Coach yard, Dundarave Estate, Bushmills, County Antrim, BT57 8ST

Coach Yard, Dundarave Estate, Bushmills, County Antrim

This is a formal courtyard complex of outbuildings, built around 1846–1850 to Italianate designs by the eminent Ulster architect Sir Charles Lanyon, in direct association with the construction of Dundarave House. The complex stands immediately to the north-east of the main house within a large designed landscape estate, and forms a key part of its immediate planned setting.

The courtyard has an almost square footprint, with the west and east ranges projecting slightly beyond the single-storey south entrance range; all other ranges are two storeys with multiple bays. The composition is dominated by a fine four-stage campanile clock tower at the south-east corner, and is centred on a symmetrically composed entrance range featuring a raised round-headed arch with rustication and a pedimented gable. The proportions are carefully balanced throughout, and the architectural details are well executed, most notably the finely tooled stonework to the arcaded openings.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with angled ridge tiles. Rendered chimneystacks are present, and eaves are corbelled with plastic rainwater goods. External walling is generally lime-rendered over basalt rubble, with the exception of the external south and west ranges, which are cement rendered. The west elevation sits on a basalt rubble plinth with tooled sandstone dressing. Some patch repairs in cement render are evident.

The south entrance range features fourteen-over-fourteen timber sliding sash windows without horns. Other openings are generally louvred timber with fourteen-pane toplights. All window openings have tooled stone cills. Doors are generally double-leaf painted timber sheeted with segmental-headed seven-pane toplights and chamfered stepped stone reveals.

External elevations in detail: The south entrance range has a central double-height round-headed arched entrance with a pedimented gable, the roof overhanging slightly and supported on scrolled corbel brackets, with heavy rustication to the south elevation. Two openings are set to either side — all windows except the left opening, which is a timber sheeted door. The coach arch itself has a large double-leaf tongue-and-groove sheeted door with a wicket gate.

The west elevation is nine openings wide at first floor, including one blind opening, with a single window to the ground floor. There is a basalt rubble undercroft at this elevation, accessed via a segmental-headed timber sheeted door with brick voussoirs.

The north elevation is seven openings wide at first floor, including two timber sheeted loading doors, with three replacement pivoting metal windows to the ground floor. At its centre is a round-headed coach arch with a stepped stone surround.

The east elevation has seven windows to the first floor and is abutted at its south end by the campanile tower.

Internal elevations: The south entrance range has a pedimented coach arch with two openings to either side — all windows except the eastern opening, which is an open segmental-headed arch. Other openings are set within shallow segmental-headed recesses. The west range has five openings to the first floor, generally half-louvred, though those to the right are fourteen-over-fourteen sash windows. To the ground floor, five continuous segmental-headed arched reveals form a three-part open arcade to the left and centre, and are infilled at the right, containing a door and window respectively. The north range has a door and window at ground floor to either side of the arch, and five openings to the first floor. The east range is a mirror image of the west.

The campanile tower is four stages, cement rendered with sandstone dressings. The first stage contains a square-headed entrance opening. The second stage is double-height and the third stage is truncated, each having stone quoins; the second stage has tall round-headed openings to the north and south with stone surrounds and the remains of margined lights. The third stage has a roundel to each facet with scroll and figurative carving; the roundel to the west contains a clock. The fourth, belfry, stage has a pair of round-headed openings to all sides and supports a shallow pyramidal roof overhanging on stone corbels.

The complex retains a high proportion of its original fabric, demonstrating traditional techniques and materials. Original fenestration survives throughout, and original fittings remain in place, enhancing its architectural and historic interest and reflecting the history of use of the complex. Some alterations are present, as noted above.

Historical background: In 1808 Francis MacNaghten purchased the Bushmills estate from his brothers-in-law, the Dunkins. Around 1830 he had a new house constructed on the site, incorporating all or parts of an earlier structure. Captioned "Bushmills House" on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of around 1832, this "new mansion house" as described in the Townland Valuations of 1835 comprised a two-storey castellated building with an apparent three-stage tower to the rear, extensive outbuildings to the west adorned with circular turrets, and a pair of walled or formalised gardens to the south.

Upon Francis's death in 1843, the estate passed to his son Edmund MacNaghten. Through his father's connections, Edmund had been appointed the position of Registrar of the Supreme Court — first in Madras and then in Calcutta — when in his early twenties. Having earned a sufficient income, Edmund retired in 1825 at the age of twenty-four and returned to Ireland. Following his inheritance of the estate, he proceeded to have the previous house demolished and replaced with the present mansion house, thought to have been built between 1846 and 1849 to the designs of Sir Charles Lanyon. Brett (1996) records that two walled gardens were also created at this time and a shelter-belt of trees was planted. Although the coach yard is not specifically mentioned in the historical record, its formalised design and direct proximity to the house strongly indicate that it was designed and built in conjunction with the main house, completed before its first appearance on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1855.

The house, several gate lodges, and the outbuildings were collectively given a rateable value of £140 in Griffith's Valuation of around 1862. This figure did not change until the First General Revaluations in the mid-20th century, and both contemporary and historic Ordnance Survey maps confirm that the footprint of the outbuildings has remained unchanged throughout. The estate was vacant and offered for sale in the early 21st century but has since been purchased and undergone refurbishment works in recent years.

Setting: The complex is set immediately to the north-east of the main house within a large designed landscape that includes several other historic listed structures, among them the main house, the farm yard, the walled garden, and associated gates and walling. Ornamental planting to the south and east has become severely overgrown, restricting access. Access from the south is via a short lane off the gravelled forecourt; from the north via a dirt road leading to the walled garden and estate lands. Some remains of cobbled surfaces survive around the perimeter of the yard, which is otherwise laid with hardcore.