Farmyard at Mount Stewart, Mount Stewart, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT22 2RU

Large, extensive, two and single storey (mainly) rubble-built farmyard complex, dating from c.1816 but much added to in the 1870s with the addition of two large two storey stewards' houses and the (probable) rebuilding of the dairy. The complex is located roughly in the centre of the Mount Stewart estate, about half a mile NE of Mount Stewart house. It is situated on either side of an estate road. The main section is on the E side of the road and is roughly ‘S’ shaped in plan and has two yards. Generally the buildings are single storey, constructed in black stone rubble with sandstone dressings and a mixture of Bangor blue slated hipped and gabled roofs. To the N end is a gabled barn with a stone bell cote to its gable. 1. Houses To the S end are two storey dwelling houses mainly constructed in black stone rubble with brick dressings. The Bangor blue slated roof of the house to the W is gabled with it neighbour to the E hipped. The house to the E has two adjoining returns one of which has a felt flat roof. Windows are generally PVC. 2. Dovecote To the E (30m) of this grouping is a two storey snecked rubble built, brick dressed, octagonal, dovecote. The roof is hipped (8 sided) and alternate slopes have decorative ‘dormers’, with small openings for pigeons to enter. There is a tall decorative weather vane finial to the roof apex. 3. Dairy To the S and W of the main complex is a small circular dairy. The outer wall of the dairy to the S is circular and constructed in random rubble. It abuts the orchard wall which is straight. This gives an overall semi circular plan form, however, internally the dairy proper is in fact circular. The entrance porch takes up the odd plan shapes. The N facade is incorporated into the orchard wall and is constructed in brick with sandstone dressings to openings. The dairy has a conical roof, recently re-slated using ‘Tullycavey' slate, with a large, gutterless overhang (c.60cm). 4. Cottages To the N of the dairy and within the orchard is a 3m high brick wall stretching almost the width of the orchard. To the N side of this wall are two lean to single storey (with ‘curved’ dormers) farm worker’s cottages.