Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB06/11/008

Address :
Lisnamoyle, 119 The Roddens Larne Co Antrim BT40 1PR

Townland:
Town Parks

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
07/11/1991 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:
70/8 NW

IG Ref:
D3960 0322

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-storey gabled Edwardian house in red brick with red sandstone dressings, stone-mullioned windows and half timbered gables. Main entrance faces south. South elevation: two-storey of asymmetrical design comprising a tower-like two-storey entrance bay with flat parapet, flanked by one gabled bay to the east and two to the west. Roofs of Green Westmoreland slates in what looks like diminishing courses; red terracotta ridge tiles; roofs oversailing at gables, with white painted moulded barge boards and white painted boarding to the soffits; eaves carried on projecting rafters with shaped ends. Two tall chimneys to front elevation, of red brick, panelled, with thin brick pilaster-like piers; sandstone frieze and cornice; square section pots in red terracotta with moulded frieze. Entrance bay of red brick with sandstone string course, base course, and moulded weathering to projecting plinth. Doorway set in sandstone surround consisting of Tuscan pilasters with plain frieze and moulded cornice; top of door case dressed with lead; coved moulding to doorcase set between pilasters; double doors of varnished oak, 6-panel, raised and fielded; original bronze doorknob of octagonal shape; bronze bell surround of Art Nouveau design, original, mounted on porch reveal on east side. Wrought iron lamp in Art Nouveau style, original, with cylindrical glass shade mounted in centre of frieze. Two buff sandstone steps to front entrance. First floor of entrance bay has projecting rectangular sandstone surround to two windows divided by mullion, surround rising from cornice of doorcase below; sandstone modillion cornice over windows; surmounted by red brick and sandstone parapet with moulded sandstone coping. Windows narrow rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 4 over 1, with horns. Parapet and upper portion of entrance bay returns to each side giving tower-like appearance; short cast iron downpipe on east face. To left hand extremity of entrance bay, a rectangular cast iron downpipe, painted maroon, with bands of moulded chevron decoration in places. Set back to right hand side of entrance bay, a two-storey gabled wall containing a three-light stone mullioned window to first floor and a single-storey canted bay to the ground floor. Half timbering in gable is of herringbone pattern, painted maroon with panels between timbers painted white. Ground floor of canted bay entirely of dressed sandstone with moulded plinth and moulded cornice; some joints in stonework slightly open; top of cornice dressed with lead; parapet over, with slightly scolloped profile on each face. Finely chiselled splays to arrises of chamfered edges to window reveals. Two windows to front face of canted bay, each sashed as previous, 9 over 9, with one narrow window in each angled side of bay, sashed as previous, 6 over 1. Putty repair to woodwork of left hand window in front face, and white plastic draught-strip affixed to both windows in front face and to one in east angled side. Top sashes of ground floor canted bay have decorative coloured leaded patterns in Art Nouveau style. Windows to first floor are set in sandstone surrounds with sandstone mullions and sandstone ‘long and short’ dressings to sides. Windows sashed as previous, central one 6 over 1, with flanking windows 4 over 1. To each side of gable barge boards, a short run of moulded cast iron gutter, painted white, each with a rectangular section cast iron downpipe, painted maroon; chevron ornamentation to downpipe but most of downpipe hidden by creeper. Projecting forward from entrance bay to left is a broader and taller gabled bay of similar design to previous, except half timbering is of vertical pattern, and Art Nouveau patterns of ground floor windows vary from previous. To left of canted ground floor bay, a rectangular cast iron downpipe, as previous, with foliated brackets, mostly hidden by creeper but presumably discharging from roof of canted bay. Wall returns back to left hand side, with full-height rectangular cast iron downpipe as previous. Set back behind and extending to left, another gabled two-storey bay, with half-timbering of herringbone pattern; stone mullioned windows with long and short sandstone dressings each side and sandstone string courses to first floor and ground floor. Base courses of offset plinth are red brick. Three first floor windows as previous to other gabled bays; ground floor has three similar windows, in flat plane, except central one is 9 over 1, and flanking windows are 6 over 1; top sashes to ground floor leaded as previous but Art Nouveau pattern varies again. Rectangular cast iron downpipe, as previous, to left hand extremity. West elevation comprises a large two-storey gable to the right, two windows wide, with a small attic window in the apex of the gable, and the two-storey side elevation of the rear return set back to the left. Main gable is of red brick with red sandstone string courses level with window heads and cills. Window surrounds to ground floor and first floor have tooled chamfers as previous, with long and short dressings to sides; windows sashed as previous, 6 over 1 to first floor; 12 over 1 to ground floor with Art Nouveau leading to top sashes of similar pattern to extreme left hand bay on front elevation. Attic window is small, rectangular timber, single light with red brick reveals to sides. Gable returns back to left hand side; north face contains a rectangular cast iron downpipe as previous, and two circular cast iron pipes. Set back behind is west elevation of rear return: wall of red brick with moulded red