Millbrook House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical one-and-a-half storey three-bay detached house with outbuildings, built c.1860 abutting an earlier single-storey dwelling to rear. Rectangular plan with single-storey extension under sloping roof to rear, also abutted by the single-storey dwelling (1830) now forming a rear return. Situated on a mature site south of the Gransha Road in the borough of Castlereagh.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and painted render chimneystacks having three terracotta pots. Plastic rainwater goods throughout. Walling is ruled-and-lined painted render with raised quoins and plinth. Windows are replacement 3/9 timber casements in moulded architraves with raised keyblock and projecting masonry sills (unless otherwise stated).

The principal elevation faces north comprising a central doorway flanked by two windows. Original six-panelled timber door surmounted by cast-iron spider web fanlight in a round-headed surround having keyblock and pilasters; accessed by a single masonry step.

The east elevation has a replacement timber casement window at left.

The south (rear) elevation is abutted at left by the single-storey former dwelling. To right is the single-storey extension under sloping roof, with replacement timber-sheeted door at left and narrow timber-casement at right; east elevation has a single timber casement window.

The west elevation has a timber casement window to right at attic level and to far right at ground floor.

Direct entry single-storey former dwelling to rear predates 1830; originally thatched. The roofline was raised c.1920 when the thatch was removed and substituted with slates. Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and a single replacement yellow-brick chimneystack to right (1920s). Walling is ruled-and-lined painted render. Plastic rainwater goods throughout. Windows are replacement timber-framed casements.

Asymmetrically arranged, having replacement timber-sheeted door to left of centre, with a window to left and right (larger). To right is an additional bay with window, partially abutted to east by the single-storey extension under sloping roof. South gable is blank. West elevation has a window at left and right.

Setting:

Set in a rural
setting surrounded by farmland. Mature lawned and shrubbed garden to front with central pathway leading to front entrance. Tarmacadamed entrance to northeast leads to rear yard. Directly to east of the house is a free-standing slated lean-to; to west is a roughcast-rendered single-storey barn. To south of the yard is a one-and-a-half-storey barn abutted by single-storey stable block; timber-sheeted doors with cast-iron strap hinges throughout. To south are two large agricultural barns with a central yard. To far south of site are the walls of a single-span rubble stone bridge (no longer in use), providing access to, and likely to predate, the original c.1830s house. Agricultural land to east of house has roughcast rendered boundary wall and accessed from rear yard via an original wrought-iron farm gate.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Ruled-and-lined render
Windows: u PVC Replacements
RWG: u PVC

Historical information

‘Millbrooke’ House, Gransha road, Comber is a quite well know house due to its slightly elevated position and characteristic Georgian façade. A three bay one and half storey house dates from c.1860 and incorporates, as a return an earlier cottage constructed pre 1833. A cottage appeared on the first edition OS map of 1833, indicated as a house shown on the site together with an outbuilding at right angles to the main house which may have survived to the present day, although it appears to be partially down by the next map edition.

The holding also comprised a flax mill, consisting of twenty-seven acres of farm land together with a separate block consisting of a cottage and outbuildings known as ‘The Mil’ shown to be located south east of the house beside a nearby stream and a mill pond appearing to the west. The Townland Valuation lists the house, offices and flax mill and 27 acres of land which are occupied by John Porter in 1849, valued at £8.18s although early records of the deeds suggests the land was first occupied by James Orr and Robert Mc Curry in 1748 and the holding consisted of 77 acres of land.

The current house is first shown on the second edition of (1858) together with a second, wind-powered flax mill approximately 200 yards south of the house. The proprietor is William Miskelly, who leases the flax mills, offices and over 57 acres of land from W Mussenden Esq. Buildings and water power are valued at £7.10s, with a caretaker’s house valued separately at £1.10s and a further two houses at 15s each. The windmill was not being worked at the time of the survey and was not given a valuation. The water mill, comprising 5 stocks, was operational for 6 months a year and 12 hours a day. (Griffith’s Valuation)

A redevelopment of the site took place in the late1860s when John Miskelly, the son of William was assigned the flax mill with offices and land, valued at £21 by 1870. By 1876 the flax mill had fallen idle and by 1879 the house had been separated from the mill for valuation purposes and was valued at £7. Valuation records of 1887 record that the mill is ‘dilapidated’. Records confirm the flax mill changed to accommodate a corn mill, with milling discontinued in the early 1930’s.

In 1900 it had been taken over by Alexander Johnston, a farmer who lived in the house with his wife, adult son and farm servant. The 1901-2 OS map shows the house captioned ‘Millbrook House’ for the first time. The house had four windows and nine rooms and its numerous outbuildings included a stable, cow house, fowl house, barn and potato house. (1911 census).

Owner information suggests certain renovations were carried out around 1908-1912 with the earlier house being incorporated into one dwelling. The rear return was thatched c.1920 when the roofline was raised to accommodate a new slate roof, by 1950 the house had electricity and running water. During the 1980’s Millbroke House underwent major external repairs and as a result the house will continue to make a positive contribution to the local history of the area.

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/10/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2.PRONI OS/6/3/10/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3.PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901-2
4.PRONI OS/6/3/10/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-21
5.PRONI OS/6/3/10/7 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1948-50
6.PRONI VAL/1/B/316B – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/16B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/5A-F – Annual Revisions (1864-1930)

Secondary Sources
1.The History of Millbrooke House- Owners guide by Johnston J.Q.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Millbrook House is a symmetrical one-and-a-half storey three-bay detached Georgian-style farm-house, with outbuildings, built c.1860 abutting an earlier single-storey dwelling to rear (predating 1830s). Many of the main architectural components are intact, however replacement fenestration, replacement rainwater goods and and a largely modern interior throughout has removed much of the special architectural interest of the building(s).