Lisadell - a house with a past.

As well as visiting Lisadell Parish Church on Monday I visited Lisadell House. It is a rather austere limestone edifice. Its literary and artistic associations along with the, "terrible beauty," of Constance Gore-Booth aka Countess Markevitch are I suppose the pulling factors for its tourist traffic. I have to say that I would have preferred to have visited the property knowing that it was still owned by the Gore-Booth family. Unfortunately the ninth baronet decided to , "sell up," and it is now owned by two SC's from Dublin, The 2004 sale price of circa €3.5m for the mansion and 400 acres does not seem at all unreasonable.

Clearly a considerable sum has been spent in renovating the house and the stable yard but the result leans somewhat to a theme park result. I cannot but think that the now owners have profit to the forefront of their minds rather than preservation. That said maybe in today's economic environment the former is a prerequisite of the latter.

The house was constructed between 1830 and 1835 to the designs of Francis Goodwin. It is a nine bay two storey over basement dwelling with a three bay pedimented central projection forming a porte-cochere to the north. The southern aspect looks over Sligo Bay. The former croquet lawn is no longer present nor are the immediate flower beds. The haha remains but a former pond is now devoid of water. The walled alpine garden which is next the shore is well maintained and deserving of inspection and contemplation. The two acre kitchen garden requires years of effort before it attains a standard worthy of inspection.

 

A Contested Settlement

One Family - A Tale of Division, Devotion and Restitution - Henry Macrory - Curly Burn Books

I bought my father this book for his last birthday. Whilst it contains something of the generational history of the McCausland family of Drenagh its emphasis is on the inter family court case and the preamble to same that threatened to divide the family for most of the 1940's. The prize was not insubstantial, the Drenagh Estate with the Lanyon designed five bay mansion house at its centre.

The basic facts of the case were familiar to me. The estate was entailed and when it was resettled upon Connolly McCausland's twenty first birthday in 1927 his father, (Maurice), caused a forfeiture clause to be inserted which became operative should a successor become a Roman Catholic or indeed profess that religion. Such an eventuality would, as drafted, not only disinherit the successor but also his heirs even if they did not profess to be Roman Catholics. This clause was repeated in Connolly's marriage settlement in 1932. Maurice was to die in 1938. In 1940 Connolly converted to the Roman Catholic faith. By virtue of the terms of the forfeiture clause Drenagh passed to Connolly's elder sister Helen and her family. Initially Connolly seemed to accept the situation but eventuality prodded by his wife he instigated proceedings that aimed to cause the forfeiture clause to be declared null and void.

Macrory says in his introduction that he has been at pains not to take sides. That being the case Helen and in particular her husband Lucius Thompson - McCausland come across as very reasonable and honourable individuals. The author's portrayal of Connolly and his wife Peggy is not descriptive of individuals who are quite as personable as the Thompson-McCaulands.

Mention is made of mole hills on the lawns of Drenagh. A bit of a zoological faux pas that. Thankfully moles are absent from the fauna of Northern Ireland.

 

Ambling past Frybrook House.

 

Whilst returning home from last weekend's athletic exploits in Tullamore I stopped off for lunch in Boyle, Co. Roscommon. In between showers I walked through a small park which borders the river that runs through the centre of the town. Unsurprisingly the river turns out to be called the River Boyle. On the other side of the river was a large three storey house. The grounds were uncared for and I am unsure whether the house has any residents currently. It transpires that this is Frybrook House and it appears that it is on the market for what seems to be the relatively modest sum of €340,000. The house is set on a six acre site and the asking price includes four houses on an adjoining street and a period building which is or at least was being utilised as a small cafe.

The house was built in 1753 for a a Henry Fry who had moved to the town from Co. Offaly at the behest of the Earl of Kingston to establish a weaving business. Originally the family came from Somerset and a scion from same established the famous chocolate manufacturing business which bore the family name.

The house is five bay and has a hipped roof. There is a tooled limestone Palladian window to the central bay with an oculus window to the second floor. The entrance, also of tooled limestone, is pedimented with sidelights on either side. It is only in the past thirty years that ownership has passed out of the Fry family.

 

 

Tunnel under Northland Road, Londonderry

Within the grounds of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Services at Northland Road Londonderry is the Victorian villa which was formerly the residence of the Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum. The property was constructed circa 1873 and it is a four bay, two storey over basement building. It is rock- faced with Dungiven sandstone. A lack of balance is exacerbated by the narrower and shorter upper bays.

