Barnett's Stableyard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An early-C19th stableyard set in Barnett’s Demesne, to the NW of Malone House (possibly containing part of the late c17th ‘second’ Malone House). It consists of a group of separate buildings grouped around an enclosed courtyard bounded by a red brick wall.

The courtyard is enclosed by a two-storey house to the NE corner and a garage (former stableblock) to the NW corner, both aligned NE-SW and separated by an open passage at ground floor (first floor of garage overhangs above). In the NW corner is a small single-storey former kitchen. Aligned NW-SE and enclosing the courtyard to the W is a single-storey barn. The courtyard wall is constructed in red brick laid in english-garden wall bond with brick buttresses to the SW section of the wall. The courtyard is accessed by a cast-iron gate to N and S ends, that to the N is set in the opening between the house and the garage and that to the S breaks the courtyard wall, directly opposite. The courtyard is finished in gravel with concrete paving slabs to the threshold of the garage. It also contains a small chemical store to SW corner and an air raid shelter in SE corner.

The house
Probably the earliest surviving structure, the house is either part of or on the same site as the late c17th buildings of the second Malone House.
A two-storey, three-bay house situated to the NE corner of the courtyard. Pitched natural slate roof (heavy random coursed slates to rear pitch) with later small grey brick chimney to the left gable and another to rear pitch, set between left and centre bays. A raised brick skew is set between the party wall of house and garage. Advanced eaves course supports half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are rendered and painted and all windows are 1/1 timber exposed box, sliding sashes with horns and painted cills; unless otherwise stated. All but the dormers are boarded over.

Principal elevation faces (NW). Left bay has a wall head dormer with plainly detailed timber bargeboards and blank cheeks. Below to ground floor is two windows. Centre bay has a similarly detailed wall head dormer. Aligned below is a timber-sheeted door; to its left is a window. Right bay has two windows to ground floor - that to left is landscape. Left gable has a later windbreak porch with door opening sheeted over; to its right is a window. Courtyard elevation (SE) has a blank left bay with external stairs running across its face (see later). Centre bay has a wall head dormer; detailed as before. Aligned below is a window. Right bay has a window to first floor and is abutted to ground floor by a single-storey extension. Extension has flat roof with cement rendered and painted walls; SE and SW faces each has a window. Right gable is abutted by oversailing first floor of garage block. Beneath courtyard opening, right gable of house has a timber top-opening casement window with obscured glass to left, with three doors to its right. Central door is t+g sheeted; the others are plain timber sheeted. Ceiling of opening has a t+g sheeted loft lobby entrance.

The garage
Early c20th – not shown on 1904 OS map
Two-storey, single-bay block situated to the NW corner of the courtyard. Pitched natural slate roof with advanced eaves course and cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are rendered and painted. The NW elevation has sealed entrance set slightly right of centre. To its right is a window. Left gable is blank. Main elevation faces SE to courtyard. Between each floor is a canopy with corrugated metal roof supported by four cast-iron beams tied into the wall, which in turn are supported by two circular-in-section cast-iron columns. Each column has an octagonal base with mould head (maker’s mark not evident). Ground floor is filled with four t+g sheeted sliding doors; the inner two have four-fixed lights with external grilles. First floor is accessed by an external timber stair (which runs across the left bay elevation of the house) which leads to a timber door on the oversailing floor. To its left are two dormers, each with flat roof, cast-iron rainwater goods and blank cheeks; front cheek contains three-fixed lights with external grilles. Right gable has two timber casement windows to first floor; that to left is larger. It is slightly abutted by the kitchen (see later).

The kitchen
A small single-storey former stable boy’s kitchen abutting the right gable of the barn and enclosing the NW corner of the courtyard. Pitched natural slate roof with ridge aligned NE-SW. Advanced chimneybreast to left gable rising above eaves level of barn. Walls are cement rendered and painted. Courtyard elevation (SW) has a timber 2/2 casement window with painted stone cill and external metal grille set to left. To its right is a timber 2/2 panelled door (upper panels sheeted over). Left gable is completely abutted by barn. Rear elevation is blank. Right gable has a blocked up doorway

The barn
An early building, possibly part of late c17th buildings.
A single-storey building aligned NW-SE with pitched corrugated metal roof. Advanced eaves course supports half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are constructed in brick, cement rendered and painted. Courtyard elevation (SW) has a double-leaf t+g sheeted door set slightly left of centre. To its right is a window opening, breaking eaves course with painted concrete cill. It contains a 2/2 fixed timber window with external metal grille. Left gable and rear elevation is blank. Right gable is abutted by the kitchen block.

Historical information

This site was first occupied in the early 1660’s when Moses Hill leased land from Sir Arthur Chichester and built a house on the site of the present Malone House. However, following the 1641 rebellion the house was destroyed and Moses Hill left to establish the town of Hillsborough. The Legg family, a well known merchant family with links to the West Indies, became the new tenants and are associated with this site for over two centuries.

The site of the present stableyard was formerly occupied by a late C17th house built by Alexander Legg, which has become known as the ‘second’ Malone House. It is possible parts of this structure remain within the present house – the house and the barn are on the footprint this structure and while historical maps show that the courtyard evolved over time with the addition, removal and extension of certain blocks, the NE corner containing the present house appears to remain consistent; increasing speculation that is very likely to contain parts of the earlier house.

It is thought that William Wallace Legge built the ‘third’ and present Malone House in the1820’s and is responsible for the landscaping of the estate grounds. After William Wallace Legge’s death there were numerous tenants at Malone House until William Barnett, a grain merchant, purchased the 103 acre estate in 1921 for £19,000. Barnett died in 1943 and left the estate to the citizens of Belfast, with certain conditions as to its use attached. In 1946 Belfast Corporation inherited the grounds and renamed it ‘Barnett’s Recreation Demesne’.

Primary Sources
1. OS 6” map 1833 (PRONI OS/6/1/64/1
2. OS 6” map 1858 (PRONI OS/6/1/64/2
3. OS 6” map 1904 (PRONI OS/6/1/64/3
4. OS 6” map 1925 (PRONI OS/6/1/64/4
5. OS 6” map 1946 (PRONI OS/6/1/64/5

Secondary Sources
1. Robert Scott, “A Breath of Fresh Air – The Story of Belfast’s Parks”. The Blackwater Press, Belfast, 2000 p106.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An early-C19th stableyard containing features of interest, set within the historic Barnett's demesne. Although the buildings themselves have been altered, they remain of historic interest to the estate, and may contain part of the ‘second’ Malone House, a late C17th mansion established on this site, which was subsequently demolished in 1824 and replaced by the present Malone House. This lies a short distance to the NW of the stableyard. The building also displays the transition from horses to mechanical vehicles with the garage building replacing the stables, and thus shows the development of estate needs.