Estate Outbuildings., Bellerena House, 248 Seacoast Road, Limavady, Co Londonderry, BT49 OHZ

Estate Outbuildings at Bellerena House

A good example of mid-19th century farm buildings that form a fine group of estate structures together with the main house.

The outbuildings comprise a range of structures that formerly enclosed a sunken courtyard located some 50 metres west of the main house complex. Originally four ranges of buildings stood here, but only two now remain: the south-west range and the north-west range. The courtyard is bounded by these existing buildings and low stone walls.

The south-west range consists of a three-storey building three bays long in roughly squared and coursed basalt, with a two-storey return. From the three-storey section, a one-and-a-half-storey byre block continues in line to complete this side of the courtyard. As the roadway approaches the south-east gable of the three-storey building, it rises on an incline and forms a bridge giving access to a segmental arched double doorway at first-floor level. Above this doorway, two windows light the roofspace, and the gable is topped with a pedimented bellcote. The opening beneath the bridge is segmental with sandstone voussoirs. Windows and door openings are formed in cut red brickwork. The roof is slated throughout.

At ground floor facing the courtyard, two single wooden doors with small fixed nine-pane windows provide access. The two-storey return features tall three-centre arched openings on two sides; two of these openings on the gable have been built up. A massive buttress rises to first-floor level at the corner between these openings. Above the large arched openings, two casement windows are located on the south-east side. The slated hipped roof carries a tall red brick factory chimney on the north-west side.

The one-and-a-half-storey byre extends for six bays, then turns at right angles to form another side of the grassed courtyard, continuing for nine bays. Wall construction and openings match those of the three-storey block. The central bay features a slight breakfront with brick pediment, marking the exterior wall of a dovecote. The return range continues to the south-east to form two storeys containing two dwellings in similar construction. These dwellings have 12 ground-floor sash windows and first-floor nine-pane sliding sash windows, each with a red brick chimney. The grass courtyard was formerly enclosed with building ranges and originally cobbled.

Historical context

The Bellarena Estate land was leased from the Bishop of Derry in 1603 by William Gage and subsequently remained within the Gage family, taking the Heygate name through marriage in 1851. The 4th Baronet died in 1976, after which the property was sold. The present owners acquired it around 1990. The extent of the estate has been greatly reduced; apart from these outbuildings, the main gate lodge, and the dispensary, other parts of the estate, tenants' buildings, and Bellarena School have been acquired separately.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1835 describe Bellarena as the residence of Conolly Gage, noting that the main dwelling house was erected in two periods: one part in 1797 and the other in 1822. The demesne was kept in excellent order with a two-acre garden and orchard in a high state of cultivation, featuring extensive hothouses for grapes. The 1797 work was carried out by Marcus McCausland, son of the Bellarena heiress, who took the Gage name. Conolly Gage created the library and modified the third floor at the rear in 1822. In the late 1830s, Charles Lanyon remodelled the hall, created the billiard room bay, and remodelled the main reception rooms and added the projecting porch, all at the request of Conolly Gage's wife Henrietta.

The clock tower, steeple, associated buildings, outlying barn, byres, and cart shed do not appear on the 1831 Ordnance Survey sheet. The rear entrance gate lodge was built around 1860, while the main gate lodge at Seacoast Road dates to around 1920 and replaced a pair of gate lodges from 1797. The gates and railings were probably updated at that time. The land steward's house, walled garden, and viewing gazebo (no longer within the present estate) predate 1831.