58 Lisnabreeney Road East, BELFAST, County Down, BT6 9SS

58 Lisnabreeney Road East, Belfast

A two-storey five-bay farm house with portions pre-dating 1830, sited on the east side of Lisnabreeney Road East close to its junction with Knockbracken Road, approximately 1 kilometre west of Merryland Cross Roads. The building retains an oblong plan form with converted outbuildings to the rear arranged around a central courtyard, demonstrating a degree of historic development despite alterations and remodelling throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

The house features a pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles, overhanging eaves with timber fascia and decorative barge boards. Yellow brick chimney stacks carry moulded cornice courses and clay pots. The walling is ruled-and-lined cement rendered, painted yellow ochre, with long-and-short quoins and a projected plinth course. Windows are replacement 2/2 timber sliding sash units with horizontal glazing bars and horns, set in rectangular masonry cills painted to match. Cast-iron ogee moulded gutters and circular down pipes complete the external detailing.

The principal elevation faces south-west in a symmetrical arrangement, with a centrally positioned double-leaf timber front door with lattice over-light flanked by two ground-floor windows. Five first-floor windows are positioned over the ground-floor openings. The upper floor and right bay are historic additions, while the left bay was raised with chimney alterations or removal around 1990. The left gable contains a single first-floor window. A large square-headed opening on the ground floor accommodates access to an abutting timber-frame structure on a masonry plinth, which supports a glazed pitched-roof conservatory.

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged with two ground-floor windows to the left, each with a corresponding first-floor window directly above. Two further first-floor windows sit above a flat-roof porch located at the re-entrant angle between the main house and rear return. This porch, now functioning as the principal entrance and added in the late 20th century, displays parapetted eaves and sympathetically matches the detailing of the main house, with a single door flanked by side lights on the south-east cheek and a single window centrally located on the north-east cheek. The far right bay is abutted by a two-storey five-bay gable-ended return. Formerly a single-storey hipped-roof outbuilding, this was renovated around 1990 by Nicholas Groves-Raines of Edinburgh. It matches the detailing of the main house with an aligned ridge line and higher eaves course; its asymmetrical elevations include a blank right gable, exposed timber cross-tie, and a wheel-guard stone to the left.

Internally, the house retains features of historic interest including an original staircase and timber ceilings with moulded cornices.

The setting comprises the house positioned just off the road and partially screened by a hedge. A gate with filigree wrought-iron work and piers is centrally located in the hedge, providing access to the central courtyard via the right gable. The south-east block of rubble masonry outbuildings has been converted to stables, while the north-east block now functions as carports. A long corrugated metal barn lies south-east of the stables, beyond which extend gardens to the rear of the house. Another wrought-iron gate accesses a lane from the front garden.

Historical Development

The current dwelling occupies the footprint of a pre-1834 structure on the site, which appears to have been remodelled around 1920. First Edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1834 show buildings beside a small plantation or orchard; it is possible that one of these has been retained as part of the current dwelling.

In the Townland Valuation, the house is listed as the residence of William McGowan with buildings valued at £3 9 shillings. A single-storey thatched house classified as 'slightly decayed' is recorded together with two single-storey outbuildings, one thatched and one slated. Griffith's Valuation of 1856–64 records that William McGowan leased the farm of over 21 acres from the Marquess of Downshire for £17 annually, with buildings then valued at £2 10 shillings. The Second Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858 shows a third structure added to the farmyard, and by the Third Edition of 1901–2, buildings surround the farmyard on all four sides.

Census records identify William McGowan as a farmer living at the house with his wife and two step-daughters, Sarah Spence and Anne Gelston. McGowan leased a further farm of approximately 23 acres in Lisnabreeney townland. On his death on 6 February 1898, he bequeathed to his wife Grace the use of the parlour and bedroom at his residence at Crossnacreevy for her lifetime, and left cash legacies to his step-daughters in compensation for their assistance in working his farms.

By 1900, the farm had been taken over by James Gelston, William's son-in-law, who became owner in fee in 1913. The 1901 census records only three residents: William McGowan's widow Grace, his step-daughter Sarah Spence, and his granddaughter Georgina Gelston, aged 4. The 1911 census records James Gelston, farmer, with his sister-in-law Sarah Spence and a farm servant of 46 years' service. At this period the farmhouse had only four windows to the front façade and contained 4–6 rooms internally.

By the Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map, a further outbuilding had been added, coinciding with a change of ownership. Robert Gillis became the farm's resident by 1924. A substantial rise in valuation to £15 in the same year indicates significant additions and improvements, possibly due to the raising and remodelling of the farmhouse. Robert Gillis lived at the farm until his death on 20 August 1942.

The building is of local interest and represents a good example of a farm house in this rural area, with its setting enhancing its historic character.