Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB06/08/005

Address :
Drumalis Retreat Centre 47 Glenarm Road Larne Co Antrim

Townland:
None

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
25/06/1979 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Religious House

Former Use
Country House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
Yes

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
70/8SE

IG Ref:
D4076 0294

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Owner Category

Church - RC

Exterior Description And Setting

A large rambling two-storey late Victorian and Edwardian mansion dominated by a four-storey central tower and turret in a form of Italianate style standing in spacious grounds. Main entrance faces west. West elevation asymmetrical comprising a hipped two-storey wing three windows wide to the right of a central tower, stepping back to reveal a fourth window in an end bay, with a lower hipped two-storey wing to the left of the tower, three windows wide before stepping forward with a projecting canted bay, terminating with a single storey flat roofed end block; an extensive two-storey service wing returns to the rear at the left hand side. Roofs of Westmoreland green slates in regular courses; decorative wrought iron ridge cresting, original, scrolling pattern in High Victorian style, with impressive ball-and-spikes ironwork finial at each extremity of main roofs. Walls rendered with dry dash of pebbles; painted stucco dressings to openings, modillion cornice, frieze, string courses, vertical strips to corners of two-storey wings and rusticated quoins to tower. Windows segmental headed to first floor of wings, rectangular to ground floor; timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns. String courses between cills except at ground floor north wing. West front of tower: four-storey, with smaller fifth storey turret stepped back behind. Rusticated quoins to extremities except at ground floor where porch is attached; moulded string course at each floor; two windows to ground floor, rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns, set in moulded rectangular surrounds; painted stone cill, continuous for both windows. To right of windows, a square section cast iron downpipe from porch, with plain hopper but attached to wall by decorative cast iron brackets: stylised leafage with radiating acorn motifs, attached to wall by new screws. First floor of tower, a pair of similar windows with string course as cill; rusticated and moulded quoins to extremities which rise through following two stages; moulded corbelling in unpainted sandstone, of centrally placed oriel window on second floor, rises from just above windows to string course above. Second floor of tower: central canted oriel with a timber sliding sash window, as previous, in each face; much decay to right hand sandstone mullion; sandstone parapet of oriel rises to third floor of tower; some missing stonework to heads of balustrading. Third floor of tower contains a pair of coupled semi-circular headed windows; timber sashes as previous; keystones and impost mouldings; an attached pilaster to each side of windows, supported on moulded brackets, and surmounted by curved brackets beneath a dentil cornice in unpainted sandstone; fluted curving brackets, paired, at top of rusticated quoins to each extremity. Decorative parapet rising to central rectangular panel ornamented with a cartouche around open oculus, with short square piers to each extremity; all in unpainted sandstone. South face of tower: painted quoins at extremities; small ocular window in second floor above abutting roof of south wing; coupled semi-circular windows in third floor, as previous, surmounted by parapet similar to west front; rear turret of narrower bay width rising to rear with rusticated quoins to its corners; single semi-circular arched window at its third floor level, sashed as previous; turret at fourth floor level has one rectangular sash window as previous, set in semi-circular headed surround in each face except west which has a flush door. Parapet to turret, as previous, with decorative capstones to each corner pier, acroterion design with ball finial. North face of tower: small semi-circular headed window, sashed as previous, in second floor; pair of larger coupled semi-circular windows to third floor as on south face; rusticated quoins and parapet as previous. To left hand side at third floor level, beyond ridge of north wing, balustraded parapet to rear adjunct of tower. Entrance porch, single-storey, partly set back into angle of tower and east wing; pair of unfluted Doric columns on high pedestals, with plain frieze and moulded cornice, projects forward, attached to pilastered piers by short walls with recessed rectangular panels, all in painted sandstone except parapet in unpainted sandstone. Opening partly filled in at high level to front with glazed panels of leaded lights in Art Nouveau style, probably later addition, design of stylised leafage. Openings between column and pier, to each side, filled in entirely with large panel of plate glass, bevelled edges, with shallow top and bottom panels of leaded lights of Art Nouveau leafage; with main toplight rectangular, leaded pattern of Art Nouveau swan in oval panel, excellent quality; horizontal iron support bar to each main toplight; slight damage to glass on north side; wooden frames set in painted metal subframes to stonework. Floor of exterior porch laid with sandstone or composition, in panels but badly stained surface. Front doorway semi-circular arched with moulded and panelled pilasters; sandstone step; two-leaf door, each leaf six panel, fielded and panelled, varnished oak; brass