[Extracts from the Dungannon and Cookstown list by R Oram and P J Rankin, published by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society in 1971.]
By John Nash c. 1803. Built for Col. William Stewart on the north
bank of the Ballinderry river. Col. Stewart's ancestor had purchased
the estate, with the town of Cookstown, from the Earl of Tyrone.
"One of the most aristocratic residences in the province
of Ulster" (K.P.J.), "in the pure Saxon style"
(Lewis), and said to have cost £80,000, Davis considers
it a "smaller and more pleasing version of Kilwaughter Castle".
Killymoon is an early house in Nash's career - he was not appointed
Architect to the Department of Woods and Forests, in which capacity
he became responsible for the Regent's Park, until 1806.
Exterior. "The general effect of Killymoon is at once imposing
and picturesque". The south front has a large circular tower
nearly at its centre with slim taller attached tower three-quarters-behind.
The drawing-room window on the left of this front is of six intersecting
arches. Between this window and the centre tower is an arch-headed
doorway above a flight of steps: Coade stone heads as terminal
bosses to the drip mould, chevron moulding. The south front is
terminated at its western angle, without any visually separating
projection or recession, "by an octagon tower of inferior
height, but otherwise equal dimensions" to that of the centre
tower of the south front. This west front extends from the octagon
tower to "a structure in the style of a Gothic chapel, having
stained glass windows; and buttresses intervening, and a belfry
at its (northern) termination". This Gothic chapel was the
library, part of the earlier house which survived the fire of
c.1800. To its right, there is a circular-headed doorway above
a flight of steps, with, above it, an oriel window surmounted
by a small tower, and between this doorway and the octagonal tower
a five-light window similar to that on the south front. The east
or entrance front has a porte-cochere, octagonal piers under a
further, lower, square tower with cupola-type corner terminals.
Triple moulding ribs and chevron courses to semi-circular arch
on north, south and east sides, Coade stone terminal-bosses to
drip moulds, a canted four-light oriel window, similar to that
on the west side of the house, above.
Interior. A narrow stair leads to the vestibule, beyond which
is a hall "of great size... terminated by a stone stair case
having two return flights" A lantern with Gothic detailing,
supported on a fan-vaulted cantilevered ceiling with cluster ribs
terminating in bosses, lights the staircase from above. Delicately-traceried
balluster to handrail. The "state apartments... consist of
a breakfast parlour, dining room, ante-room and drawing-room,
all of which are of noble proportions, and their woodwork of polished
oak". In the drawing-room a plain gold cornice with wreath
and honeysuckle decoration. I.P.J. describes the style of the
house as that "erroneously called Saxon", it being more
properly a "capricious medley of styles of various ages,
ecclesiastical, domestic and military". I.P.J. has been quoted
somewhat extensively as the house has changed little since 1841.
There are still panels of heraldic, coloured glass between the
perpendicular tracery of the upper parts of the library windows
and the belfry still stands, albeit crumbling. The house is 2-storey,
of irregular plan. A picturesque silhouette, the towers each with
machicolated and castellated parapet, the remainder of the house
simply castellated, but the grouped pointed-headed windows under
a common segmental or near-segmental hood-mould and the absence
of a window in the centre of the south front tower on the first
floor, do give the house a depressed air. The windows, being very
little recessed, have a blank look, and require to have their
glazing bars replaced, only a few such still remaining. The Nash
block is of ashlar, a strong roll-moulding surrounding it at basement
level. Behind, the earlier back-quarters are of rubble, castellated,
buttresses added and certain windows enlarged by Nash, the roofs
of graduated slates.
Illustrations and ground-plan in Davis.
Three sets of steps descend from the south-front to a circular
pool, Rhododendrons now between it and the Ballinderry river.
The demesne is finely wooded, a "picturesque bridge of five
arches" still spanning the river in the meadows to the east
of the house. McEvoy states that "a great deal had formerly
been planted and, of late, additions have been made".
Behind the house, a stable and farm-yard, including a substantial
2-storey block with Gibbsian door surrounds. At the former Cookstown
entrance to the demesne a gate lodge and double-arched gateway,
the gateway now semi-derelict and the lodge much altered.
Refs: Colvin; Davis; I.P.J. 1841, Vol.1 No.41.
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