Bellaghy Castle, Deerpark Road, Bellaghy, Magherafelt, Co.Londonderry

A seven-bay two-storey house of late 18th century construction, having a round tower (flanker) attached to the south-east corner, a single-storey three-bay canted bay extension to the north, and a single-bay two-storey extension to the east. Set within a central and elevated position within the bawn with a range of single-storey outbuildings to the south-east attached to the round tower (flanker), 'Wee House' and Robinson House to the north-east corner, and Craig's House beyond to the north-east. A courtyard lies to the north and a garden to the south-east, approached from the south via steps leading from the cobbled rear courtyard.

The roof is pitched natural slate with clay ridge tiles and cast-iron rainwater goods with gutter brackets on a raised eaves course. A pair of rendered chimneystacks is set back from either gable on the ridge. A hipped natural slate roof abuts the east gable and connects to the natural slate roof of the round tower (flanker). The entrance porch has a modern flat roof concealed behind a masonry parapet.

The walls are rubblestone with a harled and limewashed finish, featuring stepped raised smooth rendered quoins to the principal building and a painted plinth course.

Front Elevation (North)

The front elevation faces north and has square-headed openings with painted stone cills and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows, some in pairings with a central mullion. Square-headed door openings have timber frames and four-panel timber doors. The off-centre single-storey entrance porch has an elongated demi-hexagon plan with two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows and houses the main entrance door to the east.

Side Elevation (West)

The side elevation to the west is otherwise blank save for two modern vents and an extract terminus. A rendered brick wall connects the south-west corner to a two-storey square brick tower embedded on the western boundary wall.

Rear Elevation (South)

The rear elevation faces south and is asymmetric, five-bay, having square-headed window openings: six-over-six pane and four-over-four pane timber sliding-sash windows. There are two arch-headed openings: a twelve-over-twelve pane timber sliding sash window and a fixed light single vertical mullion timber window. Square-headed doorways contain a timber multi-glass-pane double door set and a modern timber two-panel glass door that is flanked by a semi-circular rubblestone buttress with stone coping. The rear elevation has an elevated stone-flagged patio bounded by rubble stone walls with harled and limewashed finish and painted stone coping, accessed from the rear courtyard by a flight of cut stone steps flanked to either side (top and bottom) by square piers.

Side Elevation (East)

The side elevation to the east is blank save for a single square-headed opening with a one-over-one pane timber sliding sash window.

The Round Tower (Flanker) to South-East

The round tower (flanker) to the south-east is three-storey and has a conical slate roof with lead ridges and half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. The raised eaves course comprises painted two-course brick and sawtooth-brick. The tower walls are harled and limewashed finish, having a painted brick sawtooth course at first-floor cill level and second floor springer level. Square-headed openings have stone cills and two-over-two sliding sash windows. Square-headed door openings have timber frames and timber panel doors.

Materials

Roof: Pitched roof of natural Welsh slate with black clay ridge tiles. Windows: Original timber, sliding sash, single-glazed, putty fronted, with painted stone cills. Walls: Painted harling. Rainwater goods: Cast iron.

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The Outbuildings

A linear range of three multi-bay single and one-and-a-half-storey attached outbuildings, circa 18th or 19th century, set perpendicular to and south of the round tower (flanker). The stepped ridge line and principal elevation face west, forming a rear courtyard with the principal house, with a boundary wall to the east.

Outbuilding 1

Outbuilding 1 comprises a six-bay single-storey building having a single-storey cat-slide roof extension to the east. The roof is pitched natural slate with clay ridge tiles and cast-iron rainwater goods with gutter brackets. A render chimney is located to the east. The rubblestone walls have a raised eaves course with harled and limewashed finish. Segment-headed door openings have painted brick headers and quoins, with timber sheeted doors with timber frames on integral stone stool. A segment-headed window opening has a painted brick header and quoins and a timber casement window. Square-headed window openings have timber lintels with supporting arches over, timber casement windows, and a three-over-three timber sliding sash window. A square-headed opening to the east is set within a former semi-circular arched opening (now enclosed). Segment-headed window openings to the north and south of the extension have painted red brick headers and quoins with timber casement windows. A square-headed vent opening is located in the apex of the south gable.

Outbuilding 2

Outbuilding 2 comprises a four-bay one-and-a-half-storey mid-terrace block. Square-headed openings have timber lintels, timber sheeted doors, an eight-over-twelve timber casement window, and a timber louvre. The east elevation is three-bay with an arrow-slit opening and a pair of square-headed vent openings having timber louvres. The centre opening is set within a former door opening having painted brick quoins (now enclosed). A square-headed vent opening is located in the apex of the south gable.

