Ballyedmond Castle, Killowen Road, Rostrevor, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4AD

Ballyedmond Castle is a highly attractive Tudor Gothic Revival country house, dating from around 1849, set within a mature planted demesne that extends from the south side of Killowen Road down to the sea. The house is attributed to the architect Charles Lanyon, though no documentary evidence has been found to confirm this; certain details — particularly the tower, turret, corbel heads and window openings — closely resemble Lanyon's contemporary work at Queen's University, Belfast. The house was built by Alexander Stewart on the site of an earlier house that had been described in the 1836 Ordnance Survey Memoir as a "good plain two storey house with additions and in good order". Following a fire caused by a terrorist attack in 1972, the building stood as a gutted shell until the current owner purchased it in the mid-1980s and began restoration around 1987, adding a sympathetic modern ballroom wing to the west side. No architect was employed in the refurbishment; the owner had his plans executed by local craftsmen.

The house is modest in size but informal and picturesque in its composition. It is generally two storeys with attics, and its main north-facing entrance front is five structural bays wide, with additional single-storey wings to the east and west ends. The building is aligned west to east. Walls throughout are in Flemish bond red brickwork with sandstone dressings to windows, doors, stepped quoins, chimneys, coping and other features. Roofs are steeply pitched in natural slate with cock's comb crested ridge tiles; verges are raised and coped with decorative kneelers and apex stones. Chimneys are irregularly arranged but consistently designed in three stages: a rectangular brick base with stone coping, a brick shaft in which the individual flues are expressed (in groups of two, three or four), and a sandstone string course above which sits a rectangular brick cap with sandstone coping. A moulded sandstone eaves course supports ogee-profile cast iron gutters with square downpipes.

NORTH (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION

The bays are described left to right, numbered one to five, beginning at the centre.

Bay three forms the main entrance tower, which rises in four stages. At ground floor, a single sandstone step leads up to a pair of stained and varnished timber Gothic doors. These are divided into three levels of panels: the lowest are linenfold, the central are cusped, and the top panels are traceried. Each door has a Gothic brass pull. The doors are set within a Gothic archway with chamfered moulded jambs and intrados; the outer roll mould of the jambs rises to form a rectangular frame over the Gothic head, within which are carved stylised oak leaf spandrels in bas-relief. Above this is a rectilinear label mould, broken at centre by a decorative corbel carved in the form of the head and shoulders of a female angel — the face slightly eroded — with finely carved wings and holding a blank shield. This corbel supports the three-stage moulded base (convex, concave and ogee moulded) of a canted oriel window on the second stage of the tower. The oriel is entirely in sandstone with three equal faces, each containing a four-light (two over two) transom and mullion window with chamfered reveals and flush cills. Above the oriel is a narrow cornice surmounted by a saddle-coped crenellated parapet. The third stage of the tower has a six-light (three over three) transom and mullion window with chamfered dressings and flush cill. The fourth stage has a similarly detailed but slightly smaller window. Above is a narrow moulded stringcourse upon which rests a crenellated brick parapet with saddle-backed copings, wrapping around all four sides of the tower and incorporating a chimney to the west and a stair turret to the south east.

The left (east) elevation of the tower is abutted by the stair turret. The exposed section of wall has a four-light (two over two) mullion window to the left of centre at ground floor, and a six-light (three over three) transom and mullion window centred at first floor; above this the wall is blank. The stair turret rises in five stages, the topmost projecting above the tower. The first stage is rectangular with a cusped lancet window on its north face. The second stage is broached to form an octagon and has a similar window. Both of these lower stages are abutted to the left by the second bay of the main block. The third and fourth stages are octagonal, with a cusped lancet window on the north-east face of the third stage and similar windows on the north and south faces of the fourth stage; the moulded sandstone stringcourse of the tower wraps around the turret at this level. The fifth stage has a cusped lancet on its north-east face and a door onto the roof of the tower on its west face. The turret is finished by a spire roof in seven overlapping courses of dressed sandstone with a decorative iron finial.

The right (west) elevation of the tower is abutted at stages one to three by the fourth bay of the facade. The wall above is blank, with the stringcourse and parapet continuing over it. At the centre of the parapet, stepping upward in three gabled stages, is a decorative brick and sandstone chimney. The rear wall of the tower is abutted by the rear pile of the fourth bay and has a six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion window on its fourth stage, above which the parapet continues as on the front.

Bay four is narrow and two storeys high, its front wall flush with the entrance tower. The front pile has a pitched roof (continuing over bay five) with a modern gabled timber dormer to the centre of the front pitch, with bargeboard and sheeted decoration. At ground floor the brickwork is decorated with blue headers forming a diaper lattice pattern, with a small cusped lancet to left and right between ground and first floor level. Above, filling the wall over the diaper pattern, is an eight-paned (four over four) transom and mullion window in which each pane has a tracery head and is lead-glazed with coloured lights. Above this is a rectilinear label mould.

