Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB10/04/001 C

Address :
The Agent's House, Baronscourt, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone BT78 4EZ

Townland:
Barons Court

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
05/04/1982 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
Country House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
104-9

IG Ref:
H3633 8268

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached symmetrical Paladian three-bay single-storey redbrick and stone villa, built c.1745, possibly to the designs of James Martin, with a tetrastyle pedimented Tuscan Doric portico in antis. Lean-to extension spanning south elevation, built c.1970 and flat-roofed extension to north built c.1960. Rectangular on plan, facing east, the house is surrounded by a series of estate offices positioned to the south of the main stable yard. The house is approached head-on by a long rear avenue (now used as the principal avenue). Hipped natural slate roof with roll-moulded clay ridge tiles, lead covering to central flat section and a single off-centre rendered chimneystack and three octagonal clay pots and stone cornice. Front pitch is broken by the pitched natural slate roof to the pediment of the central portico having timber barge board. Ogee-moulded cast-iron guttering to stone ashlar cornice and plain stone frieze, redbrick eaves to rear elevation and cast-iron downpipes. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond and lime mortar with smooth render plinth course. The central stone portico comprises a pair of Tuscan Doric columns with a further engaged column to either end supporting a plain frieze and cornice, stone pediment with plain stone tympanum and raking cornice. Painted plaster walls to the portico with diagonally-laid square stone flagged floor and a pair of steps spanning the portico. The symmetrical three-bay single-storey front elevation has painted rendered walls to the portico with a central square-headed door opening with a heavy painted stone ashlar architrave surround and original painted eight-panel raised-and-fielded timber door with central fillet and iron door furniture. To either side is a circular window opening with painted stone ashlar architrave surrounds, early timber fixed-pane wheel window with central circular pane containing bulls-eye glass panes. To either side of the portico is a square-headed window opening set below the stone frieze with smooth cement render surrounds, cement sills and replacement steel casement windows, inserted c.1940. The lean-to extension spanning the south side elevation has redbrick walling to the front elevation laid in stretcher bond with painted ruled-and-lined rendered walls to the south. Natural slate roof set below the stone cornice of the main house having steel rainwater goods to timber fascia. A central square-headed door opening with timber half-glazed door and concrete step. To either side is a square-headed window opening with timber casement windows and concrete sills. Symmetrical three-bay single-storey rear elevation with a central three-sided canted bay window, c.1900. Redbrick walls laid in Flemish bond with deep redbrick eaves supporting cast-iron rainwater goods and a flush rubblestone plinth course. Square-headed window to either side of bay with brick flat-arches, concrete sills, cement reveals and single-pane timber sash windows with ogee horns, inserted c.1990. North side elevation is abutted by a flat-roofed single-storey extension, built c.1960 with a single square-headed door opening to the original side elevation having dougle-leaf glazed steel French doors, opening onto two concrete steps to a paved patio area. UPVC windows to 1960s extension. Roof Natural slate/Lead Walling Redbrick/painted render Windows Steel casement/Timber sash Rainwater goods Cast-iron

Architects

Martin, James

Historical Information

The Agent’s House is first shown on a 1777 ‘Map of Barons Court Park’ in the Manor of Derrigoon. The building is recorded as rectangular. Although the OS maps show projecting extensions to the south and east ends in 1833 and 1907, the building is again recorded as rectangular by 1947. The Townland Valuation (1828-40) records a ‘House, offices, gate house etc’, referring to Baronscourt House and its associated offices, valued at £150. In Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) the ‘Castle, offices, steward and game-keeper’s houses and gate lodges’ are valued at £220. By the second revision in 1895, and in subsequent revisions, there is a separate listing for the agent’s house. It is leased by Robert Bell from the Duke of Abercorn and valued at £20. The Agent’s House preceded the current mansion at Baronscourt (HB 10/04/001A), apparently started by the 7th Earl of Abercorn in 1741 and completed by his son (Rowan, p 133). Correspondences from the agent to the Earl of Abercorn suggest that the designer of the building was James Martin, who was building Clogher Cathedral at the time. A letter dated 17th April 1744 (T/2541/1A/1/1B/10) states: ‘… Mr Martin is seldom at Barrons Court. I write to him this post to Clocher, where he’s building a church, to meet me at the building where I will acquaint him with your Lordship’s desire.’ Further letters discussing staircases and stair rails attest to the fact that the building was originally two storeys high. Abercorn letters discuss chimneypieces made bespoke by David Sheehan in Dublin (Gebbie, p 8-9 and Rowan, p 133) for the house in 1745. The building’s function as a suitable seat for the Earl of Abercorn was relatively short lived. Baronscourt House (HB 10/04/001A) was built on its present site c.1780. By 1781 plans were already underway to convert the earlier house and to carry out other improvements in the demesne: ‘Mr Steuart has finished his accounts, and has made several drawings of the lodges, and for converting the late house (as I may now call it) into conveniences for stables farming etc, still however retaining a look of the house as it was…’ (James Hamilton, Barrons-Court to the Earl of Abercorn, 2nd September 1781 D623/A/44/127). The top floor is thought to have been removed during this time as by 1783 the ‘late house’ was described as ‘completely fitted up.’ (Rowan, p 134) The lean-to extension to the south elevation was possibly built c.1970. According to Rowan, ‘the house was originally flanked by forestanding brick wings linked to it by straight brick walls, though… the s wing has recently been removed.’ (p 134). The maps did not appear to show any sign of these wings. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI D/623/D/1/16/72 -Map of Baronscourt Park (1777) 2. PRONI D/623/D/5/43 -Late 19th Century map of Baronscourt 3. PRONI OS/6/6/17/1 -First Edition OS Map (1833) 4. PRONI OS/6/6/17/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1854) 5. PRONI OS/6/6/17/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1907) 6. PRONI VAL/1B/637A -Townland Valuation (1828-40) 7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/17A -Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64) 8. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/17 -Griffith’s Valuation (1856-1925) 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/7A-F -Annual Revision Records (1860-1925) Secondary Sources 1. Bence-Jones, M. “A Guide to Irish Country Houses.” Second Revised Edition. London: Constable and Robinson, 1990. 2. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Tyrone I, 1821, 1823, 1833-36, Vol. 5.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1990. 3. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994. 4. Lewis, S. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Vol. I.” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837. 5. O’Brien, J. and D. Guinness. “Great Irish Houses and Castles.” London: George Weidenfield & Nicolson Ltd., 1992. 6. Rowan, A. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979. 7. The Irish Architectural Archive Dublin. [Internet Source] Available from: (Accessed 22/04/09) 8. Young, R.M. “Belfast and the Province of Ulster in the Twentieth Century.” Brighton” W. T. Pike, 1909

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

Z. Rarity V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

This modest early eighteenth century Palladian house preceded Baronscourt house as the main residence of the Hamilton family, the Earls of Abercorn, until c.1780 when the current Baronscourt House was constructed. With its temple front and elegant proportions, the Agent’s house expresses a modest yet academically accomplished exercise in classical architecture. While the original windows have been replaced, the openings to the portico have remained intact and together with a richly detailed classical interior, constitute one of the most significant buildings on the Baronscourt Estate, as well as the focal point of the current main avenue. It also has group value with the main house and the other listed structures on the demesne.

General Comments

Renumbered as part of a group-previously HB10/04/044

Date of Survey

07 April 2009