Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB11/05/001

Address :
Clanabogan House 85 Clanabogan Road Omagh Co. Tyrone BT78 1SL

Townland:
Clanabogan Upper

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
03/04/1979 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:
137-11

IG Ref:
H4122 6944

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A three-bay two-storey eighteenth-century rendered house, built c.1750, remodelled in the early twentieth-century, located to the north side of Clanabogan Road. The house consists of a main two-storey double-pile block aligned north-south, flanked by two-storey porches at north and south. The rear pile is broken at centre by a slightly lower two-storey projection breaking into a narrow internal courtyard; the courtyard is enclosed to either side by an original one-and-a half storey return range (that to south with a later full height gabled extension to south) and by a slightly later one-and-a-half-storey service range to west. Roof is double-pile pitched natural slate with blue/black angled ridge tiles, stone verges, rendered chimneystacks with crown pots to gables and party walls. Half-round cast-iron rainwater goods on drive-in brackets over eaves corbel; valley drains into cast-iron hopper heads. Walling is roughcast rendered with contrasting painted masonry quoins (straight to principal elevation, stepped to side elevations). Windows are replacement 6/6 timber sashes (majority without horns), in painted stone architraves with projecting stone cills. Variety of mullioned 2.2 timber casements and sashes elsewhere. Principal elevation faces east and is symmetrical, having four openings to each floor (those to centre grouped closer together). Side elevations are each abutted by a lower two-storey porch at west end (see later), with parapet screening to central valley. South elevation has a single window to ground floor, two windows to first floor; north elevation has two windows to each floor, with first floor slightly set back behind stone stringcourse. South porch has a naively castellated parapet with contrasting platband at eaves level. The entrance faces east and consists of a double-leaf door with original brass furniture, each leaf having three decorative Gothick-style panels set in contrasting rendered surround and surmounted by a diminished-in-height 6/6 sash with horns. South cheek has a window at each floor. North porch is gabled with ruled-and-lined rendered walling and contains plainly detailed four-panelled timber door with brass knob surmounted by a single window. North cheek windows have been enlarged; that to first floor is an early twentieth-century tripartite 2/2 window divided by timber mullions and with label moulding over; that to ground floor is a double-side hung-casement with fixed side and top panes; the apron is painted rubble stone and evidence of original stone jambs of former door opening remains. There are ghost marks of a pitched roof rising above window head to cill level of first floor window. Rear elevation is almost completely abutted by lower return ranges and central projection with the exception of a first floor window to either side of central projection, each surmounting a lean-to entrance porch (that to right further abutted by a modern lean-to garden room). The central projection has windows to each floor, all with painted reveals and including a later casement insertion. South return The south return is detailed as house, with projecting gabled bay (with concrete kneelers) lit by windows to each face at right. South-facing windows have been enlarged and comprise a mixture of triple sashes divided by masonry mullions, and 6/6 sashes with horns; first floor windows have heads at eaves level; that to right is tripartite 6/6 flanked by 2/2 with timber mullions. Left cheek has similar window to each floor. Right cheek is abutted by south porch. Courtyard facing elevation is abutted at ground floor by a lean-to garden room, two windows to half-storey (that to left is a 6/6 horizontal sliding sash). North return The north return is single storey at west end due to the topography of the ground. North elevation has a raised wall-head dormer with kneelers to left of centre; to its left are two 6/6 sashes to ground floor each surmounted by a 4/4 sash. Mid-twentieth century casement window insertions lighting kitchen; remainder of windows are horizontal and infilled, with rendered architraves remaining. Left gable is abutted by the north porch. Blank right gable has exposed rubble stone and is crow-stepped. Courtyard-facing elevation has round-headed window insertions (c.1980) to ground floor, single horizontal-sliding sash to first floor. Service Range Set parallel to the main body of the house, this three-bay two-storey rendered block encloses to internal courtyard to the west. Hipped natural slate roof with rough-cast rendered walling and square-headed window openings with some 12-pane timber casement windows to the west elevation and 3/6 and 6/6 timber sash windows to the internal east elevation. A flight of concrete steps to the west elevation abutting the north return. Setting The house is set within five acres of mature gardens and is accessed by a winding avenue from north and south. Close to the house is a pair of wrought-iron entrance gates on cast-iron piers, with a further single stone pier having pyramidal cap set close by. There is a modern sports field encroaching on the
setting to south. To south is a small complex of single storey outbuildings, cranked on plan and with pitched natural slate roofs. Walling is generally painted rendered. The northernmost outbuilding has been restored and has exposed rubble stone walling with brick quoins; it is defined by three elliptical headed arches formed in brick with brick voussoirs, all infilled and having modern hardwood windows inserted. Roof Natural slate Walling render Windows timber RWG Cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The building is shown on the first edition OS map of 1833, captioned as ‘New Grove’, although without the section connecting the two wings (this is shown on the second edition of 1854, and the house is captioned ‘Clanabogan’ on the 1854 map). Griffith’s Valuation of 1858 records the occupier as Samuel Galbraith; the lessor is ‘in fee’. The property is listed as a ‘house, offices, gate lodge and land’. The building valuation is 43.15s.The Valuation Revisions book from 1860 to circa 1865 shows the occupier is revised to John Galbraith in 1865, to [Deaw?] in 1911 and to Captain S.H Galbraith in 1911. Alistair Rowan in his book ‘North West Ulster’, describes Clanabogan as ‘...a typical gentleman’s estate in mid Victorian Ulster, created by Samuel Galbraith Esquire, with house, family church for a specially created curacy , and a modern rectory’. It is a ‘large, plain double pile house... [which dates from the] mid 18th century [and was] inherited by Samuel Galbraith from his uncle in 1819. (1979, pg 189). The main double-pile block has thick internal wall construction and its proportions indicate a mid-eighteenth-century date. There is evidence of at least two distinct periods of remodelling, one, from the early nineteenth century, characterised by the Gothick insertions to the main block (possibly aligning with the inheritance of the house by Samuel Galbraith in 1819). The plasterwork in the parlour has a Victorian character, although the oak staircase is of early twentieth-century appearance. A number of indicators suggest extensive remodelling in the early twentieth century. Although the returns are shown to be original, detailing is in painted concrete and the window treatments and fenestration suggest that the entire house was remodelled at this time; in addition, the south return extension is carried on a steel beam. The current owner bought the house in 1994. It is his opinion that the house was partially occupied by evacuated families during the war, and it was at this time the block was divided with separate stairwells leading to the first floor. The house was converted to a B&B in 2002. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI VAL/1/B/630A+B -Townland Valuation (1820-40) 2. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/42 -Griffith’s Valuation Map (1858) 3. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/32B -Griffith’s Valuation (1858) 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/10A-F -Clanabogan ED (1860-1924) 5. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/42/C -Valuation Revisions Map (1882-1909) Secondary Sources 1. Rowan, Alistair. "Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster." London: Penguin, 1979. 2. Information from the current owner.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-bay two-storey eighteenth-century rendered house, built c.1750, developed through the nineteenth century and substantially remodelled in the early twentieth-century, located to the north side of Clanabogan Road. A mid-eighteenth-century asymmetrical house with Georgian detailing that has a complex spatial arrangement reflecting the various periods of occupation and ownership. It is well preserved in all its phases. Although the setting has been compromised by later development to the south, Clanabogan House remains a fine example of an evolved eighteenth century residence, retaining an early aspect and having strong cultural links to the local area.

General Comments

Date of Survey

11 February 2009