of the return has three sash windows to the first floor (as front), with French doors to the left on the ground floor with a broad sash window to the right of this. To the right of this is a small single storey lean to section (attached to rear of main house) with timber sheeted door to the N face and a six light window to the W face. There is a Velux window to the roof of this section.
The entire facade is finished in lined render and painted. The main roofs are gabled and covered in Bangor blue slates. Two rendered (gable) chimney stacks to main house, two more to return roof. Metal rw goods. Narrow chimney breast to left at rear, rising to narrow stack. Tall early Victorian looking octagonal chimney pots.

Single storey outbuildings to rear some of which have been converted to a ‘den’.
Dry closet a short distance to the N of the house (see ref. HB24/17/013).

Historical information

Holly Park House appears to have been built by the Traill family, but the date of construction is uncertain. The Rev. Hamilton Traill, the rector of Killinchy parish church between 1757 and 1788 ( and who built Rockmount in Killinchy) is said to have been ‘of Holly Park’, thus perhaps dating the building to the mid 18th century. There no indication of the house on Taylor’s and Skinner’s 1777 road map of the area (even though the Rockmount is marked), but this evidence should not be taken as conclusive.

On the 1834 and 1859 OS maps the house is shown, much as today, but the bay to the front does not appear to be clearly indicated, though there appears to be no physical evidence to suggest that it was a later addition. The valuation returns of c.1835 note that the property, then in the hands of Rev. Archibald Traill, consisted of a ‘dwelling, cellar as store...carhouse, offices at a distance, barn store and stables’. ‘Additions’ to the house are also noted, which in the obscure phraseology of the valuation can be taken to refer to the return and perhaps the front bay.

By the time of the second valuation (1861) the property appears to have passed out of the Traill family (or into the hands of relatives) as it is noted as being in the possession of a Hamilton T. Johnston. Johnston is mentioned in certain leases within the Lowry Family Papers at PRONI dating from 1865 as being ‘of Holly Park’, though the same documents also mention a William Chambers as being ‘of Holly Park’ also. Johnston died sometime prior to 1875 and by 1886 the house was home to a Rev. D.R. Moore.

Local knowledge suggests that one of the Traills was a local magistrate who used the cellars to hold prisoners who were in the midst of being transported from Belfast to Downpatrick gaol [?after the 1798 Rising].

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI [Library] 'Taylor’s & Skinner’s maps of the Roads of Ireland'- map 281.
2 Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991), p.87. [The Memoirs note that in c.1833 there was a ‘Rev. Mr. Trail’ who lived in ‘Ballgighorn’ [Ballyglighorn].
3 PRONI OS maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 17.
4 PRONI VAL 1B/335 p.44 1st valuation Killinchy parish, Ballymacreelly td.., c.1835.
5 S. Lewis 'A topographical dictionary of Ireland' (1837), p.148.
6 'Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland 1844-45' (Dublin 1846), p.480.
7 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 17
8 PRONI 2nd valuation, Killinchy parish, Ballymacreelly td., 1861.
9 PRONI D.2005/2/3-7 Lowry Family Papers- Title deeds etc. Relating to Ballymacreelly Td., 1865.
10 Alexander Knox 'History of Co. Down' (Dublin 1875).
11 George Henry Bassett 'County Down guide and directory' (Dublin 1886), p.399.

Secondary sources
1 Honor Rudnitsky 'Killinchy parish church' (Killinchy 1980).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Good example of a large two storey gentleman’s residence of possible mid to later 18th century origin, with unusual (and somehow vaguely Scottish) projecting bay to the front.