door knob to each leaf, hexagonal in shape, mid-20th century design; plain glazed fanlight, semi-circular. To right, off exterior porch, door of stained and varnished oak, large rectangular glass panel over low rectangular panel, connects with veranda. Above porch in first floor of east wing a canted bay with French window flanked by narrow sashed sidelights giving access onto porch roof; to right, two windows to first floor, as previous with segmental heads. To right of porch at ground level, cast iron downpipe without ornamented brackets, followed by a recessed five-light mullioned and transomed oriel window, set in large rectangular surround as previous: stained glass to toplights. To right, a rectangular sash window as previous; ground floor windows enclosed in lean-to veranda of open timberwork ornamentally treated: coupled square piers on sandstone bases, connected by fretwork panels at top and bottom, with turned balusters to frieze which has base pendants in Jacobean style. Veranda paved with white mosaic bordered by garland motifs typical of Edwardian period; continuous sandstone step to front, laid in large slabs. Copper roof to veranda laid with prominent rolls; moulded copper gutter; all bright green verdigris finish. Veranda returns at right hand extremity with quadrant curve, close-set piers, all glazed. One chimney on ridge of south wing; others behind ridge; all painted stucco, with dentil cornice; mouldings and offset; tall pots, original. North wing: roof and wall treatment similar to south wing with three cast iron downpipes; downpipe to right hand extremity has acorn and leaf brackets, other two have trefoil-ended brackets. Two prominent chimneys, as on south wing, one each side of projecting canted bay. Single-storey wing extension to extreme north end: coupled Tuscan pilasters, painted as previous, on pedestals, with unpainted sandstone balustraded parapet, similar character to previous; shallow projecting central bay to extension, with coupled Tuscan pilasters on high pedestals, flanking tripartite window: fluted panels to two mullions; central light, a pair of timber side hung escape doors, later modification, not too obtrusive; outer lights, sashed as previous. North elevation in general comprises a central two-storey hipped wing, 5-bay, with a long 1960s addition in an inappropriate modern style extending to the left, with the canted end of the single-storey termination of the west entrance front lying to the extreme right. North elevation in detail: from the right, canted end of original single-storey billiard room, now chapel; circular traceried two-light window in each face of bay, white painted timber with stained glass, steel mesh grilles; walls and dressings as previous; pierced parapet all around chapel. To extremities of canted end, coupled pilasters on joint pedestal, painted stucco, the pair to right with a cast iron replacement downpipe alongside. East side of chapel: white glazed brick wall: in left hand corner, circular cast iron downpipe with ornamented hopper. Projecting from wall, a lean-to timber-boarded store, its wall closing off the recessed yard, with flush door in screen; concrete floor to yard; corrugated perspex to roof. To left, two windows in single storey extension to kitchen: rectangular timber sashes vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns; beyond, two windows, as previous, in first floor wall of north wing, north face. To left, west wall of east wing: three windows to first floor, segmental headed, with keystone, sliding sashes as previous; extreme left one has string course abutting cill which stops at square-section cast iron downpipe with trefoil brackets. Ground floor has, outside yard, three windows to left, one normal width flanked by two narrow ones, all rectangular, and, within yard, one window, timber sliding sash, as previous, to ground floor, but top cut off by lean-to over yard passage, with doorway to right; six-panel door with rectangular fanlight. Central block of north elevation: five-bay two-storey east wing; roof as previous with two chimneys at intermediate positions, on ridge, as previous; between chimneys, beyond ridge line, top storey of painted stucco water tower appears beyond with semi-circular opening partially glazed; wavy or scalloped profile to parapet. Main wall of east wing as previous walls of house with stucco plinth, main string course moulded, and subsidiary moulded string course between cills of first floor windows. Rendered and painted vertical strips to extremities. Six windows to ground floor, all rectangular sliding sash as previous, with two at right coupled around projecting pilaster-pier, rendered and lined, which extends up to base of first floor oriel. First floor windows in line with ground floor and all segmental headed, except second from left which is blind, filled with dry dash render of pebbles, and extreme right is a canted sandstone oriel, with rectangular sliding sash windows, as previous in three faces. Oriel window roof is canted with lead flashings to its ridges and a lead finial. Sandstone corbel course continues from string course down to heads of ground floor windows. Two square section cast iron downpipes, one with trefoil brackets, plus five circular cast iron downpipes. Along ridge of roof: prominent wrought iron decorative cresting running between chimneys, with ball and spike finials to extremities. East face of east wing has a sandstone oriel to first floor, roofed as previous oriel; windows and corbels as previous oriel, supported on projecting breast of wall below, dry dashed pier with painted stucco to outer edges. To left of oriel, two-storey modern extension abuts, below eaves level; within link block, former