Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/14/021

Address :
Mount Kearney Carnacally Road Saval Beg Newry Co Down BT

Townland:
Saval Beg

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Yes

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OS Map No:
252/12

IG Ref:
J1162 3134

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Late 18thC house, set in small denuded demesne on W side of Carnacally Road. The house is aligned N-S and in two parts: the N block is two storey/three bay, vernacular in form, with a rear pile to its S (left) bay. The S block is three bays and single storey, grander in appearance, but with a lower roof. N block Two storey/ three bay. Pitched natural slate roof (gone to centre and left bays) with overhanging masonry eaves and half-round rainwater goods. Rendered chimney on the ridge between the central and right bays, another on the rear pitch between the central and left bays and one on the rear pitch of the left gable. Lined cement render walls have stepped stucco quoins to E (front) facing elevation. Its ground floor left bay has a half glazed door with narrow window to its right. Central bay has a semi-elliptical headed dressed granite archway with advancing spring-block and keystone. It is infilled and has a window opening to centre. The right bay has a window opening to ground floor. There is a small window to each bay at first floor. The N gable is rendered and blank. Its left corner is abutted by a high rubble stone wall, which encloses a small domestic yard to N&W of this block. The W elevation is rendered. Its left bay has a window opening at ground floor and a blank first floor. The central bay is abutted by a small derelict lean-to and there is a window above to first floor. A rear pile abuts the right bay. This has a pitched roof (as the others). It N gable has a first floor window at left and is abutted at ground floor right by a lean-to now gone (with an opening in the party wall). The W elevation of this pile has rendered stepped quoins and a single window on each floor (sandstone cills). The S gable of the rear pile is flush with the S gable of the front pile. Both gables are cement rendered and almost completely abutted by the single storey S block. The remaining exposed wall at left has a narrow 1/1 sash window at ground floor and another at first floor. Gable also abutted by a narrow chimneybreast from the S block. The S block Single storey / three bay with semi-basement below the S bay only. Pitched natural slate roof was hipped to S end and is now completely gone. Walls are rendered with flush eaves and moulded cast-iron rainwater goods. N gable abuts the S end of the N block. E elevation is flush with the E elevation of the N block and has a lower wall-head. This E elevation is three bays wide. The right (N) bay is abutted by a cube porch. Flat roof and walls as the main block with moulded stucco cornice. Its front (E) and right (N) cheeks each have a window opening both with sandstone cills (the E one is infilled). The left (S) cheek has a shallow semi-elliptical headed doorway. It contains the remains of a multi-panelled door set between two decorative Ionic columns, carrying an entablature with fluted frieze and patera. The opening reveals have reeded pilasters. The central bay has a late 19thC canted bay window; timber framed with moulded and fretted timber eaves. Each of its three cheeks has a segmental headed 1/1 sash window. The left (S) bay has a tall infilled window opening to centre. The S elevation of the S block has an exposed semi-basement (ground falls away). The elevation is lined rendered with stepped quoins. The basement has a window at left and a similar one at right incorporating a door. There is a large window to centre at ground floor. All openings have cement stucco trim. The W elevation of S block is rendered with stepped quoins and each of its three bays has a single large window opening (granite cills). Setting All vegetation has been removed from the demesne; a farmyard at bottom of the hill to S of house has been completely removed. Lodge is demolished and little planting survives except a tree-lined driveway from the E and a shelter belt of rhododendron in the field to E of house.