Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/09/001

Address :
Chrome Hill 8 Ballyskeagh Road Lambeg Lisburn Co. Antrim BT27 5SY

Townland:
Ballyskeagh

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
23/09/1975 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:
165-3

IG Ref:
J2850 6690

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached multi-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1640, two-storey with attic west wing added c.1760, with bow added c.1830. T-shape on plan facing south with 1½-storey wing to east, set on an elevated landscaped site on the south side of Ballyskeagh Road overlooking the River Lagan to the south. Pitched natural slate roofs with terracotta ridge tiles and rough-cast rendered chimneystacks with octagonal clay pots. Cast-iron guttering on ogee-moulded masonry eaves and cast-iron downpipes. Painted rough-cast rendered walling with projecting rendered plinth course. Square-headed window openings with bull-nosed reveals, painted masonry sills and original 6/6 timber sash windows with part-exposed sash boxes and some cylinder glass (unless otherwise stated). Principal south elevation is five windows wide with the south gable of the west wing projecting at left with semi-circular attic window and two windows to its east cheek. Off-centre square-headed door opening with lugged and kneed sandstone architrave surround, pulvinated frieze and full pediment over having red sandstone crest (Niven family inserted c.1840). Flush panelled timber door with brass furniture opening onto stone flagged footpath to front gravel area. Symmetrical three-bay two-storey with attic west elevation to west wing having central full-height elliptical bow and large central dormer with timber door and sidelights and lead-lined segmental pediment. Bow has painted stone coping to parapet wall and multi-pane timber casement windows with multi-pane French doors to the ground level. North gable to west wing projecting beyond north rear elevation, having two window openings to the ground floor and a single opening to the first floor and attic. Two-storey north rear elevation with flat-roofed half-landing block to the re-entrant angle. Venetian window to the east bay breaks through the eaves course continuing the moulded eaves as an arch with lead lining. The half-landing block has a fixed-pane Art Nouveau leaded window and a further leaded single-pane timber sash window to the east. To the centre bay is a further fixed-pane Art Nouveau leaded window to ground level. Square-headed door opening with replacement timber glazed door and cornice supported on console brackets. East gable abutted by 1½-storey east wing having two lucarne window openings to the front south elevation, two window openings over a single door opening to the east gable and various single-pane timber sash windows to the rear. Single-storey car port abutting rear elevation to east wing. Setting: Set on an elevated site on the south side of Ballyskeagh Road overlooking the River Lagan to the south. The landscaped site has many mature trees and garden features including a circular-plan stone and brick dovecote, cobbled footpaths and two winding gravel avenues, one to the north and one to the northeast opening onto the road via two pairs of entrance gates on rendered piers and quadrant walls. Roof Natural slate RWG Cast-iron Walling Painted rough-cast render Windows Original 6/6 timber sash