exterior wall of east wing now rendered and painted. Modern extension of 1960s to left is in concrete brickwork; flat roofs; aluminium or zinc fascias. Main east elevation of house: two-storey with hipped roofs at different heights; one chimney, as previous, to each roof; ridge cresting of wrought iron as previous; central tower of entrance front visible beyond, with rectangular sliding sash window in arched surround in top level. Main east elevation comprises three windows between canted two-storey bays, with one window in recessed bay to extreme left, and three windows to right hand side. Extreme left hand side: ground floor has lean-to open veranda, enclosing one window, sliding sash as previous; above, another segmental headed sliding sash window as previous; followed by two-storey canted bay with three windows to each floor as previous to ground floor and to first floor; wall of bay front slightly recessed between curved brackets; dentil cornice to whole elevation. To right, three central windows to main first floor segmental headed; ground floor projecting forwards from first floor, with three windows rectangular sliding sash between coupled pilasters, painted stucco, Tuscan border; square section downpipes with trefoil brackets; sandstone balustrade to projection with flat roof behind; extremities of pilastered section have rectangular strips overlaid on end pilasters, clumsily detailed. To right, two-storey canted bay projects: ground floor windows rectangular sliding sash as previous but blind panel above, contained within moulded surround to window; panels filled with dry dash; central ground floor window has chamfered reveal with torus moulding. First floor of canted bay: segmental headed surrounds, again incorporating blind panels, so that window itself is rectangular; replacement windows look like timber, fixed light with top hung vent. To right of canted bay, three first floor windows, segmental headed with lean-to conservatory passage below, reached by glazed door in canted porch abutting canted bay. Porch roof, asbestos slates; walls timber framed and glazed with small panes of tinted glass to top lights; circular cast iron downpipe and moulded cast iron gutter, replacements; concrete area outside porch with concrete plinth blocks; porch gable, glazing in tinted glass; ball finial to apex. Cast iron gutter and downpipes to conservatory passage which returns around ground floor of east wing. South face of east wing: central gabled projection, with its gable treated as a pediment, containing one first floor window, segmental headed, sliding sash as previous, flanked by one first floor window each side; walls as previous with stucco strip to right hand extremity and moulded string broken by adjacent downpipe, finished untidily. Below, lean-to conservatory with asbestos slate roof in regular courses has projecting canted front on axis with pedimented first floor projection. Conservatory walling, painted stucco with moulded plinth; lead roll moulding to ridges of roof and small stone ball finial, painted. Fixed glazing with rectilinear pattern of glazing bars. Conservatory terminates to right with panelled corner pier, and returns to south facing entrance to form a concrete paved recess; modern rectangular glazed door and fanlight in recess; modern 1960s extension to right. South elevation of south wing of house: two-storey, with facade of projecting end bay comprising two windows to first floor, flanked by square cast iron downpipes with trefoil brackets; coupled Tuscan pilasters to extremities of ground floor of projecting end bay with another pilaster each side of central tripartite window; tripartite window has two fluted pilasters with rectangular stucco surround containing three sliding sash windows; cill continuous across front. To right hand side: open end of veranda against recessed blank side wall of canted bay on east front. To left hand side, recessed wall with segmental headed window, as previous, to first floor; ground floor enclosed by lean-to veranda reached by large opening with open side-light to right hand side, and corresponding one on left glazed in; concrete step; mosaic floor as previous to verandahs. In the garden, to the west and south of the house, renaissance style balustraded garden walls of artificial stone, including a bowed section opposite the main entrance to house, flanked by flights of curved steps down to the front lawn and a large curved stone seat on the front terrace; square end piers to the walls, with large ball finials, surmounting the piers, except at the top of the straight flight of steps down from the south side, where the piers are surmounted by large stone vases. There are other short flights of steps along garden paths but not of the same material or quality. Other structures within the grounds include plain basalt boundary walls around the grounds; a plain rear gateway, and a plain basalt wall along the rear driveway; two cast iron lamp standards on the main drive way; a small stone garden store on the back driveway; a rear two-storey gate lodge, undistinguished and much altered, with associated outbuildings of no special interest; plain red brick sheds and a modern gabled store within the walled gardens; a modern gabled garage to the north of the main house; and a sunken ‘rock garden’ constructed of concrete to the south-east of the house; none of which are of special interest. The house stands on an elevated site in its own extensive pleasantly landscaped grounds with distant views to the sea, approached by a tarmac driveway from main road which terminates in front of main entrance; lawn further to west, and to south and east; tarmac car park to north, with wooded areas beyond.