Bay five is wider and forms a slightly advanced cross gable. At ground floor it also features the blue diaper design, and set into it between ground and first floor at centre is a dressed sandstone lozenge, cusped, containing a bas-relief armorial. The armorial is quartered: a lion passant in the first quarter; three stars in the second; chequers over a rose in the third; and a royal crown over a heart in the fourth. At first floor are two six-light (three over three) transom and mullion windows with canted reveals and rectilinear hoods. Set into the gable to left and right of centre is a single cusped lancet window. Between the window heads is a corbel carved in the shape of a man's head, supporting a projecting sandstone shaft upon which rests a barley-sugar chimney stack that ties into a brick chimney on the gable end. To the right of the cross gable the main wall continues a further two metres before turning onto the west elevation.

Bay two, to the left of the entrance tower, is two storeys but much reduced in scale compared to bays four and five — its roof ridge only reaches the level of the second stage of the tower. It is set back from the tower facade with its roof running parallel to the facade. At ground floor centre is a six-light (three over three) transom and mullion window, detailed as the others. At first floor there are two two-light mullion windows, with a cusped lancet window to their right. At the extreme left of this bay, the chimney of bay one abuts at right angles and ties into its roof.

Bay one, at the extreme left, is an advanced cross gable. Its roof runs at right angles to the facade and has a three-shaft chimney breaking its ridge, parallel to the facade. On its exposed right cheek is a tall two-stage, four-shaft chimney. The front gable is symmetrical, with an eight-light (four over four) transom and mullion window at ground floor centre and a similar six-light (three over three) window at first floor. There is a single cusped lancet in the gable apex.

EAST ELEVATION

The east elevation is abutted at ground floor by the kitchen wing, which is contemporary with the house but plainer in character. Above, the wall is abutted to the left by an advanced chimney stack with two sandstone-dressed stacks tied into the roof with a small gablet. The remaining wall has a door onto the kitchen roof at centre, with a two-light mullion window to either side.

The kitchen wing is single storey with a semicircular end and wraps around a central yard, which is now roofed over. The roof is leaded with modern curvilinear glazed skylights. The walls are red brick with a saddle-coped, lead-covered parapet. To the north facade is a four-paned mullioned window. Continuing around to the rear are several window and door openings, some with granite dressings and all with slightly different detailing, but in keeping with the overall character of the house.

SOUTH (GARDEN) ELEVATION

All bays on the garden front are detailed as the entrance facade, with the addition of a canted sandstone base course. Bays are described left to right in reverse order to those on the north front.

The first bay at the extreme left is slightly advanced and forms a cross gable. On its ridge is a cross-gabled capping stone with trefoil decoration on each face. At ground floor centre is a single-storey canted bay window on a brick base with a chamfered sandstone coping; a crenellated saddle-coped parapet conceals the flat roof. The front of this bay window has a narrow six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion window, with each cheek having a similar four-paned (two over two) window. At first floor is a tall six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion window. In the gable apex is a small two-paned mullion window with a rectangular moulded label.

To the right of this is the second bay. These first two bays are of a grander vertical scale than the remainder of the facade, so that the cross wall between them rises to a free gable on whose peak sits a square stone bellcote — without a bell — slightly advanced from the gable on stone corbels and with a single cusped lancet opening on each face. The pitched roof of this bay runs parallel to the facade and ties into the fifth bay at the extreme right. A modern gabled timber dormer window with bargeboard sits on the garden-facing pitch. The front wall of this bay is slightly advanced from bay two and has two similar openings on each floor: six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion windows at ground floor, and similar but diminished windows at first floor. Forming a cross between these windows is decorative blue brick diaper work, as on the facade.

There is no bay corresponding to the front entrance tower on this elevation; the second and fourth bays (as seen from the front) each advance to meet one another behind the tower. The rear pile of the fourth bay has a pitched roof running parallel to this elevation. At its right end is a two-shaft brick chimney. There are also a pair of saddle-coped brick gablets rising from the wall-head, offset slightly right of centre, each with a small sandstone shield inset. At the extreme left at ground floor is a glazed and panelled stained timber door, with a six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion window above it at first floor. Centred on the remainder of the ground floor is a single-storey canted bay window matching that on bay one. At first floor, set below each of the gablets, is a four-paned (two over two) transom and mullion window.

Bay five at the extreme right is an advanced cross gable with a six-light (three over three) transom and mullion window at ground floor and a similar window above with a label mould. There is a cusped lancet window to the gable apex.

WEST ELEVATION

The west elevation is abutted at ground floor by the modern ballroom extension. Above this, the remaining wall has an advanced gable to the left and a pitched roof to the right, parallel to the elevation, with two timber dormers as described elsewhere. The gable has a six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion window to the first floor centre and a cusped lancet in the apex. The wall is decorated with diaper brickwork up to the first floor cill. The wall to the right has two six-paned (three over three) transom and mullion windows, although the rightmost is in timber rather than stone. This wall is also decorated in diaper-patterned brickwork.

