Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/05/002

Address :
Springfield Villa 145 Moyad Road Kilkeel Newry Co Down BT34 5LF

Townland:
Aughnaloopy

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
14/08/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Country 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:
284/4 NW

IG Ref:
J2983 1596

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Symmetrical two-storey / three-bay (with semi-basement) picturesque country villa, facing south and set in a small landscaped demesne. Pitched and gabled natural slate roof has blue clay ridge tiles and boxed overhanging eaves and verges. There are eaves gables over the first floor windows on façade. These together with the main gables and three other gablets on the return have highly decorative and very slender pierced bargeboards incorporating various Gothic motifs entwined in flowing curvilinear tracery. The designs are varied but similar in character. Two chimneys set on the internal cross walls. They have simple unified bases above which three flue shafts are individually expressed. The caps are simply corbelled and there are modern red chimney pots. The shafts are smooth rendered but may originally have been exposed brickwork. Guttering and downpipes are plastic. Walls are rendered rubble granite with a chamfered stugged ashlar granite plinth to front elevation and east gable. At ground floor of principal elevation, the centre bay is filled by a rectangular projecting flat roofed porch. The porch roof has a Regency styled cast iron balustrade incorporating acanthus details and has panels of a later design added into the sides so the original porch may have been shallower and, possibly, open. The present porch has paired half-glazed margin pattern doors and in the cheeks there are 2x5 pane fixed lights. Ground floor has a window to either side of a porch, both are margined 6/6 sliding sashes with granite cills. Above the porch, the central opening on the first floor has a pair of margin-paned French doors with fixed lights over. This is flanked to either side by margined 6/6 sliding sashes, in line with those below. The west gable has a single central window (as those on façade) on each floor. The back of the house is abutted to left and centre by the rear return. Remaining wall to right is wet dashed and faces the yard. To left side of this wall is a painted sheeted timber door into a basement store and above to first floor is a window with gablet over. Rear return has a pitched natural slate roof and a chimney like the main chimneys set on the ridge over the main internal cross wall. Its right cheek has a glazed framed sheeted painted timber door to ground floor left. To its right is an 8/8 sliding sash window to kitchen. To right of kitchen marks in the render suggest a second doorway has been infilled. To its right, adjacent to join with main house, is a very small 1/1 sash window lighting a store below the stairs. Above this small window, at half landing level, is a large margin paned 6/6 window to landing. At first floor there are two 6/6 sliding sashes: first is over the kitchen door and second over kitchen window. In the attic, set in a gablet in line with kitchen door, is a similar window. Rear gable has a 6/3 sliding sash window in the attic and a decorated bargeboard. The left cheek of return is set back from the right gable of the house by approximately 2m. It has three evenly spaced 6/6 sliding sash windows at ground floor, and similar above to first; although that to left is 6/2 (bottom sash is obscured glass and was presumably modified for the bathroom). There is one 6/6 attic window under a gablet, in line with the central windows. East gable of main block contains a single window to each floor: each is 6/6 with vertical margins. In the 2m section of rear wall of main block is a small basement window with bars over and a 6/6 sliding sash window at ground floor. Outbuildings 1. At the NW corner is a screen wall (with sheeted pedestrian door) closing off the yard. This screen links with a two-storey coach house orientated N to S that carries a date stone ‘1845’. 2. At the back of the yard is a two storey stable block with feed loft over. Hipped natural slate roof. On its ridge is a large timber framed vent which may originally have housed a bell. No sign of there ever having been gutters. Walls are harled and whitewashed and eaves are corbelled. South face has a pair of doorways set centrally (have been knocked into one). Flanking this unified door are two window vents: left one is original with square vertical timber bars set on the diagonal, the one on the right has had the bars removed and glass inserted. At first floor is a central loading door. In each end wall are circular vents. The yard has been concreted over. 3. Behind this building is another two storey range. Pitched natural slate roof, and coursed squared granite rubble walls. It is in two stages and bears the date ‘1887’ over the door in the east gable.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Although a building is shown here on the 1834 OS 6” map, it is not cited in the 1838 Valuation. This suggests a small vernacular building rather than the present one. ‘Springfield Villa’ is first cited on the 1859 6” map. It was probably erected around 1845 (the date on the coach house). The 1861 Valuation notes its owner as James Carville and describes it as 13yd x 7yd x 2 storeys high. An additional outhouse added in 1887. Primary Sources: 1. PRONI – OS 6/3/55/1(1834 6'' OS map) (Down sheet 55). 2. PRONI- VAL 1B/390A (1838 valuation). 3. PRONI- OS 6/3/55/2 (1859 6'' OS map) (Down sheet 55). 4. PRONI- VAL 2B/3/81G, p.65 (1861 valuation). 5. Datestones to outbuildings.

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

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A substantial mid 19th century farmhouse with unaltered associated outhouses in a landscaped setting. External and internal detailing is good quality and remarkably complete.

General Comments

Date of Survey

20 July 1998