Survey Data
Reg No
13401509
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural
Original Use
Farmyard complex
In Use As
Farmyard complex
Date
1800 - 1890
Coordinates
232395, 277280
Date Recorded
09/08/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Complex of single- and two-storey outbuildings associated with Moorhill House (13401508), built c. 1815 and c. 1880, comprising two yards of outbuildings and a walled garden. Complex to the northwest comprises a multiple-bay two-storey outbuilding to the southwest side with pitched corrugated-metal roof, coursed and squared rubble limestone walls, square-headed openings with timber fittings to ground floor and loop hole openings to first floor; multiple-bay single-storey hayshed, c. 1880, to northwest with corrugated-metal barrel roof, rubble limestone gable walls and cast-iron columns to open southeast elevation; and a single-storey outbuilding to the southeast (built c. 1815 and extended c. 1880) with lean-to corrugated-metal and slate roof, rubble limestone walls and square-headed openings. Wrought-iron farm gates and rubble limestone walls to south and north corners of yard. Complex to the southeast (adjacent to house) comprising multiple-bay two-storey building to northeast (c. 1815), having pitched slate roof, rendered rubble stone walls, square-headed window openings with stone sills, square-headed door openings with some remaining timber battened half doors, elliptical-headed carriage arch with replacement door, and with loop hole openings to upper storey; multiple-bay two-storey outbuilding to the southwest (abutting rear return of house), built c. 1815, having pitched natural slate roof, cut stone bellcote to northwest gable end, painted rendered walls, chamfered to one corner, square-headed openings with timber fittings, loop hole windows to upper storey, and elliptical-headed carriage arch with corrugated-steel doors; single-bay single-storey outbuilding to northeast, c. 1880, with hipped slate roof, and painted rendered walls with tie bars. Wrought-iron farm gate to west side of gable of southwest range, cut stone pier )on square-plan) to south of west gable of northwest range. Former walled garden on rectangular-plan to northeast of yards having rubble stone boundary walls with replacement gate to southwest wall from southeast yard. Situated to the rear of Moorhill House (northwest), and to the south of Granard.
Appraisal
This substantial complex of outbuildings was originally built to serve Moorhill House (13401508). Although largely out of use, particularly to the northwest yard, this complex retains its early form, character and much of its early fabric. The buildings appear to date to at least two phases; a initial phase dating from the early-nineteenth century, and a later phase dating to the end of the nineteenth century (Ordnance Survey six-inch maps 1838 and 1913). The variety of simple forms combine to create a pleasing architectural group and reflect the serviceable function of the complex. This complex retains a number of interesting features, including a cut stone bellcote to the gable end of the outbuilding adjoining the house. The scale of this complex provides an interesting historical and social insight into the extensive resources required to run and maintain a middle-sized country estate during the nineteenth century. The walled garden to the northeast is another interesting survival, and would have originally provided a wide variety of produce for use in the main house. The numerous wrought-iron gates, boundary walls and piers to site add context to the setting. This complex forms part of a pair of related sites along with Moorhill House (13401508), and is an integral element of the built heritage of the rural landscape to the south of Granard.