Church Hill House, (North West Independant Hospital), Main Street, Ballykelly, Limavady, Co Londonderry, BT49 9HS

This is a late Georgian neo-classical house, built between 1820 and 1839, originally designed as a model farm building. It is located on Main Street, Ballykelly, near the Presbyterian church. The design, by Richard Suitor, was intended to complement the church and provides a rare example of an architect’s opportunity to design two buildings in such a relationship in Northern Ireland.

The house is built in the Palladian manner, with a central two-storey block linked to single-storey flanking pavilions by high random rubble walls. The central block is constructed of ashlar sandstone, while the pavilions are faced with ashlar sandstone with gable walls to the front facade, each featuring a large round-headed recess. The windows are square-headed timber sash windows with 12 panes to the ground floor and 9 panes above. A projecting porch with a round-headed recess, added in 1832 by Turnbull, incorporates a neat cornice and plain frieze. Exposed rafters are visible at the generous eaves, and the original chimney stacks were rebuilt in red brick with tall round pots.

In 1990, the hipped roofs were raised by 750mm with red brick to accommodate an additional floor, though this does not significantly detract from the overall composition. The house has since been converted into a private hospital, with a sensitively designed addition that is not visible from the main road. The internal arrangement has been altered to suit its new use.

The grounds are well-maintained, retaining mature trees. The stonework is of Dungiven sandstone, and the 1990 adaptation was undertaken by Kieran Mullan of G M Designs, using direct labour.