Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB11/12/021

Address :
59a Old Mountfield Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT79 7ET

Townland:
Mullaghmore

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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:
138-1

IG Ref:
H4689 7354

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached multi-bay one-and-a-half-storey house (former stable block) built c.1875, located to the north side of Old Mountfield Road, Omagh. Rectangular-on-plan containing three bay house at south; coach house and store to north. Roof is half-hipped natural slate with crenellated terracotta ridge tiles over brick cogged eaves course. Three red brick corbelled chimneystacks. Walls are squared-and-snecked rubble stone with stepped tooled sandstone quoins. Windows are replacement uPVC casements contained within stepped tooled sandstone surround and projecting stone cills. Principal elevation faces west; three-bay house at left contains central replacement entrance door with window at left; two pitched wall-head dormer windows at attic, that at left has wrought iron finial detail with the letter ‘S’ at centre. Right bay is blank. Coach house is abutted at left by single-storey west wing (former stable block) built c. 1875; exposed section contains from left, segmental-headed coach arch square-headed timber sheeted door with transom light; three square-headed loophole openings at attic level. Left (north) gable is abutted by single-storey extension built c. 1995 (forming courtyard housing block at north). Exposed section contains two windows to attic, flanking a central chimneystack. Rear (east) elevation is abutted at left by single-storey extension; exposed section at right contains two original timber sliding sashes at ground floor each protected by cast-iron bars; two pitched wall-head dormers to attic, that at right contains replacement metal casement window (opening partially blocked suggesting that this would have originally contained a timber sheeted loft door). Central dormer contains paired windows; third wall-head dormer at left with flat roof; various square-headed ventilation openings to ground floor and attic. Right (south) gable contains blocked door opening at right, window at left; two windows at first floor (that at left diminished in size and remains original timber top-hung casement window). Single-storey lean-to extension at east built c. 1995 has lean-to asbestos tiled roof; smooth rendered walling and replacement uPVC windows. East elevation contains replacement door at right, window at left; left cheek is blank; right cheek contain two windows (left diminished). Single-storey west wing (former stable block) built c.1875 is detailed as main house; original door and window openings have been largely altered; the south elevation would have originally comprised of three square-headed door openings, that at left has now been blocked, two at right are now half blocked and replaced with two uPVC windows. Original carriage arch at right has now been entirely blocked and contains two replacement timber casement windows (arch timbers remain visible). Setting:- House and west-wing are all surrounded by cobbled perimeter. The north gable has been extended to provide a housing courtyard at north accessed through original entrance piers; this also incorporates the renovated west wing. The house is enclosed to west by high squared-and-snecked rubble walling; house accessed through replacement cast-metal gates supported on square-plan roughly coursed sandstone piers with pyramidal coping. Roof Natural slate Walling Coursed rubble Windows uPVC/timber/metal Rainwater goods Replacement cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The present buildings were constructed as part of the outbuildings of ‘Knocknamoe Castle’. They first appear on the third edition of the OS map (1906) in the grounds of the house. They are listed in valuations as part of the ‘offices’ of Knocknamoe Castle which is entered into Annual Revisions in 1873. However a note of 1876 states that the building is still ‘unfinished’. Richard F Stack is the occupier and the lessor is George H Stack. The whole property is valued at £82.10s. There are various changes in occupier until James Campbell becomes the owner in fee in 1922. In 1935 valuers note that, “This is a very large mansion house, built in 1875. The exterior appearance is very misleading as to true nature of the property as apparently the architect sacrificed accommodation for symmetry in design…Office buildings are non-agricultural. Very good situation in ornamental grounds…Town water and own electrical installation.” A plan and dimensions are given. In 1941 the site was occupied by the military under defence regulations and in 1969 Knocknamoe Castle was in use as a hotel. It has subsequently been demolished. The outbuildings are currently occupied as a dwelling. It was Rowan’s view that the castle was possibly to designs by Lanyon. “The entrance porch – with paired Tuscan columns and strapwork balcony above – the curly gables, and the square turret with ogee copper cupola are all details from the Lanyon office, or if not from Lanyon directly, from his pupil and sometime assistant Thomas Turner.” (p.449) If this is the case, then it is possible that the outbuildings are also to Lanyon’s design. A wrought iron finial over a dormer at west bears the letter 'S' believed by the owner to have been inserted by the 'Stack' family. With the exception of the adjoining west wing the north courtyard has been largely constructed c.1995 References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906) 2. PRONI OS/6/6/35/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1935-7) 3. PRONI OS/6/6/35/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map (1964) 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/19A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929) 5. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8JJ/4 – Valuers RV Binder (1933-57) Secondary Sources 1. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Detached multi-bay one-and-a-half-storey house (former stable block) built c.1875, located to the north side of Old Mountfield Road, Omagh. The only remaining building of the former Knocknamoe Castle Estate, the house is well constructed with squared-and-snecked rubble stonework with tooled sandstone dressings. While of local interest, it is not among the best examples of the type and has been compromised by various alterations. The loss of the main house has also compromised its historic interest.

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 June 2009