Stables at Finnebrogue estate, off Finnebrogue Road, Finnabrogue, Downpatrick, Co Down, BT30 9AA

Large stable yard complex situated a few metres east of Finnebrogue House, roughly one and a half miles north of Downpatrick. The complex is partly pre-1834 and partly of around 1835 to 1838 construction, built in stone and render under mainly slated hipped roofs. It is arranged in an irregular quadrangle and has group value with Finnebrogue House and the other listed buildings on the estate.

The quadrangle is irregular in plan because the southern half of the long west wing is set on the squint. The west wing and north wing form a single L-shaped block, whilst the south wing and the short and long east wings are freestanding blocks not structurally integrated with the rest. The north, west and south wings all pre-date 1834, whilst the east wing was added sometime between 1834 and 1858. The south wing is two storeys. The west wing is also two storeys but rises to a loft level at its southern end, where the former groom's house is located. The north and east wings are two storeys but both have large basement levels, exposed to the east and north where the ground drops away. The yard itself is now laid to a neat lawn with gravel edging.

The complex is entered from the southwest corner through a tall wrought iron gate spanning the gap between the south and west wings. The gate piers are large rounded pillars finished in roughcast with rubble coping, and the gates themselves have the common vernacular fleur-de-lis heads to the railings.

West Wing

The west wing is the longest of the four ranges. Its southern end contains the former groom's house, which was modernised and extended in around 1995 to 1996. The roof of the house section is slightly higher than the rest of the wing, and culminates at its southern and central portion in a small louvred ridge projection. The gabled roof over this section is slated and has Velux windows to both front and rear faces.

The east elevation of the house section, which faces into the yard, is in random fieldstone rubble except where described otherwise. To the right side of this elevation there is a large single-storey lean-to porch extension, rendered with a slated roof. Its east face has a partly glazed timber-sheeted door and modern timber window frames with slate-clad aprons. Its north and south faces have modern high-level windows that follow the pitch of the roof. To the left of the porch are two large ground floor windows, similar in character to the porch east face, with smooth cement render surrounds. Above these on the first floor are three much smaller, unevenly spaced windows with similar frames and surrounds, but with slate cladding above rather than as aprons. Just above the porch roofline to the right of these windows, a small opening, probably once a window, is now filled with slate cladding. Immediately to the right of the porch, where the roof level is lower, there is a large full-height window opening with slate cladding as aprons on both floors. To the right of this is a small narrow ground floor window without surround or apron.

The rear (west) elevation of the house section is also in random rubble. To the left is a small window with a modern frame and surround. To the right of this is a door matching those to the front, with a surround matching the window. In the taller section to the right are two full-height window openings, similar to the right-hand opening on the front but narrower. To the far right on the first floor is a window of similar style to the full-height openings. The south gable of the house section is in rubble and has a single attic-level window with a pointed arch head, otherwise similar in character to the other windows.

The northern half of the west wing is still used as a store. Its east elevation is covered in roughcast render. To the left on the ground floor are three relatively small Georgian-paned sash windows (glazed 2 over 4, 3 over 3, and 2 over 4). The middle of these three sits within what was originally a doorway, whose stone architrave is still visible. To the right of these windows is a tall doorway with a timber-sheeted double door, an eight-pane fanlight, and cream brick dressings. To the right of this is a window arrangement matching the group to the left, though without a frame to the right-hand opening, whose architrave remains visible. At first floor level are two loft openings without doors, positioned directly above the former doorways. The rear west elevation of this section is largely obscured by tree growth; internal observation suggests there are no openings. The gabled roof of this northern section is covered in what appears to be fibre cement slates.

North Wing

The north wing is much shorter than the west wing. Its south elevation, facing into the yard, is finished in roughcast. To the far left is a doorway without a door, with a loft-door-like opening just above it, also without a door. To the right are two tall window openings, now boarded up, with two smaller openings between them — one above the other — the lower retaining the remains of a window frame, the upper boarded up. To the right of this grouping is another doorway with a timber-sheeted door, with a further loft-like opening just above it, also boarded up. At first floor level there are three large squarish windows with Tudoresque mullioned and transomed frames with lattice panes to each light; the left-hand window is only partly glazed, the remainder of the opening boarded up.

The short east elevation of the north wing is also in roughcast. At basement level, which is actually at ground level on this side, there is a low doorway with a shaped stone architrave that appears to be of 17th or early 18th century character, fitted with timber double doors. At first floor level there is a group of three relatively small windows sharing a common sill, of which only the right-hand window retains the remains of a frame.

