Erne Vale

Detached eight-bay two-storey former distillery, built 1825, incorporating remains of an earlier structure and later nineteenth century extensions. Now in use as private house, with L-plan single-storey addition with entrance set in internal corner to west gable. Pitched slate roof with decorative clay ridge cresting, red brick chimneystacks with moulded courses to gables and unevenly spaces along ridge. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast rendered walls with smooth render quoins. Six-over-six replacement sliding sash windows with patent reveals and stone sills to front and sides. Recent timber bay windows with similar windows flanking main entrance door and in end bay to west. uPVC windows to rear. Round-headed front entrance with replacement panelled door and historic leaded spider's web fanlight. Square-headed door to western extension with reused eighteenth century eight-panelled door with margin panes to overlight. Retaining internal timber shutters to front elevation. Rubble stone outbuildings flank rear yard with brick dressing to square, arched and circular openings. Rubble stone wall marks boundary to adjacent yard with single-storey slated rubble stone outbuildings. Extensive front garden area with plain wrought-iron double-leaf gates flanked by similar pedestrian gates all in rendered piers.

Formerly a mill which gave the street its name, this large house was once located on the banks of the River Erne, from which it is now separated by a linear park. A stone inside the house inscribed with the date 1702 indicates the possible survival of earlier fabric. Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of 1837 recorded an extensive distillery belonging to Messrs. Dickson, Dunlop and Co, erected in 1825 and enlarged and improved in 1830, producing 90,000 to 100,000 gallons of whiskey and employing about 100 people. The distillery closed in 1885 and the complex of buildings shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1836 is now much reduced and part of a farm. The group of buildings is an important part of the industrial heritage of Belturbet, the riverside location demonstrating the importance of the Erne in former times as a source of power and clean water. The house evolved to its present extent over a longer period and contains layers and historic features from several periods. Its prominent location and imposing length make a notable contribution to the historic setting.