Knockballymore, Magheraveely, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, BT94 4PY

Knockballymore is an impressive mid-18th-century house of elegant proportions and handsome detailing, beautifully set within its own grounds on the north-east shore of Knockballymore Lough. The house has been faithfully restored by its present owners and, in addition to its external integrity, retains a considerable number of original internal features. Erected by the Earl of Erne for his agent about 1740 and certainly before 1764, it stands as an interesting and important example of mid-Georgian architecture.

The building is a symmetrical double-pile, two-bay (the left bay is wider) structure of two-and-a-half storeys over a basement, aligned north-south and set within extensive grounds to the south of Lislea Townland. A long serpentine driveway provides access from the road. The hipped roof is of natural slate with a shallow pediment rising from eaves level at the centre. Three tall cement-rendered chimneys are positioned—one at either end of the south pitch and one wider example at the centre of the north pitch. The eaves are corbelled with moulded stone, and a moulded cornice rises to the pediment. Rainwater goods are half-round metal. The walls are wet-dashed with stepped V-jointed stone quoins, while the basement is lined and cement-rendered to the façade only. All dressings and cills are stone, with platbands at floor level of each storey: the ground floor platband is chamfered, the first floor is flush, and the second floor is moulded.

The principal elevation faces east and is remarkably composed. At the centre stands a large twelve-panelled timber door with a semicircular spider-web fanlight above, set within a keyblocked Gibbsian surround and accessed by six stone steps enclosed by modern metal railings. To either side are two 6/6 sash windows. The first floor contains five 6/3 sash windows aligned above the ground floor openings. The second floor is blank to the façade except for a small Diocletian window set into the pediment. The basement has two semi-elliptical headed 6/3 windows to either side. All windows are timber sliding sashes with horns; basement windows have cast-iron security grilles.

The south elevation displays a 4/4 window at the extreme right end and a 4/4 window to the left of centre at ground floor, with a blind window to the left end. The first floor has a 4/2 window at the left end and at the right of centre, with a blind window to the right end. The second floor contains four 2/2 windows—one to either end and one to either side of centre. The basement is enclosed.

The rear elevation has the basement at ground level, with all openings at this level featuring semi-elliptical heads. At the centre is a double-leaf timber door, each leaf consisting of a single panel to the bottom and a narrow 2x2 glazed upper section. Two 6/3 windows flank either side. Above, each floor has five windows—those to the ground floor are 6/6, whilst those to the upper floors are 6/3.

The north elevation is abutted by a return to the left end. Due to the topography, the exposed section appears as one storey over basement to the east, falling to three storeys at the west. This exposed section has a 4/4 window to the right end of the ground floor. The second floor has four 2/2 windows positioned as those to the south elevation. The return has a pitched natural slate roof and rubble-stone walls with vestiges of lime-render. All openings have brick reveals and jack-arches.

The east elevation displays a 6/6 window to the ground floor and a small semi-elliptical window to the basement at ground level.

The west elevation, which abuts the lower stable-block to the north, features a pair of 2x3 timber side-hung casements to the lower level set in a stepped stone reveal with a cast-iron security grille above. The central level has a tongued-and-grooved sheeted door to the left and a 2/2 window to the right. The upper floor has two 2/2 windows. A metal fire escape is affixed to both the west elevation of the return and the exposed section of the north elevation.

The house is set within attractive grounds on the north-east shore of Knockballymore Lough and is well concealed by extensive woodlands. It is fronted by a large forecourt and sloping lawn, bisected by the long serpentine driveway. To the rear is a tiered garden. Abutting the house to the north is the original stable-yard. The driveway is accessed from the road by a pair of decorative wrought-iron gates supported on similarly detailed gate piers. Opposite is a small orchard containing the remains of an octagonal garden house.

The building is cited as Knockballymore in all editions of the six-inch Ordnance Survey maps. It was occupied by John Hamilton in 1840 and by Reverend Alexander Nixon in 1860.