By the mid 1960's the old District Asylum which had been originally constructed to serve the counties of Londonderry, Tyrone and Donegal was disused and in a very ramshackle state. It was to be found on the lower side of Northland Road. The grounds had become overgrown by then and brambles and self seeded ash and elder saplings abounded. It was at that stage that I came upon the blocked up tunnel which ran between the asylum grounds and the Superintendent's residence. This provided him with his personal mode of entrance to the asylum. My recollection is that the arched tunnel had been blocked up some seven or eight feet back into the entrance.

 

Sources: City of Derry, An Historical Gazetter. - Daniel Calley

Londonderry's First Fire Station

The property now known as 1A Hawkin Street, Londonderry is situate just outside the City Walls adjacent to New Gate. The then vacant site was demised to the City Corporation by the Irish Society for a term of nine hundred and ninety years from 25th March 1881 by a lease dated 3rd December 1885. This lease reserved an annual ground rent of ten shillings and was granted pursuant to the terms of an agreement to lease dated 26th September 1882. It was a pre condition to the granting of the lease that the Corporation should construct an eight foot high wall around the site. The term of years granted by the lease is conditional upon the property being used for, "public purposes for the benefit of the Citizens of Londonderry."

 

The Corporation constructed a two storey red brick gabled fire station on the site. This was completed in 1891 and was the first fire station in the City. The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society state that it is the only surviving example of a late nineteenth century Fire Station in Northern Ireland. The building is listed B1 and is situated within a conservation area. It was considerably damaged by fire in 2006 but has since been renovated with a substantial extension having been added on the right hand side where previously an electricity sub station had existed since 1963.

 

When it was built the station was staffed by three permanent fire fighters who were assisted by a number of auxiliaries. The initial fire appliance was mounted on a hand drawn cart but this was superceced by a motorised fire engine in 1908. This was the first motorised fire engine in Ireland. One of the first blazes which it attended was that of April 1908 when the Guildhall was gutted.

 

During the Second World War the City's Fire Brigade was incorporated into the National Fire Service. Post 1945 responsibility for fire fighting in the City rested with the Western Fire Authority and they moved to premises at the Waterside end of Craigavon Bridge. The Northern Ireland Fire Authority replaced the Western Fire Authority in 1950 and in 1961 the local fire brigade moved into purpose built premises on the Northland Road.

 

Sources: DOE Historic Buildings database; Ulster Architectural Heritage Society www.uahs.org.uk

 

The Harbour Office, Londonderry

Derry City Council's Harbour Museum is situated at what is now called Harbour Square. Previously this was referred to as King's Quay. My recollection is that this area was cobbled until at least the late 1960's as were the lands on the riverside of the Guildhall where there was a carpark which was superintended by the Harbour Police, in particular Sgt. Lyttle.

 

This Italiante building was constructed for the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners in 1882 by a Mr M McClelland to the designs of a John Kennedy. Both architect and builder were local. The original harbour office had been at Ship Quay but during the 1870's the Commissioners moved to the site now occupied by the Bank of Ireland at the junction of Strand Road and Sackville Street.

 

It is a two storey seven bay building with a square clock tower and aedicule doorway and dentilled cornice. Ownership passed to the Commissioners on 6th March 1885 consequent upon a tripartite deed between the Irish Society, (first part), Londonderry Corporation (second part,) and Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners, (3rd part.) The building is erected on the lands coloured green and blue on the terchart shown below. The Council purchased it from the Harbour Commissioners by deed dated 13th May 1991. The price paid was two hundred and thirty thousand pounds.

 

 

Sources: "City of Derry," An Hisorical Gazetter to the Buildings of Londonderry by Daniel Calley.

NIEA - Historic Building Database.

 

 

 

A Palace fit for a Bishop.

Most people will be aware that what is now the Freemasons' Hall in Bishop Street Londonderry was originally the Bishop's Palace for the Diocese of Derry and subsequently for the combined Diocese of Derry & Raphoe, (1834) within the Church of Ireland. It was constructed in 1753 during the Episcopate of William Barnard with subsequent alterations in or about 1800.