The abutting ballroom is single storey with a semicircular end, inspired by the kitchen wing on the east elevation. Its saddle-coped parapet is lead-covered and conceals a flat lead roof with a glazed dome over. Its walls are rustic red brick punctuated with yellow and blue bricks. To the front and around the end, the openings are four- and six-paned transom and mullion windows in sandstone. At the junction with the main block on the garden front is a pair of four-panelled stained timber doors — the top two panels glazed — with a tracery timber Gothic transom light above.

Most areas of wall on the main block have creepers climbing timber trellises.

INTERIOR

The principal staircase came from Robinson and Cleaver's Belfast department store, dates from 1886 to 1888, and was built by Robinson and Son of York Street, Belfast, to designs by Young and Mackenzie.

GROUNDS AND SETTING

The boundary to Killowen Road is a modern red brick wall with blue diaper work detailing. The main gates are set within a convex screen of modern Gothic-detailed railings; the gates themselves are similarly detailed and are hung on open tracery metal piers. The gates to the service lane, further south, are similarly detailed on brick piers whose Gothic details have been copied from the entrance to the stable yards.

Immediately in front of the house is a gravelled forecourt enclosed to the north by a twelve-bay balustrade with urns, said to have come from Baronscourt, Newtownstewart, County Tyrone. A modern timber pergola runs through a central opening in this balustrading, with a rose garden on either side. At the east end of the forecourt, by the kitchen wing, is a two-tier bronze fountain originally from a Paris park, installed by the present owner.

The original tree planting of the demesne is said to represent the battle formations at Waterloo. It was laid out by the original owner, a Mr Stewart, who had been an aide to the Duke of Wellington, and has subsequently been added to and enhanced by the present owner while retaining the original plan.

To the east of the main house is a modern pump house designed to mimic the main house, with brick walls, sandstone dressings, a tower, turret and lancet openings. To the south-east of the house is a modern Japanese garden with a stream, pools and a timber garden house.

The gardens to the south of the house have three terraces connected by granite steps arranged in two sets of five flights, decorated with cast iron urns. At the centre of the lowest terrace is a cast iron fountain said to have originated at the 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition. Beyond the terraces to the south is a small circular formal garden whose centrepiece is a chevron-decorated marble column capped by a marble ball carved with a frieze of rustic classical figures and grotesque faces; this feature is said to have stood at the Chelsea Flower Show around 1994.

To the west of the house, beyond the modern rhododendron garden and magnolia walk, is the walled kitchen garden, whose east wall has been demolished. The remaining walls are red brick. Along the west wall is a range of modernised single-storey stables, coach houses and farm buildings arranged around two yards. The lower yard is in brick with some Gothic lancets and gables and is entered from the south through a set of decorative gate piers — detailing that inspired the buttresses and gate piers on the modern boundary wall along Killowen Road. To the south of the yards is a modern helicopter landing pad. Beyond, on the shoreline, is a boathouse that was not inspected at time of survey; recent photographs in the owner's possession show a plain structure with rubble stone walls and a corrugated metal roof. Adjacent to it is a small stone-built quay.

Before the construction of the present Killowen Road, the demesne extended further north and was bounded by Killowen Old Road. The original drive still survives between the present Killowen Road (opposite the current front gates) and the Killowen Old Road entrance. On Killowen Old Road, a pair of plain granite gate posts and rubble fieldstone walling marks the original entrance and boundary. A single-storey lodge, now altered beyond recognition, survives just across the road from the main gates on Killowen Road.

HISTORY

An earlier house is shown on this site on Taylor and Skinner's map of 1777. This house was built by a Mr Pollock and was owned in 1806 by a Mrs Hamilton, when her niece, the novelist Maria Edgeworth, visited it. The 1836 Ordnance Survey Memoir for Kilbroney Parish describes it as a "good plain two storey house with additions and in good order", by then the residence of Alexander Stewart. It is believed that this earlier house was demolished in 1848 and that Stewart built the present house the following year.

The house is shown in its present form, without the ballroom wing, on the 1859 Ordnance Survey map. It was sold to a Mr Kelly Patterson around 1880, who subsequently sold it to a Mr Douglas. In the 1920s it was raided by the IRA, who were searching for concealed Ulster Volunteer Force guns; the garden terraces are said to have been constructed using compensation money awarded for damage caused to the floors during the raid. During the Second World War the house was occupied by the United States Air Force, who constructed a camp — now gone — in the demesne. In 1966 it was sold to Harris Hotels Ltd and converted to a ten-bedroom hotel at a cost of approximately £100,000. It was fire-bombed in a terrorist attack in 1972 and remained a gutted shell until the current owner purchased it in the mid-1980s and began restoration around 1987.

A photograph published in the Mourne Observer illustrates the ground floor of the west elevation in its earlier state (now abutted by the ballroom). It shows a transom and mullion window to the ground floor left on the gable, a similar window at the extreme right, and at the junction with the advanced gable a rectangular bay window with a plain brick parapet and a transom and mullion window. This image also confirms that the current timber dormers are simplified replicas of those that originally existed on the roof.