The west elevation is largely obscured by tree growth. The north elevation is substantially obscured by tree growth and the remains of other structures, but at first floor level there appear to be three windows matching those on the south first floor. Across the ground and basement levels on this side there was once a large lean-to, most of which has now collapsed, exposing unrendered rubble walling at these levels. A tall chimneystack rises from the left-hand side of this elevation, now largely smothered in plant growth. The roof of the north wing is hipped and slated.

East Wing

The west, yard-facing elevation of the long east wing is finished in roughcast and has a more regular, planned appearance than the earlier wings. At ground floor level there are eight evenly spaced doorways with timber-sheeted doors, and a ninth doorway that has been converted to a window. Above each doorway and the window is a square opening; all these are now boarded up. At loft level there are four smaller openings, three louvred and one completely open, as well as a centrally located loft door partly set within a small gable.

The short north gable of the east wing is also in roughcast and has a single small louvred opening to the left of centre at second floor level. The south gable appears once to have had a large lean-to structure against it, the outline of which is still legible; within this outline the facade is in unrendered rubble, whilst the uppermost level is in roughcast with a central window opening without a frame.

The long east elevation is finished in roughcast. At ground and basement level there are a series of doorways and some windows, the former with timber-sheeted double doors, the latter boarded up. At first floor level there is a line of windows retaining the remains of Georgian-paned sash frames. To the far right is a broader window opening with a circa 1930s steel frame. The gabled roof is slated.

South Wing

The south wing is the smallest of all four ranges but is broader than the rest. Its north elevation, facing into the yard, is finished in roughcast. To the far right on the ground floor is a timber-sheeted door. To the left of this are two narrow high-level windows with small lattice panes, flanking a large vehicle doorway with a timber-sheeted double door. At first floor level there is a small window to the far left, then a considerably larger one, then another small window, all with modern frames. To the far right is a narrow window matching those on the ground floor. The right-hand, west edge of this elevation is curved.

The west gable is finished in roughcast and has a small window to the left at ground floor level. The east gable is largely in random rubble with only the uppermost level of the facade in roughcast, indicating that there was formerly a lean-to against this gable. The south elevation is largely in roughcast with only a small portion of the uppermost part of the facade in unrendered rubble. To the far left on the ground floor is a window with a modern frame. The gabled roof of this wing is slated.

Wider Setting

Just to the south of the south wing there is a boiler house sunken below ground level, with a small doorway approached from a hollow to the east. Immediately to the north of the stable complex are the badly dilapidated remains of single-storey dairy and bakery buildings, with some former fowl houses to the east. Further north again, a long two-storey outbuilding has been converted to a dwelling, fitted with various modern windows with smooth cement surrounds, timber-sheeted doors, a slated gabled roof, and Velux windows. Immediately to the east of this is another two-storey outbuilding that appears to be disused, with an open lean-to to its east side. There are also some ruined sheds to the north.

Historical Background

Patrick Savage's 1772 map of the Finnebrogue estate shows a long building immediately to the east of the house, possibly on or near the site of the present stable yard. The north, south and west wings are shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1834 and recorded in the valuation of that year, along with several other buildings, one of which was newly built and appears to match the dimensions of the east wing, suggesting it was constructed between around 1835 and 1858, when it is confirmed on the Ordnance Survey map. The pre-1834 wings may have been built in the later 18th century, as the 1834 valuers graded them 'B', implying they were believed to be over thirty years old at that point. It is possible that at least part of the complex was built as part of the major 1790s renovations to Finnebrogue House carried out by Dorothea Waring Maxwell. However, a Queen's University Belfast archaeologist has stated that the vaulted basement to the north wing bears the hallmarks of 17th century construction. Finnebrogue House itself is believed to be of mid to later 17th century date.

A 1935 plan of the stable yard within the Perceval-Maxwell Papers at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland records the various uses of the buildings at that time: the west wing contained the groom's house, a garage, stables and a wash house; the north wing housed a laundry, loose boxes, an ironing loft and basement stores; the east wing contained stores, loose boxes, a harness room and lofts, with coal stores, a stick house, a paint shop and a smith's shop at basement level; and the south wing accommodated a garage, bakery and stores. In the latter decades of the 20th century the yard was largely unused. In 1995, along with Finnebrogue House and the other remaining estate buildings, it was sold, and the dwelling house section was modernised shortly afterwards.