 

I can't say that I find its elevations pleasing to the eye and at least one of its former residents, (The Earl Bishop), was of a similar mind. He much preferred the residence which he caused to be constructed at Bishop Street Without and known as the Cassino.

 

The map shown above was prepared in 1872 in connection with the vesting of the Palace and grounds in the Representative Church Body by the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland pursuant to their powers under the Irish Church Act 1869. Although it is hard to be certain from a map it does appear as if the gardens behind the Palace were very formal. Certainly no soft lines. A greenhouse with an attached boiler house can be seen in the top right hand corner of the garden.

 

 

A Clerical B. & B.

Photo by permission J. Collins of the Glebe House

 

 

The weekend of my attendance at what some of my acquaintances refer to as the zimmer frame games but which are more correctly labelled as the Irish Masters Athletics Championships resulted in me staying at The Glebe House Rathowen, Co Westmeath.

 

This property was constructed in 1817 as the residence for the Perpetual Curate of the parishes of Rathaspeck and Russagh. The total cost was £461.10.9 1/4 of which £415.7.8 1/4 appears to have been a gift from Dame Frances Elizabeth Fetherston of Ardagh Co Longford. The balance of the cost came from a small loan from the Board of First Fruits. The glebe lands extended to nine acres.

 

Not quite Georgian in looks nor yet having what would become the traditional Victorian look the property none the less has an appealing aspect with commodious accomodation which lends itself to its now use as a bed and breakfast establishment. The house is three bay, two storey over basement with a projecting single-bay, single-storey porch to the front. A rectangular plain overlight tops the doorway which is flanked by Doric type pillars. Immediately to the rear of the house is a well maintained and enclosed stable yard and adjoining this is a walled garden which extends to something over a rood. This garden is planted out with fruit trees including a fig and mulberry. Well tended lawns open out from the treelined avenue and wrap around the house. A small terrace invites contemplation by guests on the south side.

 

Internally the two principal reception rooms are entered from the vestibule and they provide secondary admittance to the two minor reception rooms behind. The latter two rooms are also entered via the inner hallway. The domestic offices are to the rear, off the living room. An open balustrade stairway rises to the first floor and its two sided gallery landing. A long pendulous light fitting hangs below an oval skylight. Five bedrooms run off the landing.

 

In one of the many codocils to her will Dame Frances adverted to an oak book case and books which she had placed in the Glebe House for the use of the incumbent for the time being and which was to be known as the, "Rathaspit Trust." The library of books which she provided for the curate's use included such potboilers as, Meditations on Death and Eternity, Dialogues on Universal Salvation and Aunt Trudy's Letters. Rathaspit is an old name for the church.

 

The Glebe House is definitely a cut above the average b & b, both internally and externally. It has history, it has properly proportioned rooms and it has comfort and appetising breakfasts. Methinks that I will be staying there again.

 

 

Auction Fever.

 

 

I went to a house auction yesterday. I have to say that it was a very well run event. The auction was held in a large marquee adjacent to the house and there was the now obligatory ability to bid by phone or on the internet. A catering company was in attendance to provide sustenance for the assembled bidders and in case too many cups of coffee were imbibed a potaloo was positioned in a secluded corner.

 

The bulk of the auction lots came from the estate of the late owner of the house, but there was also a large number of clocks and watches from another estate.

 

I do find it slightly sad that someone's affects should be sold like this, but I suppose it is inevitable. The children have their own houses and their own tastes and they don't necessarily have the room to accommodate all of the parental ethemera. It would however be wrong to describe and dismiss the auction lots in this instance as ethemera. The owner of the house, (a grade B listed building designed by Alfred Forman), had been a GP and clearly had an eye for antiques. One of his younger ex colleagues used to accompany him to auctions and that ex colleague was present to pick up a few items in remembrance as clearly were several friends and former patients.

 

There were quite a few paintings by, 'known," Irish artists included among the lots. I know very little about Irish art, but one of the in vogue names is apparently, Basil Blackshaw. I was appraised of this by a friend who has dabbled in art investment over the last thirty years. There were three Bradshaw's up for grabs and they all went for in excess of £4000. I was not tempted!! Definitely too rich for my blood and I have to say that I didn't even like them.

 

Spring day at Springhill.

