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

Edenderry House is a symmetrical two-storey, three-bay Georgian country house built around 1734, with parts of the rear single-storey accommodation possibly dating as early as 1650. It stands at the end of a long driveway off the Ballylesson Road, to the south-west of the ancient monument known as the Giants Ring and to the west of Drumbo Parish Church. The house follows an L-shaped plan, with additional single-storey rear returns that conjoin with the outbuildings to form a courtyard. It has retained much of its original character and detailing, and the later Victorian alterations contribute positively to its interest. The principal interior spaces have kept most of their original plasterwork and joinery, all of which is of particularly high quality.

The roof is pitched natural slate with clay ridge tiles, gable-ended with clipped verges and a leaded ridge over the bay extension. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted to the main block, comprising semi-circular cast-iron guttering fixed to plain corbelled eaves with circular downpipes; ogee-moulded guttering is used on the single-storey rear. The main chimneystack sits at the gable apex on either side of the main block and carries five plain clay pots. Smaller chimneystack on the rear buildings have moulded cornice details and pairs of tall octagonal pots. Some slate and tile repairs are evident. The walling throughout is ruled-and-lined render in a natural finish. Windows are primarily timber sliding sash with stone cills, with varying fenestration patterns and detailing across the building. Timber doors are framed by moulded stone architraves painted white.

The principal elevation faces south and is symmetrically arranged. At its centre is a two-storey canted bay, added in 1902, with double-glazed doors at ground floor level and a 12-paned fixed light above. This is flanked on each side by full-length nine-over-four sliding sash windows with horns. At first floor level, above a continuous cill course, there is a three-over-six sliding sash with horns flanked by a pair of two-over-four sliding sash windows. The side bays contain Georgian six-over-six sliding sash windows at ground floor and three-over-six sliding sash above, these without horns. The left gable has no openings.

The north elevation is abutted by a one-and-a-half-storey L-shaped return projecting northwards on the right-hand side. The west elevation is asymmetrically arranged, with the principal entrance to the right of centre. This is a wide Georgian six-panel timber door painted white, fitted with cast-iron ironmongery and moulded stone architraves. To its right is a Georgian six-over-six timber sliding box sash window, with a matching pair to the left of the door. Further left is a smaller three-over-six Georgian sliding box sash window. The chimneystack sits left of centre on the ridge line. A further subordinate return projects eastwards from the far left bay at a lower eaves and ridge level, forming part of the courtyard enclosure. As part of the Victorian alterations, a pair of double doors was installed in this return in place of windows.

The north elevation of the return is primarily the gable end of the one-and-a-half-storey wing and is asymmetrically arranged. To the right of centre is a single-storey gabled porch with a modern timber door. The windows in this part of the building vary between timber side-hung and sliding sash types and are of various sizes and proportions. The gable rises to projecting plain bargeboards. To the left is a single-storey lean-to shed attached to the building by a wall with a doorway.

The east elevation is asymmetrically arranged, with a timber door left of centre and a three-over-six sliding box sash window to its left. Two matching windows sit to the right. Modern roof lights are located at the far right over the attic space. Evidence of former three-storey rear accommodation is visible. The right gable carries a single three-over-six Georgian sliding sash window right of centre at first floor level. The return is connected to the main block by a large 18-paned half-circle arched opening into the stairwell, with a smaller three-over-six sliding box sash window below at ground floor level.

The house is set at the end of a long driveway off the Ballylesson Road. On the approach to the house, a modern dwelling sits to the left before reaching the courtyard enclosed by the outbuildings. To the north, woodland rises to the crest of a hill. The surrounding land is largely open fields bordered by vegetation, all forming part of the estate. The spire of Drumbo Parish Church is visible to the east. The outbuildings and former gardener's house that form the courtyard, which are of a similar date to the main house, add to the setting and have group value with it.

According to historian J.F. Rankin, the house was built in 1734 by James Beers, son of William Beers, when he came into ownership of the estate, and the building remained in the same family through successive generations until the time of survey in 2010. The current occupier has stated that the smaller single-storey rear accommodation dates from as early as 1650. James Beers and James Watson Hull are remembered as the churchwardens responsible for building the new Drumbo Parish Church, on land donated by Beers free of charge. Beers, who gave instructions to be buried in the grave walk with no mark to remain over his grave, bequeathed the estate to his nephew Charles Dunlop around 1805. The building was valued at £23 3s in the Townland Valuations of 1828 to 1840. By the time of Griffith's Valuation in 1863, it was recorded as occupied by Charles Dunlop in fee, with the buildings valued at £25. Charles Dunlop died in 1884, leaving the estate to his son James Dunlop, who died in 1905; both deaths, along with others, are recorded on headstones in the family burial ground adjacent to the house.

The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834 shows the footprint of the building and outbuildings largely as they are today, though with additional accommodation to the rear. By the second edition map of 1858, much of this rear accommodation appears to have been removed. The current occupier has stated that a three-storey rear addition was built around 1880 and accommodated twelve bedrooms, but was later removed in 1984; evidence of this addition is visible in a watercolour of the building dating from 1916. The two-storey canted bay to the front elevation was added in 1902 and remains in place. Further Victorian-period alterations to the windows of the rear buildings, converting them to pairs of double doors opening into the courtyard, were also carried out during this time.