Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB24/15/097

Address :
Eusemere 20-22 Killinchy Road Comber County Down BT23 5LU

Townland:
Carnasure

---

Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
09/06/1992 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

---

OS Map No:
148/15

IG Ref:
J4642 6831

---

Owner Category

Private Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Typically complex looking two and a half storey, Edwardian villa of c.1909. The house has been designed in a free style with echoes both of Arts and Crafts and Domestic Revival. The exterior walls appear to be an artificial rock face stone, with smooth dressings and string courses, all of which probably encloses a brick structure. The roofs are a blend of gable and hip with overhangs, and are covered in a natural slate. The building is set to the E of the Killinchy Road one Kilometre S of Comber town centre, with relatively large grounds surrounding. The main entrance is located within a projecting two storey bay, with asymmetric (cat slide) gable, which is to the right of centre of the W façade. Above the main timber panelled door (with central leaded glazed light) is a projecting bracketed, semicircular canopy. Above this is a paired sash window. Above the window is a projecting bracketed stone string course. To the left is a two storey corner window which lights the stair. The W side is a mullioned and transomed nine light ‘Venetian’ (free interpretation) window. This has leaded, mainly obscure glass, with some Art Noveau references in the lead work. To the N side the window is similar being mullioned and transomed but has six lights. To the second floor of the bay is one is one small centrally placed window. To the right of the bay roof is a tall three pot chimney stack. To ground floor of the W façade to the left of the bay are two narrow sash windows, without astragals, with two similar but wider windows to the far left. That to the far left is within a wall section which is set back slightly. This section of wall is much obscured by a climbing plant. To the first floor are four similar but unevenly spaced windows. The roof above this section has a wide flat roofed dormer. To the left of this the front façade is recessed. To the N face occasioned by the recess there is a Diocletion window set within a small first floor gable. The lower portion of this N face is covered with plant growth. To the right of the main bay is one sash window each to ground and first floors. To the far left (N) of the main W façade is a low two storey wing. This wing has a projecting porch bay to the right on its W front, with a central half glazed door with leaded panes. To the left of this is a screen wall which encloses a small yard and mono-pitch roofed store. To the rear of this is the blank side of the remainder of the return. To the right, the main S façade has a canted two storey bay with sash window to each face and a hipped roof. To the left are modern French doors with elliptical fanlight all set within a square headed opening. Above this is a single sash window. To the left of the bay roof is a flat roofed dormer as before but with five windows in two groupings, three and two and separated by a wide mullion. The main E façade has a projecting square two storey ‘reducing’ bay to the left of centre. To the ground floor are three evenly spaced sash windows to the front and one matching but narrower window to each side reveal. The bay has a bracketed string course to the flat roof edge and a narrower and shallower second floor bay (which is not original), with a paired sash window and single sash windows to the side reveals. Directly above is a flat roofed dormer with double paired sash windows which are separated by a wide mullion. To the left of the bay is a centred paired sash window, as before, to ground and a right of centre sash window to first. To the right of bay is a canted oriel window to first floor. Its casement windows are ‘pierless’ and follow the line of the chamfer. Below the oriel window is a projecting conservatory. To the right of the main E façade is the E face of the N wing (see above). To first floor of this are two oriel windows, which are, apparently, not original. That to the left is a straightforward canted example and to each face are sash windows, as before, but with leaded panes to the upper light. That to the right has a wider ‘front’ (E) face and has ‘pierless’ casement windows as before. To the right of the conservatory on ground floor are four unevenly spaced sash windows. The N face of the return is blank and is gabled. The exterior walls appear to be an artificial rock face stone, with smooth dressings and string courses, which probably encloses a brick structure. The main roofs overhang and have rafter ends exposed in typical Edwardian fashion. The many tall chimney stacks are also finished in artificial stone and have projecting cope stones and mainly matching pots.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Eusemere was built c.1909 by a Major Bruce, the then largest shareholder in the Comber Distilleries. The name of the architect is uncertain. The house was later sold to James Andrews, a member of the local mill owning family, who became Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland in 1937. In perhaps c.1930, Andrews divided the house into two properties. From the 1950s onwards both properties went through a number of different owners including a Mr. Clokey and a Mr. Mitchell (in the larger dwelling- No.22) and a Mr. Ashdown (father of former Liberal Democrat leader, Paddy) and a Miskimmin, in No.20. The upper portion of the ‘reducing’ bay to the rear, and some (if not all) of the oriel windows were added at some point, perhaps by James Andrews c.1930.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Good examle of a complex two and a half storey Edwardian villa of c.1909, in a free style with both Arts and Crafts and Domestic Revival overtones, now divided into two properties. The building has a hipped and gabled overhanging roof and is finished in an artificial stone with many bays and dormers. To the rear there are a series of oriel windows some of which are later additions.

General Comments

Date of Survey

08 July 1999