 

Having invested in National Trust membership I decided to recoup some of my expenditure yesterday. Accordingly I wended my way to Springhill House just outside the village of Moneymore. This small Plantation estate had been in the ownership of the Lennox-Conyngham family, albeit not in direct line, for some three hundred and fifty years before economic realities found Captain William Lowry Lennox-Cunningham deciding in 1957 to bequeath the estate to the National Trust. He died three days after the signing of his will. The term , "O'Hagan Clause," springs to mind.

 

It is not a huge house, really nothing more than a substantial farmhouse with more formal rooms occupying the additions to the original seventeenth century seven bay structure. The symmetry is surprisingly pleasing. On a similar vein the replacement beech walk to the rear of the property will be quite impressive when it reaches maturity.

 

I cannot say that I was overly impressed with the National Trust staff that I came across. The house guide was trying too hard. She may have a desire to be a standup comic but her attempts at humour and bonhomie were cringing. In the coffee shop the waitress decided not to clear the detritus from my table's previous resident before delivering my order minus milk for my tea. With a total of three tables occupied she also managed to forget the order of a young couple who had arrived in the eatery in advance of myself. Hopefully these rather obvious mistakes are a reflection of the start of the season and not inherent staff failings.

 

Londonderry's Guildhall - Notes on its history.

 

The formal agreement between The Hononorable the Irish Society and Londonderry Corporation by which the former agreed to provide a site for a new Town Hall to replace the by then inadequate civic building in the centre of the Diamond was entered into on 28th April 1886. In addition to agreeing to grant the Corporation the necessary land for what was to be known as the Guildhall the Irish Society also agreed to provide funding up to the sum of sixteen thousand pounds to include all expenses and the costs of fitting out.

 

It was a term of the agreement that the Irish Society should see and approve any tender for the construction works before it was formally accepted by the Corporation. It was further agreed that once the building was completed and furnished and possession had been taken by the Corporation that at that stage the Irish Society would grant the Corporation a lease in perpetuity, (a fee farm grant), of the site reserving an annual ground rent of £400. It was stipulated that the deed would contain a covenant to the affect that the land and buildings could not be used for any purpose save for the purposes of, "a Town Hall, Corporation Offices and other similar purposes for which Town Halls and the buildings erected therewith are commonly used." For some years prior to 1886 the Irish Society had been making an annual allowance of £1283 for certain specific purposes. The Fee Farm Grant was to include a clause stating that if the annual fee farm rental of £400 was not paid by the Corporation that the Irish Society could retain the said sum from the monies paid by way of the annual allowance. The Fee Farm Grant to the Corporation was ultimately dated 6th July 1892.

 

Some six years later by way of a deed dated 28th June 1898 the Irish Society conveyed the rental to the Corporation, the Corporation having agreed to forego an annual allowance of £400 which the Irish Society was to give the Corporation for ten years to assist with the Killea water supply. The restrictive covenant as to use contained in the Fee Farm Grant was reaffirmed in the 1898 assurance.

 

 

 

Government House Londonderry

Situated on the Letterkenny Road on the outskirts of Londonderry this listed property was constructed for the Honourable the Irish Society. The grounds extended to just over thirty two acres made up of three lots, the two smaller lots being separated from the house and pleasure grounds by the county road and the Great Northern Railway.

 

The property passed into private hands in the early years of the twentieth century being bought by Archibald Fitzpatrick Cooke of 6 Clooney Park, Londonderry for £5,500. When he died on 30th June 1929 he left Government House together with its contents to his trustees upon trust, inter alia, to allow his wife and daughter to have the use and benefit thereof during their lives and the life of the survivor. The executors and trustees of his will were his wife, Gertrude Caroline Cooke, his daughter, Iris Frances Lyle Cooke and his brother John Fitzpatrick Cooke of Glengallaugh House, Retired County Court Judge. Although the Cooke family retained ownership of the property until 23rd September 1968 when the then trustees of the will sold the estate it would seem that it was rented out for a period. An entry in the Belfast Gazette of 1956 states that it was at that time the residence of John Talbot McFarland, (now 3rd Bt.)

The 1968 purchaser was the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The purchase price was £30,000. The house and main grounds, (24a 3r 33p) were sold by the Christian Brothers to a private purchaser in the 1990's. It has now been renamed Termon House. The remaining lands were gifted to the local Council on 18th June 1990 for use as, "a park or recreation lands for the leisure and recreation of the people of Derry."