Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB12/02/072

Address :
Oakfield 23 Knockballymore Road Mullyvannoge Newtownbutler Co. Fermanagh BT92 6JD

Townland:
Mullyvannoge

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
12/02/1988 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:
262/6

IG Ref:
H4823 2649

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A symmetrical two-storey (+basement), three-bay house, with farmyard to rear, aligned SW-NE on the W side of Knockballymore Road. Shallow hipped natural slate roof with central yellow brick chimney (nine pots wide) set parallel to and across the entire length of the ridge. Overhanging eaves with timber soffit are supported on modillions. Half-round metal rainwater goods. Walls are wet-dashed and painted over a slightly advanced base course with contrasting chamfered band. Windows are timber sliding-sashes with horns and have painted stone cills (unless otherwise stated). Principal elevation faces SE. The central entrance is set within a semi-elliptical opening and consists of a double-leaf four-panelled timber door flanked by 1x3 sidelights with panelled apron. To either side of the door, fluted ¼ attached Doric columns support an entablature with Greek-key frieze. Over all is a shallow semi-elliptical fanlight with cast-iron spider-web glazing. The door is accessed by four stone steps (diminishing in size). To either flanking bay, set within a contrasting shallow semi-elliptical recess, is a 6/6 window. Aligned above ground floor openings are three 6/3 windows (diminished in height). SW gable is blank. It is abutted to right of centre at ground floor by a shallow projecting section with monopitched natural slate roof (two courses only). Beneath this section, at basement level, the ground has been cut away to expose a pair of 2x3 side-hung casement windows set within a deep semi-elliptical recess. The left inner cheek of this recess contains a coal-hole. Rear (NW) elevation is abutted at central bay by a return and at left bay (at first floor only) by an addition. The exposed right bay has a 6/6 window to ground floor and a 6/3 window to first floor. The exposed ground floor section of the left bay (beneath the addition) has a pair of sliding sash windows (that to left is 2/2, that to right is 2/4) with central timber mullion. Basement level is exposed (see later) and overhung by both the return and the addition. Basement level is enclosed by a rubble stone wall with saddle coping and is accessed down 10 stone steps. Left bay has a window covered with corrugated metal. Central bay has a timber-sheeted door with mouth-organ transom over. Set above and to its right (at half-landing level) is a 6/6 sliding sash (visible through the arch of the rear return). Right bay has a similar window. The return is full height to right side only; the left side rises from half-landing level and is supported on an open segmental-headed arch at both NW face and left cheek, thus leaving the central bay exposed from half-landing level between basement and ground floor. The return has a monopitched natural slate roof, a timber sheeted soffit, and is detailed as house. NW face has a timber-sheeted door at right, accessed by four steps. Right (SW) cheek has a fixed-pane window with lattice glazing to ground and first floor. Left (NE) cheek is open to ground floor and abuts the addition at first floor. The addition is similarly detailed with a monopitched corrugated metal roof and is supported on a single cast-iron pole to centre. NW face has a row of seven 2/4 sliding sash windows (divided by timber mullions) just below eaves level. Right cheek abuts the return; left cheek abuts a two-storey farm building (now incorporated into house; see later). Right (NE) gable of main block is abutted at extreme right end by the farm building (see later). It has a 6/6 sliding sash window to ground floor left and to each end of first floor. Set to left of basement is a tripartite 6/6 sliding sash window with 2/2 sidelights. The rear yard is enclosed by a number of outbuildings, which form an L-shape with the right gable of the main block. All have pitched corrugated metal roofs, lime-rendered and white-washed walls, t+g sheeted doors and window openings. The block to the NE gable is single-storey; from left is a door, window, door and window. The block aligned SW-NE is two-storey with two segmental-headed carriage arches; one to extreme left-end and the other to centre.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Rowan states that 'Oakfield' was built by the Earl of Erne for one of his land agents in the late 1790s. It is explicitly cited on the 1834 OS 6" map and subsequent editions. It is described in the 1837 first Valuation book as being occupied by John Hamilton and measuring 46ft x 32ft x 18ft (+ cellar). According to the 1860 second Valuation, it was still occupied by Hamilton. It is described as "in good repair and finish but upper storeys are low". Its measurements are given as 45ft x 31ft6in x 2 storeys - virtually identical to the 1837 statistics. Primary sources: 1. OS 6" map, 1st edition 1834, Co Fermanagh sheet 40 (PRONI OS 6/4/40/1). 2. First Valuation book, 1837 (PRONI VAL 1B/48, p.45 and 112). 3. Second Valuation book, Galloon Parish, Clones Union, 1860 (PRONI VAL 2B/4/7B, p.105). 4. OS 6" map, 2nd edition 1857, Co Fermanagh sheet 40 (PRONI OS 6/4/40/2). 5. OS 6" map, 3rd edition 1907, Co Fermanagh sheet 40 (PRONI OS 6/4/40/3). Secondary sources: 1. A. Rowan, North-West Ulster, p.338 (Harmondsworth, 1979).

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 W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

A handsome and well-proportioned house associated with Lord Erne and retaining many interesting original features, both internally and externally (particularly noteworthy is the staircase).

General Comments

Date of Survey

31 October 2000