Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB10/04/001 B

Address :
The Stableyard, Baronscourt, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone BT78 4EZ

Townland:
Barons Court

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
30/04/1980 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Estate Related Structures

Former Use
Stables

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
104-9

IG Ref:
H3634 8272

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A stableyard complex built in stages (c.1750 and 1890), located at the eastern part of Baronscourt Demesne, near Newtownstewart village. The complex is arranged around a central courtyard as follows: 1. East range - a rectangular two-storey stone accommodation range dated 1890, with central three-stage clock tower, returning at either side to west and abutted at south by a lower two-storey extension. 2. South range - Abutting return, an earlier two storey rectangular brick block, built c. 1750, set perpendicular to main range, and joined by a single-storey link block to a square single-storey brick block (now a conference room) at south-west corner. 3. West range – A former stone stable range, built c.1750 and remodelled 1890, set on a steep slope, single storey to internal elevation, double height to rear, with tapered circular structure to outer north-west corner. 4. North range – An intact stone stable range, built 1890, single-storey to internal elevation, graduating to double-height at rear (north). 1. East Range: Pitched natural slate roofs, slightly sprocketed over exposed rafter tails, ashlar sandstone chimneystacks, ogee cast-iron rainwater goods. Walling is faced with irregularly cut basalt, uncoursed, battered to ground level (some cement ribbon pointing); sandstone dressings including moulded stringcourse between floors. All gables are crow-stepped. Ground floor windows are mullioned and transomed timber multi-light casements (plain glazed lower panes) with chamfered cills and stepped stone surrounds; first floor windows are wall-head dormers in crow-stepped gablets on kneelers, topped with ball finials. Doors are generally timber sheeted or four panelled with unusual inset brass swivel handles; large transom lights to courtyard-facing entrances. East elevation is asymmetrical, arranged about a slightly offset clock tower over elliptical-headed coach arch; lower return at left. Clock tower is gabled to all faces with a cross-ridge and has semi-engaged octagonal corner piers rising to tourelles; the Hamilton crest is carved in deep relief (dated 1890) and contained in a central panel between string courses; there is a clock and carved cipher to apex. The coach-arch has a moulded sandstone archivolt – stops to both elevations are intricately carved, each depicting various leaves and fruits. Interior of arch has a cobbled floor and a door to either side. To left of tower there are three openings to each floor. To right there are four first floor dormers over a series of ten equally spaced ventilation grilles contained in sandstone reveals which drop from the string course. The south gable is abutted by the extension, detailed as main block (without dormers) and with single storey return to rear; first floor windows are mullioned casements. There is a glazed timber entrance door at right, contained within open porch consisting of a lean-to canopy roof supported on timber framework over a stone-faced plinth wall. Gable is blank and rear is simply detailed. The west elevation consists of returns at either end, abutting south and north ranges respectively. This elevation is generally detailed as east. Tower has a round-headed window at second stage and a circular louvred opening corresponding to east clock face (at all remaining elevations). To left, two dormers are separated by roundel windows; the ground floor has a square-headed coach arch with timber sheeted doors flanked by a large timber window at either side. At extreme left end is a panelled and glazed timber door with glazed sidelights. To right is a window to each floor and a roundel. North gable has a mullioned and transomed window to ground floor and a roundel to first floor. Returns; the south return is abutted by a lower eighteenth-century building (south range) and is detailed as main block. The north return is abutted by the lower stable (north) range and contains a coach-house accessed by an elliptical-headed arch, with a roundel over at first floor. The north elevation of this return is detailed with the north range (see later). Roof: Pitched natural slate Walling: Irregularly cut stone, uncoursed Windows: Mullioned and transomed timber casements, sandstone dressings RWG: Ogee cast-iron 2. South range The south range consists of a two-storey rectangular building, linking block and square single storey block forming south-west corner of stableyard. Two-storey block: Steeply hipped pantiled roof over nogged brick eaves to all elevations with exception of east elevation, which has stone cavetto moulded eaves; rainwater goods are cast iron. The walling is generally Flemish bonded brick with lower section constructed of rubble stone (east elevation has cement rendered stepped plinth and areas of ribbon pointing). Windows to courtyard elevation are timber sashes with concrete sills, slightly projecting cement reveals and flat arches, two 8/12 to ground floor and a central 10/15 half-dormer (replacement cement rendered gablet). Other elevations have replacement timber casements. Single-storey block and link block: Abutting the two-storey block at west and extending to southwest corner. Both are square on plan and have natural slate hipped roofs and Flemish bonded brick walls with rubble stone eaves to rear (south). Courtyard-facing elevations of corner block are of rubble stone with dressed tooled quoins; stretcher bonded brick to link block. It has a single 10/15 sash windows to east and north face, each with concrete sill; to extreme right is a modern double door with matching side panels, contained within pent-roofed canopy. Link block has two 9-light timber windows and cast-iron tap niche (maker’s mark, Musgrave & Co.). Rear and side elevations are blank. Roofs: Hipped natural slate and pantiled Walling: Flemish bonded brick and random rubble stone Windows: Timber sash and casements, concrete sills RWG: Half-round cast-iron 3. West range This range is set on land sloping steeply to north-west; the courtyard facing elevation and south end is single storey; triple height at north-west corner and having a large semi-circular tapered projection to left end of west elevation. Roof is pitched pantiled. Walling is rubble stone with dressed quoins to west, courtyard-facing elevation is lined with t&g sheeting; south gable is crow-stepped and there are two stone chimneystacks; there is a corbelled tourelle to southwest corner. Courtyard-facing elevation has large replacement timber windows and original four panelled doors. West elevation is abutted to left end by a semi-circular outshot carrying modern timber framed glazing over a moulded stone corbel and having modern canted roof; it contains a round-headed timber sheeted door, deeply set and accessed by two stone steps. The remainder has three large multi-pane casements with brick dressings, divided by tapered stone buttresses. Roof: Pitched pantiled Walling: Rubble stone, partially timber sheeted Windows: Timber casements RWG: Half-round metal 4. North range North range is set on sloping land, as before. Roof is as west range. North elevation is detailed as east range and has a recessed round-headed entrance door flanked by lower semi-engaged octagonal piers to left end (north-west return, accessing coach house). Remainder is blank with the exception of a continuous series of ventilation grilles as east elevation. The courtyard facing south elevation has timber casement windows and t&g sheeted stable doors (reveals are filleted to three-quarter height, chamfered above). Roof: Pitched pantiled Walling: Irregularly cut basalt, uncoursed Windows: Timber casements RWG: Half-round cast-iron Setting: The stableyard is set on high ground above and to east of the mansion (HB10/04/001A). The steep banks which drop down to the mansion are planted with a variety of mature trees. Directly to south is the Agent's House (HB10/04/001C), the lawn of which bounds the south range. The main road access to the estate is now from the east entrance, and the east side of the complex has a gravel forecourt and grass lawn, with parkland rising further to east. The courtyard is gravelled, but there is some evidence of cobbled surface beneath.

