Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB24/07/025

Address :
Prospect House 4 Millisle Road Donaghadee Co Down

Townland:
Donaghadee

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
20/12/1976 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
132/4

IG Ref:
J5922 7972

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Prospect House is a large two storey gabled town house with large attic, probably dating from c.1760s. It is situated on the E side of the N end of the Millisle Road, to the S of Donaghadee town centre. The street slopes toward the NW and so the house is built into a gentle rise. Front SW facade was probably originally symmetrical, but the (possible) lengthening of the house to the SE (which may have been carried out not long after the house was built) has made it asymmetrical, but the original section is still easily discernible. To the left of centre is the entrance which is reached five (pyramidally arranged) stone steps. The door is panelled and has a semicircular fanlight with decorative tracery. The doorway has a ‘Gibbsian’ surround with blocked pilasters and architrave. To the left of the door (and set at a high level) are two sash windows with Georgian panes. To the right are two similar windows and to the far right (to the ground floor of the section to the SE which was possibly added later) is a flat arch carriage entrance, with timber double doors. To the first floor on the original section are five evenly spaced windows as ground floor. To the upper level of the SE ‘added’ section is a large tripartite window with Georgian panes. This window is set at a slightly lower level than the first floor windows to the ‘original’ section. The front facade is finished in rough cast with quoins. There are also quoins between the supposed ‘original’ and ‘added’ sections, thus reinforcing the idea that the house was extended. The exposed uppermost section of the SE gable is plain rendered and has two attic windows, as front, but smaller. The NW gable is finished in plain render and painted. To the left on the first floor is a window as front and above this are two attic windows, as SE gable. The rear facade is unrendered (but white-washed) and shows its rubble construction. To the right of centre is the timber sheeted rear door which is set in a recess. To the right of this are a narrow pair of French doors. To the left of the main rear door is a small six pane sash window set at a high level. Directly above the main rear door (and almost set on its lintel), is a tall stairwell sash window, much as front. Directly above this is a smaller sash window which lights the attic stairwell. To the left of the tall stairwell window (at a high level) on the first floor is a sash window (in same style as all others) which lights the bathroom. The stonework to the rear facade suggests that the section to the SE was added later (as does the absence of windows to this section of the rear). To the far right on the rear facade there used to be a single storey extension which was probably added in the early 1800s and (according to the owner) rebuilt in Victorian times, but this was removed recently (c.1970s) with the door between the house and the former extension now filled with the French doors. Some of the window openings to the rear facade appear to have been altered. The roof is gabled and covered in asbestos slates to the front and Bangor blue slates to the rear. To the rear are three large. and two tiny Velux windows. Rendered parapets. There are three rendered chimney stacks, two to the gables and one directly above the point where the SE ‘added’ section begins (again, reinforcing the idea that it is not original). In the centre of the front of the roof is a tiny curious circular skylight. This is a fine mid eighteenth century house which is still largely intact and well cared for. There have been some alterations to the rear facade and to the kitchen interior, but ultimately these detract only marginally from what is still an impressive residence.

Architects

Historical Information

This house is shown on Daniel De la Cherois’s map of Donaghadee of c.1780 and, according to the deeds, was built some time prior to 1779. The arrangement of the front facade, the stonework to the rear and the internal layout, all suggest that the section to the south east end was added at some point, however its appearance is distinctly Georgian implying that it may not have been constructed long after the main house. By the time of the 1834 OS Map an extension had been added to the rear of the house, which (according to the present owner) was rebuilt (or substantially renovated and altered) in Victorian times, and removed in the 1970s by the then owner architect Kenneth Kenmuir. Kenmuir also appears to have been responsible for the enlarged doorway to the kitchen. The ‘human’ history of this house is largely a mystery. Local tradition states that it was originally built for a sea captain, who (it is said) was able to use its lofty ‘prospect’ to look towards the sea and gauge when his vessels would arrive, when it would be the best time to sail and so on. At least one other local, however, stated that it was once the custom house for Donaghadee, but this seems unlikely given that custom houses were usually closer to their respective harbours. In the valuation records of c.1836, the house is noted as being in the possession of a Mrs. Vaughan and had the substantial rateable value of £18.* *A handicap encountered during investigations of the history of many buildings with Donaghadee is the fact that the bulk of the De la Cherois estate papers are still within family hands and not available for consultation. A catalogue of the papers is currently being undertaken by Anthony Malcomson of PRONI, but it is unclear whether permission will be given for the transcription of documents. References- Primary sources 1. Map of Donaghadee [?1700]. [This map is curious. It belongs to the owner of the Manor House, Donaghadee, and was believed to have been drawn up by one James Dillon for Daniel De la Cherois in 1780. However, the overall crude style of the piece and the fact that the representations of the buildings (especially the Church) contradict what we know of them at this stage, suggests it is much earlier . This theory appears to be borne out by the fact that the actual date on the map is probably ‘1700’ rather than ‘1780’, a stroke from the ‘7’ passing through the first ‘0’ giving it the appearance of a figure 8. The map has been reproduced forseveral publications (notably John Stevenson’s Two centuries of life in Down 1600-1800 republished by White Row Press in 1990) each of which have accepted the date of 1780 at face value, yet questioned the contradictions in the style and positioning of the buildings.] The site of this house is shown occupied on this map, however, the present house is probably mid eighteenth century. 2. ‘A map of the town of Donaghadee...’ [c.1771-90]. [This map was prepared for Daniel De la Cherois, who inherited much of the town and its hinterland in 1771. As Daniel died in 1790, the map can thus be dated to some time between 1771-90. At some point someone has written on the map ‘about 1780’, a date which may be accurate.] 3. PRONI VAL 1B/32 p.4 1st valuation, Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee., c.1836. [See also accompanying town plan.] 4. PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1858-60, Co. Down 3. 5. PRONI 2nd (‘Griffith’s’) valuation Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee, 1863. [The town plan for the 2nd valuation is not available at PRONI and therefore it is difficult to match the properties listed in the valuation with actual buildings.] Secondary sources 1. Hugh Dixon et al Historic buildings, groups of buildings, buildings of architectural importance in Donaghadee and Portpatrick (UAHS 1977), p.30.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Large two storey house with attic, built c.1760. This house is still largely intact and remains one of the most impressive buildings within Donaghadee.

General Comments

Date of Survey

20 May 1998