Architects

Historical Information

The dwelling is identified in the Townland Valuations 1828-40 and uncaptioned. The occupier was Mr Nevin and the value of the buildings was £22 19s. It should be noted that the Valuations also identify the Calico Printing Established, located nearby, also in ownership of the Nevin family. The house as it appeared on the first edition OS map 1834 was already displayed a substantially sized property, with several large outbuildings located to the rear of the principal dwelling. The 1858 OS map show considerable enlargement of the buildings. Richard Nevin is still the occupant at the time of Griffiths Valuation, with the property now valued at £32, an increase likely to be the result of enlargement or remodelling of the buildings. The value remained unchanged throughout the course of the Annual Revision 1862-1923, however it was recorded that John M. Milligan occupied the house in 1903 followed by the McMurry Family in 1921. The OS map 1901 first captioned the building as ‘Chrome Hill’. Marshall (p.113) states that the house was built c.1640 by the Wolfenden family. Rankin elaborates on this, stating that the house originated as a small farm dwelling known as ‘Lambeg House’ from which the present house has developed. (p.115) Brett continues with “It was for many years the mill house associated with the Wolfendens family ventures into the manufacture of linen, paper, calico and muslin; their blanket factory was on the other side of the river.” (p.158) Brett cites a former owner, McKinstry, as stating “Chrome Hill developed from a two unit, two storeyed or lofted house of hearth lobby formation, with the stairs at the rear of the chimney stack between it and the back wall... sometime during the 1760’s […] the original house was heightened, remodelled and extended, by adding a three-storey wing on the west side, three rooms long.” He continues with, “The difference in floor levels between the old and the new blocks, and the way that they are set at right angles to each other, suggests that this wing may have already existed as a cloth store, positioned close to the house for security…at this time, the front door was moved westward by three bays…a fine staircase was built to a spacious landing [and] a large sitting room made out of the original loft above the hearth room.” (p.158) Rankin cites the same former owner; “McKinstry states that these changes reflected the relatively more sophisticated, formal and even spacious life style of the eighteenth century factory owner which is underlined by the architectural embellishments introduced as part of the improvements and indeed much of this mid-eighteenth century detail still survives intact. A surmise may be made that it was probably the second Richard Wolfenden who undertook such ambitious rebuilding, when at the age of twenty he succeeded his father in 1743. The work may well not have been carried out until after he had married Jane Usher, and renamed the house Harmony Hill.” (p.117) In c.1830 the house was purchased by Richard Nevin, of Glasgow (Marshall p.113). Nevin had also established an extensive printworks at Lambeg, successfully inventing a method of fixing colours known as ‘Bi Chrome’, a term he applied when renaming the house “Chrome Hill’. (Brett p.158) Further alterations where carried out to the house during 1830s. In addition to insetting his own crest in the pediment over the front door, he added the elliptical bow to the west elevation and remodelled the interiors. (Brett p.158) Following Nevin’s death in 1866 his widow remained at Chrome Hill until 1899, when the house was purchased by John M. Milligen, as successful coal merchant and speculator. (Brett p.158) Rankin notes that during this period at the turn of the century the stone quoins which are visible in an old photograph were cut back and cemented over. (p.117) Various occupiers lived in the house in the early part of the 20th century during which time Brett notes that alterations including the insertion of an art nouveau stained glass window in the enlarged entrance hall. (p.158) In 1924, following various short term occupants, Mrs. Downer purchased the house, of whom Marshall makes the comment “who takes an unfailing interest in all parochial matters.” (p.113), after which there have been only two other owners. Primary References: 1. PRONI OS/6/3/8/1 – OS Map 1834 2. PRONI OS/6/3/8/2 – OS Map 1858 3. PRONI OS/6/3/8/3 – OS Map 1901-02 4. PRONI OS/6/3/8/4 – OS Map 1920-21 5. PRONI VAL/1B/333 – Townland Valuation 1828-40 6. PRONI VAL1A/3/8 – Townland Valuation Field Map c.1830 7. PRONI VAL/2B/3/30 – Griffiths Valuation 1862 8. PRONI VAL/2A/3/8 – Griffiths Valuation Field Map 1861 9. PRONI VAL/12B/20/10A-F – Annual Revisions 1862-1923 Secondary References: 1. Rankin, K “The Linen Houses of the Lagan Valley, The story of their families” Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002 2. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of County Antrim” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996 3. Marshall, Rev. H. C. “The Parish of Lambeg” Victor McMurry, Lisburn, 1933

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation H+. Alterations enhancing the building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Detached multi-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1670, two-storey with attic west wing added c.1760, with bow added c.1830. Originally called Lambeg House, and possibly built by the linen merchant Abraham Wolfenden during the seventeenth-century the house was renamed ‘Chrome Hill’ by Richard Niven after 1830. Comprising three distinct parts, this house has a complicated layout which together with its substantialy intact interior constitutes a most interesting building with some rare joinery and unusual internal features. With its external and internal detailing and character intact this house is of national architectural and historical interest. It has further interest by the survival of its gate scren and the extensive mature grounds leading down to the Lagan.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 July 2010