Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB01/27/002

Address :
Ballyarnett House Racecourse Road Londonderry BT48 8NG

Townland:
Ballyarnett

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
26/02/1979 00:00:00

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:
26/8

IG Ref:
C4510 2259

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Sited on rising ground of 1.25 hectares above the Racecourse Road, approached by a winding avenue through green pasture. A 2½ storey, three bay wide Georgian style house, deeper in plan than width with single storey side return of four bays on the north east side. The 2nd floor appears as a series of dormers to front and rear. The south east entrance façade has central fanlighted panelled door with narrow sidelights and flat roofed portico supported on Roman Doric columns. On either side there are tripartite sliding sash windows. On first floor 12 pane sliding sash windows centrally placed over openings below. Walls smooth rendered and colour washed with quoins and plinth. Three dormers in roof centrally placed over windows below and with nine pane sliding sash. The south facing tripartite windows have replaced single storey canted bays. The south west façade is four bays wide and has 12 pane sliding sash windows widely spaced. The north east facade has irregularly spaced and various sized sliding sash windows with double windows to the staircase landing. From this facade extends the single storey return, one room deep, with separate entrance door and shallow flat roofed portico. Windows sliding sash widely spaced, walls finished as main house. Gable end has single pedestrian door and garage door. This return is said to be the original part of the house dating from 17th century. North west or rear facade of main block three bays wide with 12 pane sliding sash windows at ground and 1st floor and three dormers above. The rear dormers are original, those on the south east facade were added in general renovations of four/five years ago. All exterior walls are similarly treated. The natural slated roof, likewise recently done, presents a pitched roof all round with a lesser span pitched roof over the central corridor which means some internal downpipes which originally supplied cisterns on 2nd floor. Four chimney stacks rise from roofs with tall pots. Present owner has added a series of Velux type rooflights. The tops of walls on main house have panelled frieze broken up with pairs of consoles under eaves overhang. At the entrance to avenue metal gates, metal piers and curving railing is Federal & Empire style.

Architects

Green, Sean Louch, Fitzgibbon

Historical Information

On the Ordnance Survey Sheet 1830 No. 14 a building is shown approximately where north east return to present building is. Also shown are what appears as outbuildings to south and north. Griffiths Valuation 1858 gives owner as Corscadden, with a valuation of £28.00 present owner purchased house and three acres from a Quigley who purchased property from Corscadden. Dean refers to the demesne as belonging to Gallaghers previous to Corscadden. A gate lodge existed before 1970 now demolished. (HB01/27/003) The present house was probably enlarged and built by the Corscadden family c1860 The family was involved in the Derry Shipping Trade from 1815. Had property in Sackville Street/Strand Road. The present owner acquired the property in the early 1990s and refurbished the premises, removed single storey canted bays on the main facade, adding three dormer windows and projecting flat roofed portico and changed the appearance from a mid-century Victorian style to that of Georgian. Original architect 1860s Fitzgibbon Louch. Refurbishment works 1990s Sean Green (Fitzgibbon Louch, whose offices were in Sackville Street prepared designs for three storey building of corner to Strand Road and Sackville Street for Corscadden in 1860s.) References: Primary Sources: OS Map 1st Edition 1830 Co Londonderry 14 Griffiths Valuation Book 1858 Secondary Sources: Present Owner Dean J A K, Gate Lodges of Ulster p.11.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form H-. Alterations detracting from building H+. Alterations enhancing the building J. Setting

Historic Interest

V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An imposing neo-Georgian style house added on to a former late 17th century single storey cottage, symmetrically composed formal entrance facade, neatly detailed with decorative frieze under eaves. Internally retains good window, fireplace and staircase fittings. It was refurbished about five years ago when all plasterwork was renewed. Well sited on rising ground, facing south east with long winding avenue approach and interesting metal gates, piers and railings in a Federal and Empire style. Gate lodge no longer exists.

General Comments

Date of Survey

23 February 1999