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01 DEVELOPMENT + PHASING OF THE BUILDING
The building is generally a two storey property (plus basement) constructed of limestone with a shallow hipped slate roof. The original section of the roof has a projecting eaves with simplified modillions, the roofs to the later sections are differentiated by a reduced overhang and simplified detail.
Originally a much simpler and more elegant structure, the building has been subject to many alterations and extensions, most of which can be understood through a study of the building supported by archive drawings from 1893 and a sketch plan from 1903 (c/o Manx National Heritage Library and Archive) along with archived planning application drawings dating from 1973 and 1988 (c/o Isle of Man Public Record Office)
The main developments summarised as follows (from Tutt, Patricia. Lorne House, A Manx Survivor. 2010, Lily Publications)
1826/ 7 01 Lorn House built, 3 bays to side elevations, 5 bays to garden elevation, likely that porch and verandah (around the curved bay only) are original elements
02 The single storey kitchen wing may have been detached, as
illustrated here, and the space between infilled at a later date (see 02.3.3) or may have been attached when the house was originally constructed
1827-37 ‘either modified during construction or within ten years’ 1838-45 Edward de la Motte Lithograph shows 4 bays with porch in
original position 03
Thought to be originally single storey, possibly detached from the main house (see above); the wall thickness on the current 'as existing' plans plus the proximity to original large arched window on the main staircase half landing supporting the view that it was detached and later infilled 04
1893 Drawings by George Kay for Henry Bloom Noble (MNH Library) These show the space between house and kitchen wing infilled at ground floor with a connection below the main stair half landing in line with the basement and ground floor stairs
Also a new upper bedroom story on the kitchen wing, joining in to the half landing of the main stair in the location of an original large arched window was added
The rear elevation drawing (excerpt on page 12) notes that the arched window was to be altered and moved, fitted in the north elevation:
‘Old staircase window to be made to fit and fixed here as shown’
Note that the 1893 first floor plan shows a series of rooflights where the north wing bedroom corridor meets the main stair half landing, providing daylight both to this space and, via the arched opening & half landing, to the main hall of the house.
Evidence of this rooflight remains in the form of a section of lead roll ridge where the wing abuts the house; the remainder of the ridge, along with the hips, are a more modern ridge tile, presumably dating from the further 20thC extension of this wing
1907-21 Under the ownership of Lt Col Wickham Stevenson Original basement window grilles removed, ground cut back from basement wall to reduce damp issues and increase daylight to basement 05
Porch likely to have been moved at the same time 06 Alterations to main hall, manager’s office (now the entrance hall) and dining room likely to have been made at the same time
1931-73 Under the ownership of Christian Endeavour Holiday Homes
the refectory was extended, unbalancing the original 5-bay front elevation 07. This room is more recently referred to as the 'long room'
1931-39 The north wing has been extended further, towards the north east 08. The original hip roof and part of the truss structure is currently visible in the 2-storey entrance hall. It is fair to presume that this was undertaken under CEHH ownership to meet a requirement to expand their dormitory accommodation 2 additional bedrooms on the upper floor + externally accessed bedroom toilets on the ground floor
The verandah originally covered the extent of the curved bay only. This has been extended either side to match the width of the original building 09.
It has not been possible to date this but this may have been concurrent with the construction of the refectory extension 07 in order to retain an image of overall balance to the 5-bay elevation by obscuring or distracting from the refectory extension.
This refectory extension 07 is built over the north west basement light well (which remains intact underneath). The slab base of the verandah, obscuring the light well to the front of the building appears to be a similar concrete slab construction
1973 - Mannin Industries 2007
During this period a number of alterations can been noted to the building, including subdivision into 3-4 different ownerships and accommodating a number of apartments as well as the provision of office space
1988 Construction of the stair tower and breakfast room 10 and corresponding basement extension towards the north west, built to facilitate the entire north west bay of the building to be used as a self contained dwelling independent in ownership and operation from the rest of the building
Ground cut back further from basement on the south east 11 (ungrounding the porch, leaving it with floating appearance)
Wrought iron decorative supports of the front elevation verandah infilled to balustrade height with similar material of similar appearance (lower quality detailing). The infill does not appear on the 1973 or 1988 drawings 12
Internal alterations undertaken prior to the building being added to the Register of Protected Buildings including (not limited to):
links between main hall and north wing blocked; formation of double height entrance hall and exposure of roof structure in north wing; uPVC window replacement in north wing; additional WCs, presumably to facilitate use of main house as office/ conference centre; alterations to layout to accommodate new bathrooms and
kitchen (north wing) removal of north wing corridor rooflights infill of small north wing lightwells with WC accommodation 13 2010 demolition of former annex/ garage + construction of new garage block 14 2015 Lorne House and grounds added to the Register of Protected
Buildings
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a r c h i t e c t s + d e s i g n e r s
ISSUE 07/02/2022
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