sandstone weathering to offset plinth; red sandstone surrounds to windows as previous, but no string courses; elevation symmetrical, comprising two pairs of windows to ground floor, below two widely spaced single windows to first floor which each rise into a small gable, with a central rectangular cast iron downpipe (but two of its sections missing). Roof slated as previous with a centrally placed chimney in line with the downpipe, detailed as previous; moulded cast iron gutters to each side of gablets. All windows sashed as previous, 8 over 1. Extending to the left hand extremity of rear return, and set back the thickness of a brick, is a low single-storey outbuilding in red brick with hipped roof of Green Westmorland slates in regular courses; red terracotta ridge tiles; moulded cast iron gutter painted white, carried on projecting rafter ends as previous. North elevation of house comprises a central half-timbered gable flanked to the right by a projecting rear return of hipped roof form, and flanked to the left by a projecting rear return of gabled form beyond a narrow recess. Rear return to right has blank red brick first floor with ground floor masked by low outbuilding. North elevation of outbuilding is of red brick, with central segmental arched doorway flanked on the left by two ocular windows in brick surrounds; windows plate glass, horizontally pivoted. To right of doorway a rectangular cast iron downpipe as previous, followed by a pair of sashed timber windows with a chamfered central mullion all set in a segmental arched recess; each window sashed as previous, 6 over 1; to extreme right hand side, a small rectangular timber window, sashed as previous, 4 over 1, set in a segmental arched surround, and flanked each side by a small square vent opening containing a thin perforated metal grille; projecting red sandstone cills to rectangular windows. Door in outbuilding is of ledged timber in four panels, of herringbone pattern to top two panels; leads into yard which has concrete floor. Inner walls of yard and yard buildings are of red brick; doors within yard ledged as previous; yard partly covered by deep overhang of yard building roof carried on a long chamfered timber beam supported by a single cast iron post of circular section; foliated capital and flared base, with moulded chevron ornamentation. East face of rear return overlooking yard has two windows to first floor, rectangular timber, sashed as previous, 6 over 1, set in shallow segmental arched surrounds; rectangular cast iron downpipe as previous, with circular cast iron downpipes. Ground floor partly obscured by lean-to single-storey building in red brick with shallow pitch asphalt roof, which looks like a later addition as brickwork different in tone; rectangular timber casement windows, with plate glass, set in very shallow segmental arched openings; red concrete cills; rectangular door, panelled and glazed, with chamfered edges, set in segmental arched opening. Central half-timbered gable of north elevation has timberwork of herringbone pattern and contains a large stair window. Stair window is rectangular, of three lights, divided into six parts by two mullions and a transom which has a semi-circular profile to central portion; filled by leaded glazing of Art Nouveau design. Wall below stair window obscured by later lean-to addition. To left of central gabled bay wall steps back into narrow rectangular recess with a three-light window to each floor, the ground floor also incorporating transom lights; rectangular timber fixed lights or casements set in shallow segmental arched openings; all filled with leaded glazing of Art Nouveau pattern. Red sandstone cills. To left, projecting forward, side wall of gabled rear return: two windows to each floor, rectangular timber, sashed as previous, 4 over 1, set in segmental arched openings with red sandstone cills; circular cast iron downpipes. North face of gabled return has half-timbering of vertical pattern; red brick wall with two windows to first floor, rectangular, set in brick reveals with slight camber to arched head; projecting sandstone cills; windows sashed as previous, 6 over 1. Rectangular doorway to ground floor beyond yard wall, with red sandstone surround incorporating long and short dressings to sides, with moulded sandstone weathering to red brick plinth extending to each side. Door of varnished oak, 6-panel, raised and fielded. Sandstone doorstep with outer step of concrete. Projecting forward from right hand side of gabled return is a screen wall of single-storey height enclosing yard and abutting rear outbuilding. Screen wall is of red brick with moulded sandstone coping which ramps up over segmental headed doorway; rectangular yard door of ledged timber in four panels, herringbone-patterned to top panels, set in segmental arched opening. East elevation of house comprises a large two-storey gable to the left similar to the main gable on the west side, with a lower two-storey gabled bay set back slightly to the right. Set-back gable has one window to the first floor, similar to main gable. To the ground floor is a pair of rectangular windows in a red sandstone surround incorporating a sandstone mullion, and long and short dressings to the sides; windows sashed as previous, 6 over 1; rectangular cast iron downpipe, as previous, to each extremity of set-back gable. Directly to the west of the house stands a contemporary conservatory, detached, built of white painted timber framing on low red brick walls. Laid out on a T-shaped plan with gabled sides and a canted front, with a lean-to red brick shed to the rear behind a red brick chimney; roof of shed, Westmorland Green slates in regular courses. Moulded cast iron gutters, supported on shaped wooden brackets affixed to fluted timber posts; circular cast iron downpipes. Ornamental ridge cresting and decorative gable finials in cast iron. Open pediment to main