Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/23/003

Address :
Drum House 254 Upper Malone Road Drumbeg Belfast County Antrim BT17 9LD

Townland:
Drumbeg

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
04/02/1988 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
165-4

IG Ref:
J3077 6702

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-storey multi-bay Victorian country house built c.1880, incorporating an earlier dwelling which has origins dating back as early as the 17th century. Irregular in plan form with multiple-bays, and located to the east of Drum Bridge, over the Lagan River, and to the north of Drumbeg Parish Church. Natural slate roof, lead hipped with flat roof; finials and decorative cast-iron filigree. Pitched natural slate with gable ends to earlier part. Cast-iron ogee moulded gutter with circular downpipes and overhanging soffits with paired timber eaves brackets and smooth rendered chimney-stacks Walling is ruled-and-lined smooth render with stucco mouldings, bevelled quoins, plinth, string courses and channelled rustication at the ground floor level. The windows are segmental arched 1/1 timber framed sliding sash with horns; moulded architraves with centre key-block and large stone cills with plain cill brackets. The principal elevation faces west and is asymmetrically arranged. The right hand bay projects forward, with a further projecting single-storey canted bay at ground floor. Centrally located is a single-storey flat-roofed porch with a large segmental arched opening facing west, with three colonnaded arched frame inset. To the left is a veranda served by five stone steps and enclosed by a single-storey colonnaded arched cast-iron porch with ornate filigree decorative trellis. The front entrance door is accessed from the veranda. At first floor level there are single and paired windows over the ground floor openings. The right hand side of the north elevation is a symmetrically arranged hipped elevation belonging to the Victorian extension with a canted bay located centrally at ground floor level with a pair of first floor windows over. The left hand side is a 2 ½ -storey gable end to the earlier part of the dwelling, set back slightly from the later extension. The cornice moulding and raked dentils of the gable apex, falling to a parapet level, are of classical proportions; the openings have been remodelled to match the style of the newer extension. A modern pedimented portico with very slender Tuscan columns, embraces the principal entrance located right of centre of the older part of the house. The fenestration is asymmetrically arranged with rectangular windows to the ground floor, arched to the first floor, both with additional frieze and cornice details over. The smaller rectangular openings at attic level have moulded surrounds. The west elevation is symmetrically arranged. The rear entrance has a wide central pedimented portico with slender Tuscan columns, flanked by paired rectangular windows with simple entablature. The first floor level has a large half-circle arched stairwell opening with modern timber frame and glazing, flanked by square-headed windows in segmental arched openings. Quoins at either side of the facade rising to cornice eaves details with dentils. The south elevation is the gable end of the earlier part recessed on the right with Victorian elevation left linked by a projecting two-storey hipped bay; four narrow windows wide; channel rusticated with moulded eaves detail. The south gable of the early part matches the north gable in terms of style and detailing. The south elevation of the Victorian has a large round-headed arch, stained glass window on the right with ground and first floor segmental arched opening to the centre and left. The upper left opening has been infilled. Setting The house is set within a large estate and is accessed by a driveway from the gated entrance and gate lodge, alongside a large well maintained front lawn. The gate lodge itself has undergone major restoration work and enlargement to form a large two-storey dwelling c.2000. To the east is a mature rural wooded
setting. A commercial business is run from the estate however is well concealed from the view of the house. There is a former tree lined avenue stretching from the house to Drumbeg Parish Church, part of a mid 19th century landscaping, although is no longer in use. Roofing Natural slate Walling Ruled-and-lined render Windows 1/1 Timber sash RWG Cast-iron

