Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/01/023

Address :
Rockmount 12 Carmorn Road Toomebridge Co Antrim BT41 3NX

Townland:
Carmorn

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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:
No

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OS Map No:
94-16

IG Ref:
J0188 8736

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A symmetrical three-bay, two-storey stone house, erected c.1880 and aligned north-south on the east side of Tullaghbeg Road. The house is rectangular on plan with single storey flat-roofed porch to west and two-storey return to rear. There is a two-storey sanitary extension with water tank to angle of return and house, further abutted to right cheek by a single-storey lean-to kitchen extension. The roof is pitched artificial slate and each gable has a large red brick chimneystack with yellow brick trim and corbelled capping; red brick chimneybreasts are exposed. The walls are squared basalt rubble, roughly coursed. The windows are 1/1 timber sliding sashes with horns and painted masonry cills, unless otherwise stated. The principal elevation faces west and has a central smooth rendered porch with dentilled cornice. The door is replacement four panelled, with plain glazed transom light and half-glazed sidelights, accessed by three steps. Windows to outer bays are paired to ground floor, with shared cill. The elevation is densely creeper covered. The north gable has a single window to ground floor. The rear elevation is abutted by return and extension, and has an exposed window to first floor right only. The south gable has a single window to each floor. The return has windows to left cheek only: paired with shared cill to ground floor and a single window to first floor. The extensions are roughcast rendered with side-hung metal framed casement windows. The house is set on a secluded elevated site sheltered by mature trees and accessed by a steep tree-lined driveway bounded by stone walls. There is a farmyard to rear enclosed to two sides by ranges of single and two storey stables and stores. The east stable range has a stepped pitch and slopes with the gradient of the yard. Roofs are pitched artificial slate and walling is squared rubble stone, roughly coursed, with brick quoins. There are several sheeted timber stable doors with brick reveals. The store to north is similarly detailed with loft door and segmental brick relieving arch. Circular rubble stone gate piers with conical caps lead to a paddock at the south-east corner of the yard, and sheltered tree lined lanes lead to fields. Chamfered yellow brick piers with decorative caps support a cast-iron gate leading to small front garden. Roof: Pitched artificial slate Walling: Squared basalt rubble Windows: Timber 1/1 sliding sashes RWG: Ogee cast-iron.

Architects

Historical Information

The first edition OS map (1832) shows a long rectangular building with outbuilding on the site but aligned differently, accessed by the lane which remains today. This building is also shown on the second addition (1857), with additional outbuildings and a quarry to rear. The Townland valuation notes that no buildings on the townland are worth over £5. Griffiths Valuation records a 'house, offices and land', valued at £1.5s, leased to William Law by Thomas Jones. The current building and outbuildings are recorded on the 1904 OS map. The Valuation Revision of 1882 notes that occupancy of the house and land have been transferred to William Bailie, leased from Kenwick J. Charles Hamilton Jones, and the valuation has increased by 10s to £1.15s. The 1909 Revision records a substantial increase in value, to £9, suggesting that the current house was constructed in the latter part of the nineteenth century. A note added to the Revision in 1915 states that the “quarry is not used. Too near the house for safety”. The last of the Bailie family to live at Rockmount died early in 2008. A local source indicated that the house is one of three in the area built by McManus of Randalstown. McManus Builders Merchants retains commercial premises in Randalstown today, and Slater's Directory of 1894 records 'McManus, Hugh & Sons, Main Street, Randalstown - Ironmongers and Hardware Men', and the Belfast and Ulster Directory of 1902 lists the same business as ‘Steam sawing, Joinery mills and Builders’. (See also HB20/01/024 and HB20/01/029) References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/42/1 1st Edition OS map (1832) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/42/3 2nd Edition OS map (1857) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/42/4 3rd Edition OS map (1904, revised 1933) 4. PRONI VAL/1A/1/48 Townland Valuation Map 5. PRONI VAL/1B/185 Townland Valuation Fieldbook 6. PRONI VAL/2B/1/72A Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook 7. PRONI VAL/2A/42A Griffiths Valuation Map 8. PRONI VAL/12B/1/10C Valuation Revision (1882-1896) 9. PRONI VAL/12B/1/10D Valuation Revision (1896-1912) 10. PRONI VAL/12B/1/10E Valuation Revision (1911-1929) 11. PRONI Slater's Commercial Directory, 1894 12. PRONI Belfast & Ulster Street Directory, 1902 Secondary Sources 1. Information from owner of HB20/01/029

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A symmetrical three-bay, two-storey stone house, Rockmount is a well-proportioned rural farmhouse, solidly constructed of local basalt which was quarried from adjacent land. Arranged on a symmetrical plan, the house is one of three to have been constructed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century by McManus (builder) of Randalstown. Rockmount and a house at Cargin Road (HB20/01/024) exhibit similar construction techniques and have nicely detailed brick chimneystacks which are characteristic of the period.

General Comments

Significant damp throughout the house particularly to first sanitary extension. (G04, G05, G06, G07 and G08.)

Date of Survey

08 September 2008