‘Lisbarnett House’ Public House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long, two storey, pub whose late Victorian facade may represent a remodelling of an earlier, pre 1834 building. The pub is set right on the W side of the road c.3 miles NW of the village of Killinchy.

Front E facade has a left of centre pub entrance with timber double doors encased with tapering pilasters. To the right of the doorway is a three light window with similar pilasters rising from the cill and grill in front . Above the pub doorway and window is a timber signboard with cornice. To the left of the doorway is a sash window with vertical margin panes and simple surround with keystone. Grill to window. To the right of the pub window is a sash window as far left, with a similar window to the far right. Between these two windows is a doorway (leading to a restaurant section of the pub). This doorway consists of a recent partly glazed double door with sidelights with pilasters rising from cills below the sidelights into a segmental arch moulding above the door. To the first floor are three gabled half-dormers with decorative barges and finials and semicircular arch headed windows with modern frames and surrounds as ground floor sash windows.

The N gable has a sash window to left on first floor, as front but without moulded keystone. The ground floor window is similar but only resembles a sash window. The S gable is blank.

The rear is dominated by two extensions of various vintages, flat roofed to the right and lean to to the centre and left, both with recent looking openings. The left hand lean to has a flat roofed ‘catwalk’ linking corridor which cuts into the roof (and the roof of the main building) which links to another building at the rear (which contains a flat). Above the lean to (to the main house) are two small PVC windows, and above the flat roofed extension is a recent glazed door set within a gabled half-dormer.

The facade is finished in lined render (plain to rear) with chamfered quoins to front and to N gable. Eaves course.

The main roof is gabled with Bangor blue slates, four yellow brick chimneys and yellow clay parapets. Cast iron and PVC rw goods.
Recent looking wall to front.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834 which the valuation returns note was a public house in possession of a James Kelly. The map relating to the second valuation of 1861 is unclear as to the ownership of the building or its function. The current owner believes that the building has housed a pub for some time, he also stated that there was evidence that the roof had been raised. Therefore it is possible that this building contains fabric of that of a pre 1834 structure, which was remodelled in the late 19th century (with the roof possibly raised in the process).

The interior appears to have been renovated on successive occasions in recent times, with the most recent work carried out by local architect, Julian Leith (son of the late Raymond Leith).

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 16.
2 PRONI VAL 1B/320 p.30, Kilmood parish, Lisbarnet td., c.1835.
3 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 16.
4 PRONI 2nd valuation, Kilmood parish, Lisbarnet td., 1861.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Ostensibly late Victorian looking public house with gabled half-dormers, which is probably based around a remodelling of a pre 1834 pub.
Extensions to the rear and other alterations have diminished the buildings character.