Architects

Jackson, Thomas

Historical Information

The first edition OS map from 1834 shows the existing older part of the house with a large rear return attached to the east elevation, captioned ‘Drum House’. The Townland Valuation 1828-40 identifies the owner of the house as William Smith and values the house and outbuildings at £21 6s. There also appears to be dual entrance to the residence; one from Drum Bridge, which still exists, and the other from the south connecting to the old Belfast to Lisburn road, which no longer remains following the implementation of Smith’s proposal to construct a new road to bypass the house and neighbouring church, the upkeep of which would be at Smith’s expense. The old road was finally closed in 1849. (K Rankin p.124) Identified in the OS Memoirs 1832-34, the dwelling is described as following; “Drum House, the residence William Smyth Esq. The centre of the building is plain, a small wing at each side is castellated which give it an unfinished appearance.” (p.53) Griffiths Valuation of 1863 shows an increase in the value of the buildings at £40 and also indicates the occupier to be Eleanor Moore, the treasurer of the Ragged School on Barrack Street in Belfast, with Smith still in ownership. The Annual Revision Valuations 1866-77 identify the owner as William Greenfiled and the property was valued as before, except with the addition of a ‘Pleasure Grounds’ which is apparent on the second edition OS map, 1858, located to the rear of the neighbouring parish church. The Yew trees that would have formed the principal entrance to these gardens still remain, although the gardens have long gone. A large two-storey Victorian house built c.1880 which encompasses an earlier dwelling. K Rankin makes reference to Harris’s “Ancient and Present State of the County of Down, 1744” which cites a house belonging to James Hamilton Esq., sitting on a small hill near the Drum Bridge. The Hamilton family arrived in Ulster from Scotland having acquired 51 townlands from Con O’Neill in 1605, including Drumbeg (F Rankin p.16) and possibly erecting the house sometime later in the 17th century. Field evidence of the existing hand-turned barley-twisted balusters and wide robust hand-rail to the stairs located in the older part of the building, would suggest it maybe from this period. The Hamilton-Maxwell family, as they became known, were involved in the local linen industry and founded a bleach green at Drumbeg in the early 18th century. (K Rankin p.122) Following the death of James Hamilton Maxwell in 1751, the house remained in the family name until c.1830. The house was purchased in 1883 by (Sir) David Taylor and subsequently occupied by his brother-in-law John Taylor-Arnott of Arnott & Co drapers and milners in 1885, during which period Thomas Jackson was engaged to erect a two-storey villa to the front of the existing house. The Annual Revisions confirm this by increasing the value of the building from £40 to £130 in 1887 indicating the completion of the new building. The OS maps of 1901 clearly show the extent of the new dwelling on plan, and the late Victorian styling was applied in the remodelling of the earlier rear dwelling, as well as the gate lodge erected at this time. During the 20th century the building has principal elements of the building have remained unaltered with the exception of the removal of extensions to the rear. In 1959 the house was purchased by the present owners. Reference – Primary Source 1. PRONI OS/6/1/9/1 – OS Map 1834 2. PRONI OS/6/1/9/2 – OS Map 1858 3. PRONI OS/6/1/9/3 – OS Map 1901 4. PRONI OS/6/1/9/7 – OS Map 1938 5. PRONI VAL/1B/326 – Annual Revision 1828-40 6. PRONI VAL/1A/3/9 – Annual Revision Field Map 1830 7. PRONI VAL/2B/3/25C – GriffithsValuation 1856-1864 8. PRONI VAL/12B/20/10A-F – Annual Revisions 1865-1929 9. PRONI VAL/12B/20/12A – Annual Revisions 1923-30 Reference - Secondary Source 1. Rankin, J.F. “The Heritage of Drumbo” Parish of Drumbo,1982 2. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Volume Seven, Parishes of County DownII, 1832-4, 1837” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1991 3. Rankin, K “The Linen Houses of the Lagan Valley, The story of their families” Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form H-. Alterations detracting from building H+. Alterations enhancing the building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest V. Authorship

Evaluation

A two-storey Victorian villa built c.1880 incorporating part of an earlier house with origins as early as 17th century. The interior to the Victorian house is in excellent condition and has retained much of its historic fabric. In addition to the plaster and joinery work. In the earlier part of the house the hand turned barley-twist balusters and handrail of the stairs are features of special interest. The exterior is exemplified by the style and proportions typical of a grand Victorian villa and remains very much in its original state. The earlier part of the house has been remodelled to match the Victorian details although is of distinctly different proportions. The house sits on an elevated site overlooking the surrounding area.

General Comments

Drumbeg Area of Village Character

Date of Survey

21 June 2010