Dunmore, 99 Lough Fea Road, Cookstown, BT80 9SR

Dunmore is a two-storey five-bay harled Georgian house with attics and a long low rear return, standing in countryside well set back from the public road within its own farmland. The building is believed to date from around 1790, though some surviving features suggest the possibility of a mid 18th-century origin. It appears on the Ordnance Survey map of 1833 and was apparently originally occupied by the Magills, who were agents for the Staples Estate. As an increasingly rare intact and unaltered dwelling, Dunmore is a fine example of a small Irish house of its period, of distinctively Irish type and typical late Georgian proportions in a comparatively plain style.

The walling is of harled finish, and the roof is covered in Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with two small original flush rooflights. Two chimneys, one on each gable, are smooth cement rendered with modern pots. Rainwater goods are of uPVC and metal.

The main entrance faces south. The south elevation is symmetrical, with two windows to each side of a central entrance. Windows are rectangular timber vertically hung sliding sash, 1 over 2 to the first floor and 2 over 2 to the ground floor, with horns. Original protective iron bars remain in front of the lower sashes on the ground floor. The central first-floor window is of Palladian type of very plain character, comprising a semi-circular arched central light flanked by narrow fixed 3-pane side lights. The entrance follows the same general arrangement, with a rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a plain fanlight set in a semi-circular arched opening flanked by narrow 3-pane sidelights. An arched metalwork trellis-like canopy to support a creeper projects from the doorway surround.

The west gable is harled, with a brickwork chimney breast evident near the top. Two small rectangular timber windows at attic level have 3-paned arrangement and are now fixed in position. The north or rear elevation has similar roof and wall materials to the front and is five windows wide with symmetrical arrangement to the upper floors. Windows are sashed as on the entrance front, except for the most distinctive feature of this elevation, a central semi-circular lunette at high level. The east gable is similar to the west, with the addition of one ground-floor sashed window (2 over 2 with horns) and two basement openings, crudely dressed and now boarded up on the inside.

The rear return is single storey height with a pitched roof covered in corrugated iron. On the west side the walling is of rubble stonework, harled, and contains one modern fixed light and top-hung vent window. The end gable is of rubble stonework and concrete blockwork, with a lower projecting lean-to outshot of crude construction in rubble stonework with corrugated iron roof. On the east side the walling is harled at the end next to the main house, where it contains a sashed 3 over 3 window with horns and a glazed and sheeted door; at the other end the walling is of concrete blockwork and contains a large opening without a door.

Internally, the angled chimneybreasts are early features of some interest, as is the surviving plan form. The grounds contain a number of mature trees. To the front of the house is a lawn bounded by a hedge which contains an old scrolling ironwork gate leading to a field beyond. To the rear is a yard containing various outbuildings and sheds of no special interest. A modern house has been built adjacent to the west side, within the grounds.