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Shown on the 1834 OS 6" map along with what is probably the gate lodge. It could be of late 18th C date. The 1836 Valuation notes its occupant as James Parker and gives its dimensions as 49ft x 35ft 6in x 11ft excluding the porch and basement. A second house is also noted, measuring 19ft x 37ft x 15ft. The premises are cited on the 1860 map as Mount Kearney, and the gate lodge is explicitly captioned. The 1862 Valuation notes its occupant as James McWatty. Its dimensions are similar to the earlier valuation, but with the addition of an 'old dwelling house' measuring 45ft x 24ft x two storeys high. The valuation remains constant through to 1929 indicating little or no change since the mid 1800s. A 1959 photograph of the gate lodge shows it to be single storey and two bays wide. It has a pitched natural slate roof with fretted bargeboards and squat chimney to centre. Its rendered walls have two semi-elliptical headed recesses on the S elevation, each containing a 2/2 sash window. There is a similar window on the E gable. Dean states that the gate lodge was built by James Parker c1830. Their gravestones in the nearby private graveyard (HB16/14/022) on Coalpit Road have links to this house. Oldest one is inscribed, “Ellen, James & Rose/ Parker”. Another commemorates Schlena Gordon (d.1943), A. DE. R. Gordon (d.1957), Ann Gordon (d.1986), all of Mount Kearney. Mrs Ann Gordon was the last occupant. The holy table in St Bartholomew’s C of I Church, Donaghmore, is dedicated to her and her father, Col. Annesley DE. R. Gordon D.S.O O.B.E M.R.C.V.S. J.P. Prior to living at Mount Kearney the Gordons occupied Curley House (HB16/14/052). The house caught fire while vacant in the late 1980s. The HMBB first survey slides show the complex before its destruction. Slides are described below: 1) Shows a small room; its floorboards have been raised revealing the gaps between the joists to be packed with straw and lime mortar. 2) Shows the front room in the central bay of the S block looking towards the doorways into the rear room and left (S) bay. The high ceiling is flat with sloping sides. Its has a small floral centre piece from which radiate sixteen batwing segments, set within a hoop and each one terminated in an oval patera. The corners of the ceiling proper have small foliated quadrants. There is a reeded or fluted picture rail separating the walls from the ceiling. Walls are papered. There are two doorways, each serving a different wall in the same corner. Both have semicircular heads with moulded imposts and run moulded plaster archivolts. The left doorway is low and appears to have no door. The right doorway is taller than the other one, has an infilled head and contains a Georgian panelled door with delicate applied mouldings. 3) Shows the front wall of the rear room in the central bay (now gone). To its centre is a large semicircular headed niche, the run moulded archivolt of which meets the ceiling. To its left and right are six panelled Georgian doors (delicately moulded) with reeded or fluted architraves and a diminutive timber entablature which continues within the niche. A dado breaks the other walls in the room. 4) Shows the front end of the room in the right (N) bay of the S block. The high ceiling is flat with sloping sides. Between the walls and the ceiling is a run moulded cornice. Walls are papered and have a high moulded timber skirting, a moulded timber dado rail and a high picture rail, which creates a narrow frieze. The left wall has a Georgian (Carrara marble?) chimneypiece with reeded pilasters and matching lintel. Over each pilaster is a small block with a figurative carving. Plain mantle shelf. The right wall has a large semi-elliptical headed niche, the head of which breaks the picture rail. It has a run moulded archivolt and reeded pilasters. Inset is an urn topped Georgian over-mantle. There are also two slides, which are believed to be of the outbuildings. These are shown to be single storey linear blocks with overhanging pitched natural slate roofs. One end is half hipped with fretted bargeboards. The chimneys are pairs of tall Tudor style stacks on common bases. Walls are rendered and windows are pairs of casements with glazing bars. Primary sources: 1. OS 6" map, 1834, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/1). 2. First Valuation, 1836 (PRONI VAL 1B/389, p.313). 3. OS 6" map, 1860, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/2). 4. Second Valuation, 1862 (PRONI VAL 2B/3/69E, p.328). 5. Valuation revision books, 1866-1929 (PRONI VAL 12B/22/7A-F). 6. HMBB first survey slides dated September 1976 and December 1986. 7. Gravestones in Coalpit Road Graveyard (Hb16/14/022). Secondary Sources: 1. J.A.K. Dean ‘The Gate Lodges of Ulster, a gazetteer’, UAHS 1994, p.85.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

The shell of a once impressive early 19th C landowner’s house.

General Comments

Date of Survey

07 March 2000