Outbuilding 3

Outbuilding 3 comprises a five-bay single-storey building. Square-headed openings have timber lintels, timber sheeted single doors, a double timber sheeted door, and timber casement windows. The five-bay elevation facing east comprises arrow-slit openings and a pair of square-headed vent/service openings. A square-headed vent opening is located in the apex of the south gable.

Setting

The outbuildings form part of Bellaghy Bawn and are attached to the south elevation of the round tower (flanker), forming a rear courtyard with the Big House. The courtyard comprises cobblestones with paving to the north adjacent to Outbuilding 1. Stone steps lead north to the rear of 'The Big House' with a rendered boundary wall. A rubble stone boundary wall having splayed stone coping forms an enclosure to the west with a pair of red brick piers with stone pyramid coping and a wrought-iron gate leading to the formal garden enclosure. A rubble stone boundary wall lies to the south. Gardens to the east are enclosed with a stepped rubble-stone boundary wall to the road with splayed and curved copings forming a pier to the south with a wrought-iron double-gate attached to a modern outbuilding to the south. A rubble stone boundary wall with pyramid stone coping is attached to the south corner of the east elevation, having a pair of square piers, one having stone pyramid coping and slate and rendered pyramid coping, with a wrought-iron double-gate forming an enclosure to the garden to the east.

Materials

Roof: Pitched roof of natural Welsh slate with black clay ridge tiles. Windows: Original timber, mix of sliding sash and top hung casement, single-glazed. Walls: Painted random rubblestone, harling, and brick. Rainwater goods: Cast iron.

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Wee House (First Floor) and Robinson House (Ground Floor)

A two-and-a-half-storey dwelling comprising Robinson House to the ground floor level and Wee House to the upper levels, within an asphalt courtyard bounded by stone walls and accessed by concrete steps to the first floor level. A rendered and painted wall adjoins Wee House to Craig's House to the north with a single original door opening blocked up. To the south, Wee House abuts the south-east round tower (flanker).

Front Elevation (West)

The front elevation faces west and is asymmetrical two-bay, one-and-a-half-storey. The roof is pitched natural Welsh slate having diminishing courses with concrete ridge tiles. Cast-iron gutter, including bracketry and downpipes. A rendered splayed chimney to the south has concrete capping. The painted harled and roughcast rendered walls have a raised eaves course on a decorative painted toothed brick course and a painted plinth course. A cross pattress wall tie is located to the centre. Square-headed openings have a replacement timber sheeted half-glazed doorset and single-glazed two-over-two sliding sash windows with concrete sills. The elevated entrance is approached by parallel concrete steps having steel vertical upright balustrades and handrail.

Rear Elevation (East)

The rear elevation faces east and is asymmetrical three-bay, two-and-a-half-storey, with painted metal vents to the first floor. The ground level comprises square-headed openings with a pair of six-over-six single-glazed timber sliding sash windows (the left-hand-side has a segment-headed upper sash), flanking a central doorway having a timber-sheeted ledged and braced door set within a segment-headed door-frame, with a granite paver and step and granite haunches. The entrance leads to 'Robinson House'.

Side Elevation (North)

The side elevation to the north is blank, abutted by a single-storey rendered wall with a blank door opening and a single cast-iron downpipe.

Side Elevation (South)

The side elevation to the south is rendered with similar wet dash and features two sliding sash windows. The south elevation abuts the round tower and Big House.

Materials

Roof: Pitched roof of natural Welsh slate with diminishing courses and black clay ridge tiles. Windows: Original and later additions of timber, sliding sash, single-glazed, putty fronted, with painted stone cills. Walls: Painted harling (colour: white). Rainwater goods: Cast iron (including all bracketry). Boundary walls: Rubblestone with cement caps to the eastern side, painted brickwork to the western side, painted stonework with stone coping. Gates: Original wrought iron pedestrian gate on the eastern side; original wrought iron gates to gate screen on the south side.

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Boundary Walls

North

Rubble stone walls with harled and limewashed finish and painted stone coping. Presence of slate under concrete coping.

South

Rubble stone walls and brick.

East

Rubble stone walls with harled and limewashed finish and painted stone coping. Presence of slate under concrete coping. Two areas of this wall have a curved section where defence was less of a priority, in front of the agricultural buildings. There are sections that have been poorly repaired or replaced with blocks and cement rendered over.

West

Rubble stone and brick, partially finished with a wet dash in sections closest to the road.