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NAME: Farmhill Manor ADDRESS: Farmhill Lane, Douglas. POST CODE: IM2 2EF LOCAL AUTHORITY: Douglas Corporation GRID REF: 353 761
Farmhill Manor is a small mansion situated two miles south of Douglas. It is in a rural setting, sited in mature parkland and surrounded with fine beech trees. The main frontage is a particularly fine example of formal late Georgian classical design with some features rare, if not unique, in the Isle of Man. More important, but less apparent, is the clear evidence of development from Quarterland farmhouse to stately mansion over the period 1725-1825. This progression occurred in more than one step, and was attributable in part to the acquisition of the property by a family closely associated with the government of the Island at a key stage in its historical development.
Originally the holding was known as Ballaquirk and according to John Kitto, in his book Historic Homes of the Isle of Man was in the possession of the Quirk family from 1430. Nicholas Quirk died in 1785; his widow Catherine Quirk and his heir William Quirk sold the property in 1788 for £730 to Senhouse Wilson (1750-1825), then Receiver General of the Island, an English Crown appointment. He settled on the island through family connection, Bridget Senhouse, who married John Christian of Milntown in 1717. The Senhouses were originally from Netherall, Cumberland and were the founders of Maryport. Senhouse Wilson was one of a small group of gentlemen farmers who towards the end of the eighteenth century started to use scientific methods of farming.
The sale of 153 acres included a house, dove houses, barns, buildings, stables yards, gardens, lands, meadows, pastures, seedings, woods and underwoods. At this time Senhouse Wilson also purchased Kewleys Meadow at Spring Valley to enlarge the estate and it was he who anglicised the name Ballaquirk to Farmhill.
According to J M Robinson’s informant, (Guide to the Country Houses of the North West. London, 1988) the property was built for Senhouse Wilson in the “late 18th Century”. However this may have involved the addition of a new front section to the original farmhouse, which today would comprise the central five bays of the property, as was the case with the now demolished Ballaughton farmhouse.
The main frontage, facing south west, is double-fronted and symmetrical about a central doorway and fanlight with a finely ornamented Doric porch. The most distinctive features are twin semicircular two storey bays each with three regular sash windows separated by full-height Tuscan pilasters. The main cornice and entablature extends the full length of the façade and may have been modified at some stage, having a heavy top section. There are prominent fielded spandrel panels between the two floors, and separated by the pilasters. The original windows have been replaced in uPVC, but retain the 3/9 and 6/9 proportions of glazing. Flanking the bays are two flat end sections with matching windows between pilasters.
The general look of the double pile, five bay façade with shallow roof pitch is redolent of three important houses, all on a slightly larger scale, which have all been demolished.
Comparisons have also been made with mansions close by, notably the Arragon and Hampton Court, but these are tenuous. Some similar features such as the bay and pilasters appear on Clifton House, Mona Terrace, Douglas (now part of the Manx Museum) which was built a few years after this latest stage of Farmhill Manor.
The Isle of Man Advertiser of 30th September 1824 records that Daniel Fleming Wilson, son of Senhouse Wilson carried out improvements to Farmhill:
“The beautiful villa of Farm Hill, the property of DH Wilson esq., has been judiciously and tastefully improved and is now one of the most elegant seats in the vicinity of Douglas”.
These improvements probably included the two storey flat fronted extensions to both sides of the building and the two storey bay windows and portico. The façade unified by the application of two storey pilasters, a string course and a substantial cornice. Unfortunately the article does not tell us the name of the architect. John Taggart and Thomas Brine have been suggested, but Farmhill does not possess their familiar trademarks. One possibility is John Pinch of Bath whose most active period was between 1808 and 1827. Full-height bays are rare in the Isle of Man but common in late Georgian Bath and Weymouth.
Behind the grand facade is an earlier and more traditional ‘big house’. There are two main roof pitches with a central valley. The rear section is T-shaped on plan with an outshot central gable on the back, containing a staircase of a familiar 19th century pattern. This may be a replacement of the original when the house was gentrified, as it is confined by the early plan and therefore unusually narrow. There is a substantial spine wall separating the two gabled sections. This and a slight change of level between the two main roofs suggest that they are of different dates. If this is the case, Farmhill Manor can be said
to illustrate the development of the Manx 'thie mooar' in at least three stages: a substantial T-shaped original not unlike Ballavilley, Santon, to which was added a major full width range with a new symmetrical façade which was then gentrified with the major 'improvements of the 1820's. It is likely that the intermediate extension and rebuilding occurred soon after the house became the residence of Senhouse Wilson, Receiver-General, in 1788.
Farmhill Manor is suggested for inclusion on the Protected Buildings Register for the following reasons;
A fine example of a minor country house converted from a substantial Manx farmhouse in the period 1780-1825. The principal elevation to the south west is a strongly modelled screen in the late Georgian style with semi circular bays and regular fenestration separated by classical elements, Tuscan pilasters, moulded panels and cornices. The central doorway has a 6-quadrant lead and glass fanlight, pilasters with key-pattern incisions and a finely detailed Doric porch with fluted columns and capitals with egg-and-dart ornament.
Behind the grand façade is a traditional double-gabled house of two substantial storeys with lofts in the roof space. The front section may be a mid or late 18th century extension of the original, which retains its T-shaped plan. The earlier rear section contains a modestly proportioned staircase with familiar late Georgian details. The roof is collared with two purlins on each side, and there are loft windows flanking the chimneys in the end gables.
The house is an exceptionally good illustration of the development of the Manx 'thie mooar' or 'big house' from Quarterland farm to gentleman's mansion over the century c 1725-1825.
Originally 'Ballaquirk', the house was renamed Farmhill on its acquisition by Senhouse Wilson, Receiver-General of the Isle of Man and a member of the Governor's Council during the time of the 4th Duke of Atholl (the builder of the Castle Mona). Senhouse Wilson was part of the elite of the Island, related closely to the Christians of Milntown and the Goldie Taubman family who were major figures in the government of the Isle of Man.
Farmhill Manor survives as an excellent example of late Georgian improvement of a more ancient structure. Much of the fabric is 18th century there may be earlier sections of the building.
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