Brownhall

Formerly detached eight-bay two-storey former country house built, c. 1697, having two-storey return to the centre of the rear elevation (east) and with adjoining two-storey outbuildings to the south-east forming courtyard to rear. Now attached and forming unused wing to later house to north (see 40910402). Possibly later in use as an outbuilding range. Hipped natural slate roof (Boylagh slate) having with four rendered brick chimneystacks, moulded rendered brick eaves cornice (partially lime rendered) and cast-iron rainwater goods. Pitched corrugated-metal roof to return. Roughcast lime rendered walls over rubble stone construction. Segmental-headed window openings having flush brick block-and-start surrounds, cut stone sills, and with the remains of mainly six-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows at ground floor level and mainly three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows at first floor level. Segmental-headed doorways to rear having flush brick block-and-start surrounds, timber doors and with overlights. Carriage-arch to rear (east) having dressed stone surround. Kingpost timber roof structure, mezzanine walkway supported on timber beams and double-height space to interior. Set back from road in extensive mature landscaped and parkland grounds. Later house attached to the north (see 40910402) and complex of outbuildings (see 40910413) attached to the rear (east). Remains of walled gardens to the south-east.

This important former country house, of late seventeenth or very early eighteenth-century date, retains its early form and character despite now forming a largely unused wing of the later Brownhall (see 40910402) adjoining to the north. It was also possibly later in use as a range of outbuilding/for ancillary functions. The widely spaced segmental-headed window openings, the large squat brick chimneystacks, the moulded brick eaves cornice, and the heavy slate roof supported on massive timber roof trusses are all characteristic features of early country houses. It was originally built by the Hamilton family, a branch of which appear to have settled in Donegal (possibly in the Fintragh area) from Scotland around 1616 - 19, and who later moved from Murvagh to the west to Brownhall sometime around c. 1690 and not later than 1697. It was probably originally built by John Hamilton (d. 1706). It is interesting to note that the estate remains in the Hamilton family to this day. This building forms part of a group of related structures at Brownhall, and is an important element of the built heritage and social history of south County Donegal.