Lisnashanker House, 11 Redhill Road, Lisnashanker, Dromore, Co.Antrim, BT25 1RL

Lisnashanker House is a detached seven-bay two-storey rendered country house with early Georgian origins, substantially remodelled in the late 19th century. It stands on the south side of Redhill Road, approached by a long lane, with a T-plan formed by an earlier house to the rear dating to around 1750, which functions as a return. Two ranges of two-storey rubble outbuildings stand to the west. The entire complex is now in ruinous condition.

The main front elevation faces south beneath a hipped natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles and a pair of profiled rendered brick chimneysstacks. The walling is painted with ruled-and-lined lime render over rendered brick and rubblestone, featuring rusticated rendered quoins to the corners and a plinth course. A plat band runs above the ground floor to the front elevation only, with banded plain rustication below. The symmetrical seven-bay composition is dominated by a central accomplished Doric portico comprising a pair of advanced Doric columns supporting an architrave, cornice and blocking course. The square-headed door opening beneath the portico is now missing. Flanking Doric pilasters frame the entrance. Square-headed window openings with stone sills contain single-pane timber sash windows on the first floor, which feature architrave surrounds. The west side elevation is blank, whilst the east side elevation is also blank.

The north elevation is abutted by a lower gable-ended two-storey return, three bays in extent, with a single bay to the west of the return and two bays to the east. This earlier section has a pitched natural slate roof with a redbrick chimneystack rising from the north gable end. The rear gable displays a pair of square-headed window openings set within segmental-arched openings, containing 6/6 timber sash windows with exposed sash boxes. The east elevation of the return has a pair of 6/6 timber sash windows with exposed sash boxes to the first floor, with three smaller square-headed window openings to the ground level containing timber casement windows. The west elevation of the return is now obscured by ivy growth but retains a small entrance porch. The earlier house is much rarer, retaining early features including raised-and-fielded timber panelled doors and early timber sash windows with original linings.

A short brick screen wall abuts the southwest corner of the front elevation and connects to two gable-fronted rubblestone outbuildings, the rear gables of which face into a former yard to the southwest. A further two-storey rubblestone and redbrick outbuilding encloses the yard to the west. The twin-gabled range have pitched natural slate roofs with a single-storey lean-to wrapping around the north and east elevation. Some timber plank doors survive. The range to the west has recently collapsed with some iron machinery evident to the interior. The lane exits the yard to the north, passing the rear return to meet the lane leading to Redhill Road. To the east of the house are the remains of a more formal iron gate screen as the lane turns north.

The building demonstrates a wealth of good joinery, plasterwork and accomplished architectural detailing, presenting a noteworthy example of its type with evident stylistic development between the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite its poor condition, the house remains important and has local interest to the Lisburn area.

Historical records indicate that a building with the existing footprint can be dated as early as circa 1830, appearing on the first edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1834. However, owing to the late Victorian proportions and style of the facades and internal detailing, it is possible that the front part of the house underwent major restoration or possibly complete replacement during the late 19th century. The rear return, of early Georgian construction and character, suggests that prior to any historic alterations, the original house may have existed from circa 1750.

The Townland Valuation of 1835 identifies the occupier as Alex McCay, with the house and outbuildings valued at £14.7.0. The house remained in the McCay family, being recorded in the 1861 Griffiths Valuation as house, outbuildings and land valued at £71.0.16. The McMurry family took up tenancy in 1869, with Thomas McCay as landlord, and added a warehouse to the yard. Annual Revisions from 1867-75 increased the property value to £105. By 1878, the house was subdivided between various tenants, though this lasted only a few years before the house was finally vacated in 1883. It remained empty for approximately seven years before being sold to John Nicholson for £1950 in 1890. It is quite possible that the Victorian alterations were undertaken during this vacant period. The house remained in the Nicholson name and was recorded in R.V. Binders valuations from 1933-57 as occupied by Samuel J. Nicholson, with valuers describing it as a "Superior farmhouse, situated 3 miles from Moira Village." By the first survey around 1980, the house had again fallen vacant and has remained so since the second survey in 2010.