Architects

Bell, Joseph

Historical Information

The earliest records of stables at Baronscourt date to 1749, built soon after the Agent’s House (HB 10/04/001C) and predating the present mansion (HB 10/04/001A). The stables and the builder, James Miller, are mentioned in a letter from John Colhoun to Earl of Abercorn 3rd September 1749: ‘The building at Baron’s court goes on very well now: James Miller continued sick two weeks, which delayed a little: the roof timber is set up on the stables.’ The south range exhibits similar constructional features to the Agent's House, exhibiting the same brick and cogged brick eaves course. It is noteworthy that the two-storey south range has moulded stone eaves to east, indicating that this elevation is likely to have fronted the complex. Parts of the stable yard are first recorded on a ‘Map of Barons Court Part (Manor of Derrigoon)’ dated 1777. The west range and south range appear to be shown on this map to the north of the Agent’s House (HB 10/04/001C). The 1833 and 1854 OS maps show five buildings approximately arranged into a square with a courtyard area within. By the 1907 OS map, the stable yard appears as today. The Townland Valuation (1828-40) records a ‘House, offices, gate house etc’, referring to Baronscourt House and its associated offices, valued at £150. In Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) the ‘Castle, offices, steward and game-keeper’s houses and gate lodges’ are valued at £220. The revisions have information on the southern-most buildings in the group. The southeast building of the group, shown on the 1777 map, is recorded as leased to Henry Wilson and having a value of £5. The southwest building is leased to John Robson and has a value of £4. According to the Irish Architectural Archive the new stables were built in 1889 by Joseph Bell, in a 16th Century style ‘partaking in gaeneral features in what is known as the Baronial’ [sic]. The foundation stone was laid on 18 September 1889. A datestone on the building dates it to 1890. The Abercorn papers in PRONI hold plans of the stable yard from 1889 (D/623/D/5/25). Of the current range, it appears that certainly the west and possibly the north range pre-existed the 1890 remodelling, and were redressed in the Baronial style to form a picturesque grouping from the mansion. The west range has a timber sheeted east wall, suggesting that it may have been open originally, containing coach houses. This is supported by a plan of Baronscourt stableyard from 1889, which appears to record a coach house here. Only the north range remains in use as stables. The east range contains stores to north and the remainder was refurbished to provide tourist and staff accommodation, c.1985. There is a conference centre located in the southwest block. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI D/623/D/1/16/72 –Map of Baronscourt Park (1777) 2. PRONI D/623/D/5/25 - Baronscourt stableyard (September 1889) 3. PRONI OS/6/6/17/1 - First Edition OS Map (1833) 4. PRONI OS/6/6/17/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1854) 5. PRONI OS/6/6/17/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1907) 6. PRONI VAL/1B/637A – Townland Valuation (1828-40) 7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/17A – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64) 8. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/17 – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-1925) 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/7A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1925) Secondary Sources 1. Bence-Jones, M. “A Guide to Irish Country Houses.” Second Revised Edition. London: Constable and Robinson, 1990. 2. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Tyrone I, 1821, 1823, 1833-36, Vol. 5.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1990. 3. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994. 4. Lewis, S. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Vol. I.” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837. 5. O’Brien, J. and D. Guinness. “Great Irish Houses and Castles.” London: George Weidenfield & Nicolson Ltd., 1992. 6. Rowan, A. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979. 7. The Irish Architectural Archive Dublin. [Internet Source]. Available from: (Accessed 22/04/09) 8.`Young, R.M. “Belfast and the Province of Ulster in the Twentieth Century.” Brighton” W. T. Pike, 1909

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A stableyard complex consisting of two-storey and single-storey blocks, having developed from c.1740 to 1890, and located on sloping ground above Baronscourt mansion. The stableyard at Baronscourt is of considerable importance within the context of the historic demesne, having had a key role in the daily running of the estate and still partially serving its original function. The yard has evolved from mid eighteenth-century origins, associated with the original residence designed by James Martin (now the Agent’s House – HB10/04/001C). The south range of the existing complex is the only part which retains original fabric and some stylistic features such as cogged brick eaves, but it is likely that the west and north blocks are also partially eighteenth-century at their core, having been stylistically redressed to form a picturesque grouping when viewed from the main house and formal garden below, concurrently with the east block, dated 1890. The late nineteenth-century remodelling makes a strong visual statement on entry from what is now the only functional approach to the demesne, from the east. The stableyard has group value with the other listed structures in the demesne.

General Comments

Date of Survey

04 April 2009