Leathem House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey five-bay dwelling possibly pre-dating c.1830. Rectangular plan with various rear abutments. Located at the junction between Church Road and Manse Road, approximately 2 miles south east of Belfast.

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles; timber fascia boards and clipped verges; uPVC replacement rainwater goods; chimneys over gable apex with geometric projected cornice course and replacement pots. Painted rough-cast walling. 6/6 timber sliding box sash windows; with horns. 3/6 to the first floor; painted masonry cills. Timber eight raised-and-fielded panelled door with square-headed over light with decorative indentations. Centrally positioned vertical letter-box inscribed with the initials “JCL”.

The front elevation faces east and is symmetrically arranged. Centrally positioned door with two ground floor windows to either side. Five first floor windows directly over ground floor openings.

The left gable is blank.

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged and has been raised and substantially added to. Existing ground and first floor windows to the far right. Irregular pitched gable ended single-storey rear return centrally located; replica double glazed windows throughout and modern glazed double-leaf door. The outbuildings to the northwest of the main house (possibly built at the same time) are now attached via a small flat-roofed abutment to the left cheek of the rear return. The outbuildings have been renovated to provide habitable accommodation and are of no significant interest. Over the first floor the building has been raised to form a flat roof a second floor, fenestrated with uPVC windows.

The right gable is abutted on the right by a two-storey gable-ended extension comprising a single first floor window and modern timber door to the gable. The right cheek abuts the flat roofed infill block at ground floor; the left cheek has a single timber casement window at ground floor.

Setting:
The dwelling sits just of the crest of a large hill at a junction, and has extensive views northwest towards Belfast. Gated pedestrian access to the east of the site; bounded by a rubble masonry wall, partially rendered. The rear of the site is steeply slopes westwards with well maintained gardens, terminated with a gravel tennis court. Vehicular access is towards the north of the site along a gravel driveway embraced with planting. Various out buildings throughout; notably the early dwelling to the north-east building; pitched natural slate roof (queen slates to the rear) painted rough cast render; various window sizes and types; Plaque to east wall inscribed with “THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT BY ROBERT LEATHEM ANNO DOMINI 1786”.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Roughcast render
Window: Timber sliding sash
RWG: uPVC Replacement

Historical information

An outbuilding to the rear of the current dwelling bears an inscription, ‘This house was built by Robert Leathem Anno Domini 1786’. It is possible that the house dates to this period, however, all original internal detailing has now gone and no original source material could be found to confirm the construction date of the building, although a map of ‘Leathem’s farm’ dating from c1800 survives.

Seward, in his ‘Topographica Hibernica’ dated 1795, reported that around the time of the construction of a farm on the plot, Castlereagh had become a small settlement. ‘Castlereagh is now the estate of Lord Hills, and though made up of a few scattered houses, yet is the head of a manor where his seneschal holds his courts. Fairs are held here on 5th July and 27th October’.

A house is shown on the site, uncaptioned, on the first edition OS map of 1834 and is L-shaped on plan with an outbuilding to the rear. The Townland Valuation gives it as the residence of William McConnell, a house and offices valued at £8.14s. The dimensions of house, kitchen and outbuildings are given and these appear consistent with the dimensions of the present day building. The house is two-storey and slated and in sound repair.

On the second edition of 1858 additional outbuildings are shown to the rear and a formal garden now surrounds the house, which is captioned ‘Castlereagh’. Griffith’s Valuation confirms that this is now the name of the house and it is the residence of Mary Johnston who leases it from Robert Johnston, who would appear from her will to be her brother. The house and offices are set in over 28 acres of land and the buildings are valued at £16, later reduced to £13. The valuer casts some doubt on the age of the house stating, ‘Neat house said to have been built in 1786 but it does not look by any means so old. Upper storey low’. The inscription now found on the outbuilding to the rear of the house may have been attached to the house itself at this period. The dimensions given are consistent with this being the same house as that described in the Townland Valuation. Additional outbuildings have, however, been added to the plot.

Mary Johnston died in 1878 and the house was then taken over by Robert Sheills. Samuel Anderson is resident in 1887 and by 1900 the occupier was Margaret Jackson and her husband David who was a farmer, druggist and grocer. The couple had three young children and kept a staff of two general domestic servants and a ‘van man’. The house was of the first class and had twelve rooms. (1901 census)

Robert Simms, occupier in 1904 was followed by William Hill who was resident at the time of the 1911 census. William James Hill was a farmer of 26 living with his wife. He became the owner in fee in 1913 under land purchase legislation. There were no further changes in Annual Revisions.

The interior of the building was destroyed following a severe fire c1960.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/9/1 First Edition OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/9/2 Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/9/3 Third Edition OS Map 1901-2
4. PRONI OS/6/3/9/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-21
5. PRONI OS/6/3/9/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1920-31
6. PRONI OS/6/3/9/7 Seventh Edition OS Map 1938
7. PRONI D671/M/4/22 – Map of Leathem’s farm in Castlereagh
8. PRONI VAL/1/B/321 Townland Valuation (1828-40)
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18D Griffiths Valuation (1861)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/6A-H Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
11. 1901 census online
12. 1911 census online

Secondary Sources
1. Seward, W W “Topographica Hibernica” Dublin, 1795

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey five-bay dwelling possibly pre-dating c.1830. Although of Georgian proportions and style, there is indeterminable evidence as to whether the date inscribed on the outbuilding relates to the erection of the recorded house. With little internal fabric of interest, the house’s prominent location and intact facade makes a positive contribution to the rural setting, however, screened from view, the sprawling adjoining outbuildings and alterations to the rear and side detract from the overall character and proportions of the buildings. The house is of some historical interest, but has undergone significant alteration.