Manor Highgate, Fargrim, Newtownbutler, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 6LD

Manor Highgate, Fargrim

This much-altered two-storey, three-bay house is aligned north-south at the southern end of Fargrim townland. Despite extensive external modifications, it retains many original interior features, including a particularly fine steeply sweeping staircase.

The house dates to the early 19th century (1800-1819) and was originally known as Highgate Lodge, as cited on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map. According to the 1837 Valuation book, it was occupied by Mr Crozier and measured 40 feet by 33 feet 6 inches with a 17-foot section plus cellar and kitchen, valued at £21 6 shillings. By 1862, it was occupied by Ralph Scott and described as "a small villa well situated; upper storey is low; good repair". The 1862 Valuation gives dimensions of a main house of 39 feet by 30 feet over two storeys, a return of 30 feet by 24 feet over two storeys, and a conservatory of 21 feet by 12 feet of one storey, valued at £32. The property's valuation had declined to £25 by 1908. It appears on the 1907 Ordnance Survey map as "Manor Highgate".

The principal elevation faces east. A large projecting modern entrance porch with cement-rendered walls and flat metal-covered roof dominates the centre, fitted with a modern timber glazed door with matching sidelights and transom. The porch cheeks each contain a fixed pane window. Either side of the porch are 6/6 sliding sash windows with stone cills. The first floor has modern casement windows to either side.

The south elevation features a projecting canted bay to the ground floor right, with a hipped artificial slate roof. Each face of the bay contains a sliding sash window with stone cill (the front is 6/6, those to both cheeks are 4/4). A window stands to the left, and the first floor has casement windows to either side, with that to the left aligned above the right casement below, and that to the right positioned above the canted bay.

The rear (west) elevation has a uPVC door to the ground floor left and a tall timber top-hung casement to the left of centre, which lights the stairwell. The north elevation has windows to either side at each floor, with that to the ground floor right positioned at the extreme end; all are uPVC top-hung casements with concrete cills, except that to the ground floor left, which is timber.

The roof is hipped with artificial slate tiles and features a single long red brick chimney set just to the rear of the ridge, containing a row of ten pots. Boxed timber eaves support ogee plastic rainwater goods. The walls are harled with stepped cement-rendered quoins over a cement-rendered base course.

The house occupies a prominent elevated site with a modern farmyard to its rear.