entrance, carried on large shaped brackets with scrolling motifs. Concrete steps. Lean-to to rear has three windows in north wall; rectangular timber, two-light side hung casements, each casement 4 over 1, set in red brick openings with splayed red sandstone cills; moulded cast iron gutter with rectangular cast iron downpipe with foliated brackets. Rectangular timber door, 4-panel with chamfered edges, in each side wall of shed. Interior of conservatory floored with red tiles incorporating a rectangular black tiled panel, and surrounded by black tile borders. End wall of conservatory smooth cement rendered, painted white. Rectangular door to left hand side of rear wall leads into potting shed. Original cast iron shelf with panelled posts survives along eastern half of interior. Open flower bed along western half. Low walls inside finished with smooth cement render. Name plate on inside of door inscribed ‘W. Richardson & Co. Darlington’. Woodwork of conservatory generally in poor condition. To the north of the conservatory and fronting main road is a contemporary garage. Built of red brick with brick buttresses at each corner, one intermediate buttress to west side and two to east side. Hipped roof of Westmoreland Green slates in diminishing courses; red terracotta ridge tiles. Moulded cast iron gutters carried on projecting rafters; shaped ends to rafters; rectangular cast iron downpipes. Main entrance faces north directly onto main roadway. North elevation comprises red brick wall with segmental arched opening containing later modern steel door, painted, surmounted by shallow gablet with white painted timber barge boards, half-timbering of vertical pattern painted maroon; terracotta finial to apex of gablet. Abutting east side of entrance front of garage is a pedestrian gateway comprising a pair of square piers in red brick with red sandstone weathered capstones; hardwood door, later replacement. East elevation of garage has a central doorway flanked by a window each side, all in segmental arched openings. Doorway comprises a rectangular door glazed and panelled, with chamfered edges to panels, set below a small-paned fanlight with narrow sidelights; red sandstone cills to sidelights; concrete steps up to door. Windows rectangular four-light, 12 over 2, with the two lower lights fixed and the two upper casements bottom hung; later wooden frame with wire mesh attached over right hand window. South elevation has two windows, as previous to east side, with large ornamental cast iron lamp bracket fixed between them. West elevation of garage has two windows as previous, with small lean-to projection to right hand end. Lean-to has small rectangular timber window in its north face, comprising a fixed light surmounted by a bottom hung top light of four small panes; moulded cast iron gutter and rectangular cast iron downpipe to lean-to. To right hand extremity, a rectangular cast iron downpipe with foliated brackets, and a circular cast iron downpipe with plain brackets. Interior of garage floored in concrete; walls of brickwork painted white. Setting: The house stands on an elevated site overlooking the town of Larne with a distant view of Larne Lough. It faces away from the main road and is surrounded by a fine garden with mature trees and shrubs. The area in front of the house is finished in tarmac from which concrete steps and paths descend to a sloping lawn and terraced garden. The garden contains a rockery and pool which is not original, and a classical style pergola of recent construction. At the bottom of the front garden is a gabled contemporary greenhouse constructed of white painted framed timber on low red brick walls; ornamental ridge cresting and decorative gable finials of cast iron; moulded cast iron gutters carried on shaped wooden brackets affixed to fluted posts; in poor condition overall but still intact. Red brick wall partly rebuilt links greenhouse to small gabled boiler house, roofed with Westmoreland Green slates to the north slope and with Bangor blue slates to the south slope; red terracotta ridge tiles. Boundaries of property to south, east and west are formed by hedges and fences; boundary to north facing main road is a low basalt rubble wall with a hedge behind it, containing a main entrance gateway near the eastern extremity and a small pedestrian gateway abutting the garage to the west extremity. Main gateway piers contemporary with house, square, of red brick with moulded red sandstone weatherings, but wrought iron gates not original.

Architects

Fitzsimons, Nicholas

Historical Information

Built in 1903-4 for William N. Brown, later Sir William, to the designs of Nicholas Fitzsimons. The original drawings were dated 23 January 1903. References - Secondary 1. P. Larmour, ‘An Edwardian Stylist’ (Nicholas Fitzsimons 1869-c1945), Perspective (The Journal of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects), Vol 4, No 3, January/February 1996, pp 59-61. 2. Northern Ireland Homes Interiors and Living, No 36, May 1998, pp 88-99. (This article illustrates various interiors.)

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

V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a fine example of an Edwardian villa in an Old English style. It is of distinct proportions with an impressive range of ornamental details, and displays the asymmetrical plan form which is a characteristic of the style. It contains fine interiors as well as enjoying a pleasant setting in its own garden. With its contemporary garage and conservatory it forms a good group of unspoilt Edwardian domestic buildings. Designed by a leading Irish architect who was responsible for a number of important buildings of this period in the town, it stands as a very complete and intact example of its type and is also of local interest as the most conspicuous residential property of the Edwardian era in the locality.

General Comments

Date of Survey

17 April 1998