Architects

Stevenson, Samuel Walton, George Close, Samuel P Haughey, Patrick

Historical Information

Built in stages between 1872 and 1910, firstly for Sir Hugh Smiley, and then, following his death in 1909, for his wife Lady Smiley. 1872 house started, architect not known, presumably completed by 1874 in time for Smiley’s marriage, the original house still forming the bulk of the portion to the south of the tower; it may be identified on the west front as the two-storey hipped-roof portion three windows wide to the right of the tower, but without the later overlay of ridge cresting, veranda and remodelling of some windows, and originally with a fourth bay where the tower now stands; on the east front it can be identified as the northern one of the two-storey canted bays, along with the three first-floor windows to the left of it, but another two-storey canted bay south of that was later rebuilt further forward. 1888-90 tower and porch added, to designs of Samuel P. Close, architect, but probably also at this time the sitting room and the dining room canted bay extended eastwards, and the whole house extended to the north with a north wing and a service wing built around a lightwell. 1893 George Walton of Glasgow brought in to provide stained glass and leaded windows, including documented doorway in north corridor and signed bay window in hall; inlaid doors, panelling and fireplace in main stair hall and landing, and painted ceiling of hall also attributable to Walton, c 1893. After 1893, probably during later 1890s, single-storey rectangular bay added to south side of drawing room (later enlarged), large conservatory added to east (since demolished), verandahs added to entrance front (since replaced), to designs by S.P. Close; followed by addition of new billiard room (now chapel), probably by Close but with fittings by Walton, including double doors with signed base plates. 1910 new veranda with conical roof at south-west corner (since re-roofed), drawing room bay enlarged and made two-storey, kitchen extended to north, and bedroom wing terminating in first-floor oriel window added eastwards from north end, all by Samuel Stevenson, architect, for Lady Smiley; water tower at east wing, wrought iron ridge cresting and finials on roofs, and garden balustrading and steps also appear to date from this time and attributable to Stevenson. 1930 house bought by Sisters of Cross and Passion following brief ownership of William Crawford, local businessman, and became a convent; 1968 new wing added to east, on site of large conservatory, as retreat and conference centre with chapel, to designs of Patrick Haughey, architect. The house is traditionally believed to occupy the site of a 13th century Premonstratensian Priory, the Friary of Clondumalis, later called Drumalis, which was suppressed in 1591, and has now vanished without trace. Within the grounds of the house, to the east, is a tree-ring which is a historic monument, SMR: ANT40:36. References - Primary 1. OS map of 1893. Co Antrim 40. 2. PRONI D/1898/1/6 as originally catalogued, Stephens Papers: porch, tower and porter’s lodge for Drumalis by S.P. Close 1888-90. 3. PRONI D/1898/1/36A Stephens Papers: alterations and additions to Drumalis, Larne, for Lady Smiley by S. Stevenson; includes existing plan of first floor signed by S.P. Close. 4. PRONI D/1898/1/97A Stephens Papers: quantities for new wing next to kitchen at Drumalis. Secondary 1. R.M. Young, Belfast and the Province of Ulster (Brighton, 1909), p 302: photograph of house before additions of 1910. 2. M. Bence-Jones, Burke’s Guide to Country Houses: Volume 1: Ireland (London, 1978), p 112. 3. K. Moon, George Walton: Designer and Architect (Oxford, 1993), pp 34, 37, 52, 99, 185 notes 60 and 61. 4. C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of County Antrim (UAHS, Belfast, 1996), p xi: Drumalis excluded from the book as deemed by author to be “of little merit”. 5. Undated copy of plan before addition of new billiard room, in possession of owners.

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 K. Group value

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

An impressive example of a Victorian country house which retains most of its original features, still retains the grandeur of its original setting in its own spacious grounds, reveals an interesting history of progressive alteration and change, and displays a range of very fine interior fittings particularly the inlaid woodwork and stained and decorative glass by a leading international designer of the time.

General Comments

Date of Survey

22 December 1997