Outbuildings at Edenderry House, 133 Ballylesson Road, Edenderry, Belfast, County Antrim, BT8 8JU

Outbuildings at Edenderry House

A single-storey four-bay gardeners cottage built around 1730, constructed during the same period as the principal adjacent dwelling. The building is rectangular in plan form and is abutted by L-shaped one-and-a-half storey outbuildings to the rear. It is located at the end of a very long driveway off Ballylesson Road, south-west of The Giants Ring and to the west of Drumbo Parish Church.

The main cottage features a pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles; the rear pitch to the outbuildings is partially covered by corrugated translucent plastic sheeting. Rainwater goods are uPVC throughout. Smooth render chimneystacks rise to cornice caps with octagonal clay pots. The walling is rough-cast over rubble masonry with brick courses and brick surrounds. Windows are three-over-six timber sliding sash. The windows to the outbuildings are timber round-headed openings with fanlights incorporated into the upper sash featuring interlacing tracery; the lower sashes are infilled and rendered. Stone cills remain in their original positions, though detached.

The principal elevation faces north and is asymmetrically arranged, with the front entrance located left of centre and flanked by sash windows. To the right is a secondary access, marked by a visible seam line, comprising a square-headed door with an adjoining two-over-two sash window. Two chimneystacks are present: one over the gable apex and one located on the ridge line left of the front door. The left gable has a clipped verge and no openings. The rear elevation is blank, with the one-and-a-half storey outbuilding abutting the left-hand bay and projecting southwards. The right elevation forms a lean-to gable end adjoining the outbuilding to the right side, with a centrally located timber casement window in poor repair. The remains of a wall project from the right side of the gable.

The abutting outbuildings consist of two adjoining rectangular buildings arranged in an L-shape. The central block faces east onto the forecourt and has a square-headed modern opening flanked by altered round-headed windows. The southern block faces south and overlooks the rural landscape; its gable end has a door located right of centre with a centrally located opening above it. The rear elevation exhibits exposed low-level rubble masonry with English garden-wall bond brick courses above, and various openings of differing styles and sizes, all in poor repair. The rear elevation of the central block is made from earlier handmade bricks laid in Flemish bond with header corbel courses at eaves level, featuring various openings.

The dwelling is situated at the end of a long driveway off Ballylesson Road, adjacent to the principal dwelling. A modern dwelling is located on the left side of the approach before reaching the courtyard enclosed by outbuildings. To the north of the site is woodland rising to the crest of a hill. The surrounding land consists largely of open fields bordered by vegetation, all forming part of the estate. Towards the east, the spire of the neighbouring Drumbo Parish Church is visible. A small private burial ground is present in the forecourt, adjoining the cottage and enclosed by fine cast iron railings.