**Document:** Officer Report
**Application:** 19/00824/CON — Application for the de-registration of Ballaradcliffe House (07/00247/REGBLD) in accordance with 7(1)(a) of the (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2024-12-04
**Parish:** Andreas
**Document Type:** report / officer_report
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/50554-andreas-ballaradcliffe-house-dwelling/documents/1097894

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# Officer Report

### Background ## Application for De‐registration Ballaradcliffe House ‐ Registered Building 247 Ballaradcliffe House was added to the Protected Buildings Register on 20th March 2007, with the Registration Notice issued on 23rd March 2007. An application for De‐registration of Ballaradcliffe House was received on 15th July 2019. Following discussions between the applicant, their agent and the current Registered Buildings Officer, a planning statement has been submitted and published on 5th September 2024, with a 21 day consultation period running until 26th September 2024. ### Planning Application and Registered Building Consent Application History - Reference Number: 14/00319/GB Status: Decision Split at Appeal (part approved and part refused) Proposal: Variations and additional details pursuant to approved PA 11/00700/GB & PA 11/00701/CON (partial retrospective) (In association with PA 14/00320/CON) - Reference Number: 14/00320/CON Status: Decision Split at Appeal (part approved and part refused) Proposal: Registered Building consent for variations and additional details pursuant to approved PA 11/00700/GB & PA 11/00701/CON (partial retrospective) (In association with PA 14/00319/CON) Registered Building Nos. 247 - Reference Number: 11/01577/GB Status: Refused Proposal: Erection of a garage and utility extension to replace existing (In association with 11/01578/CON) - Reference Number: 11/01578/CON Status: Refused Proposal: Registered Building consent for the erection of a garage and utility extension to replace existing (In association with 11/01577/GB) Registered Building Nos. 247 - Reference Number: 11/00700/GB Status: Permitted Proposal: Alterations and extensions to dwelling (In association with 11/00701/CON) - Reference Number: 11/00701/CON Status: Permitted Proposal: Registered Building Consent for alterations and extensions to dwelling (RB no 247 in association with 11/00700/GB) Reference Number: 11/00237/CON Status: Application Withdrawn Proposal: Registered Building Consent for alterations and extensions to dwelling (RB no 247 in association with 11/00236GB) Reference Number: 11/00236/GB Status: Application Withdrawn Proposal: Alterations and extensions to dwelling (in association with 11/00237CON) Reference Number: 08/01824/CON Status: Permitted Proposal: Registered Building Consent for alterations and extensions to provide additional living accommodation (Registered Building no 247 in association with 08/01823GB) Reference Number: 08/01823/GB Status: Permitted Proposal: Alterations and extensions to provide additional living accommodation (In association with 08/01824CON) Reference Number: 05/01835/A Status: Refused on Review Proposal: Approval in principle to demolish existing house and develop site for two dwellings with garages (Re submission to PA 04/00210) Reference Number: 04/00210/A Status: Refused Proposal: Approval in principle for the erection three detached two storey dwellings with garages to replace existing dwelling ## Site Visits Visits to the property have taken place on 11th December 2023 and 10th April 2024. The property was inspected internally and externally, and detailed discussions were held with the applicant regarding the extent of the works that have been undertaken during their ownership of the property. ## Consultations The initial consultation period for the application ran from 2nd August 2019 until 23rd August 2019. Full representations can be found on the Government’s website; below is a brief summary. Andreas Parish Commissioners submitted a comment (received on 12th August 2019) stating that they had no objections to the application. The Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society submitted a comment (received on 4th September 2019) stating that they object to the request for de‐registration. Manx National Heritage were consulted on 31st July 2019. No comments were received. The Department received no comments following the re‐publication of the application on 26th September 2024. ## Reasons for Registration Ballaradcliffe House was registered for the following reasons:‐ ### Architectural Interest and Aesthetic Quality Ballaradcliffe is a Georgian‐style farm house dating from the mid‐nineteenth century (possibly 1852). Architecturally Ballaradcliffe has not been altered much since it was first constructed, with only minor alterations taking place and it is therefore a good example of a Georgian property. There are also outbuildings which should also be considered for inclusion within the Registration as they are part of the site and they contain important historic features which relate to the domestic and farming aspects of the property. ### Historic Interest ‘Ballaradcliffe’ quarterland dates back to the sixteenth century when the land first came into the ownership of the Radcliffe family and the estate has remained in the same family for over four hundred years. The original quarterland now includes much of the present day village of Andreas. ### Close Historic Association There are possible historical links with Thomas Radcliffe, the last Abbot of the Franciscan Friary in Arbory who married into the House of Stanley. Links with Charles Bland Radcliffe (1822‐1889) who was one of the earliest investigators of the electrical physiology of muscle and nerve and with William John ‘Willy’ Radcliffe (1844‐1916) who was MHK for Ayre from 1903 to 1916. ### Landmark Qualities The landmark qualities of Ballaradcliffe are one of the property’s most important features. Ballaradcliffe sits on the brow of a hill with views southwards across the northern plain towards the hills. The property is a prominent feature in the landscape and it is surrounded with trees with a long field in front of the property which positions the house well back from the road (plates 1 & 2). The excellent site is possibly the main reason for the location of Ballaradcliffe. ## Assessment of case for De‐registration  Following recent works, the house bears very little resemblance to the original.  The building is no longer a good example of a Georgian property, and does not offer any architectural interest or aesthetic quality. The 2014 planning and registered building consent applications, and their subsequent appeal hearings, went in to fine detail in respect of the alterations that have been undertaken at the property (the appendix listed 52 separate items). The photographs included within this application are a good demonstration of the level of intervention that has taken place. These photographs show historic stone walls replaced by modern blockwork, modern steel beams supporting existing and new openings, elements of timber floor structure replaced, and the roof of the historic building having been entirely replaced. Although the planning and registered building consent applications for these works were initially refused, many of the alterations were subsequently approved at appeal as the independent inspector judged the alterations to ‘preserve the building, its setting and its features of architectural interest.’ It is difficult to tally this conclusion with the reasons for registration in respect of architectural interest. These stated that ‘Architecturally Ballaradcliffe has not been altered much since it was first constructed, with only minor alterations taking place and it is therefore a good example of a Georgian property.’ Given the extent of the alterations and additions that have now been permitted, this statement is clearly no longer the case. The property has now been the subject of very significant and extensive alterations, and I judge there to be very little of the historic Georgian property remaining. In terms of aesthetic quality, when the current building is compared to the building at the date of registration, the south facing dormer, the northern three‐ storey projection, the two storey side extensions and the wall finish are all judged to be very visible alterations. Whilst aesthetic impact is to some extent subjective, the change in massing, form and wall finish are significant and clearly change the aesthetic. Regardless of any subjective judgement as to the quality of the existing building as it now appears, I would judge that the property no longer presents the aesthetic of a Georgian quarterland farmhouse, and as such the aesthetic quality of an unaltered Georgian farmhouse in the landscape has been almost entirely lost.  The importance of Ballaradcliffe as a country estate was lost many years ago when the farmyard and land to the east was sold for development. It is a fact that the landholding historically held by the Ballaradcliffe Quarterland is no longer intact. The farmyard and land to the east has indeed been sold for developed, and is now the site of privately owned dwellings forming part of the village of Andreas. These dwellings were, however, in place at the time of registration. The importance of the property and the relationship to its historic estate is therefore unaltered from the time of registration, and I would therefore judge that this reason does not warrant de‐registration of the property.  Any trace of former residents has been completely lost and would therefore diminish the value of any historic association that has been listed in the reasons for registration. The internal alterations to the property’s plan form, historic fabric and finishes do have an impact on the historic association that was included within the registration documents. Substantially unaltered buildings can provide evidential significance with the presence of physical material that can reveal more about the past, as well as historic significance by an ability to provide evidence about past human activity. The ability of Ballaradcliffe to yield evidence of this nature has been significantly reduced, and in some instances entirely lost, by the alterations that have been undertaken. Although the close historic association that was noted in the registration documents has not changed, I do consider that the extent and quality of the historic fabric has substantially diminished, which does reduce the significance of the historic associations.  The Planning Statement dated 4th September 2024 included various reasons, concluding that the building no longer represents the important historical and architectural building it did at the time of registration in 2007. Following two site visits, and noting the evidence put forward in the 2024 planning statement, it is clear that the alterations that have been undertaken at the property are extensive. There is evidence of modern concrete blockwork, modern brickwork, modern concrete lintels, modern timber floors and a modern timber roof carcase. This modern fabric has in various places replaced historic fabric. As further noted within the 2024 planning statement, the extensions on all sides of the property have significantly altered the building’s form and massing. Give the evidence available, whilst the case is deeply regrettable, I am forced to agree that the building is no longer as significant architecturally as it was at the time of registration. Given the amount of historic fabric that has been lost, I am also forced to judge that the building’s historic significance has been significantly reduced. ## Conclusion The registration documents state that ‘Architecturally Ballaradcliffe has not been altered much since it was first constructed, with only minor alterations taking place and it is therefore a good example of a Georgian property.’ I have reviewed the evidence provided within this application, and inspected the property first hand during two recent site visits. I do not agree with the Independent Inspector’s conclusion that these alterations ‘preserve the building, its setting and its features of architectural interest.’ I judge that the scope of the alterations, the amount of historic fabric that has been lost, the two side extensions, the north and south dormers, and finally the change in wall finish to the remaining historic external walls to be such that the property could no longer be considered to be a good example of a Georgian farmhouse. With the above in mind, I judge that the property is no longer of architectural special interest. With regard to Historic Interest, the registration documents state ‘There are possible historical links with Thomas Radcliffe, the last Abbot of the Franciscan Friary in Arbory who married into the House of Stanley. Links with Charles Bland Radcliffe (1822-1889) who was one of the earliest investigators of the electrical physiology of muscle and nerve and with William John ‘Willy’ Radcliffe (1844-1916) who was MHK for Ayre from 1903 to 1916.’ The applicant’s submission argues that the property is altered to such a degree that the relationship to former residents has been lost. Whilst I do consider that the alterations reduce the strength of the historic association, the property still exists and therefore its history in relation to the Radcliffe family and significance to the surrounding area have not been entirely lost. Whilst I consider that the building’s history and historic associations continue to provide the property with some historic interest, the level of this interest has been significantly reduced by the alterations since registration. Although this property was assessed for registration using the guidelines within Planning Policy Statement 1/01, I judge it relevant to refer to the Department’s current Operational Policy as a guide in respect of assessing the level of historic special interest. The current policy states that ‘there should normally be some quality of interest in the physical fabric of the building itself to justify the statutory protection afforded by registration.’ Given the photographic evidence which shows the extent of historic fabric that has been removed and/or replaced during the works since registration, in my judgement the historic fabric that remains does not have sufficient quality of interest to justify registration in its own right. The registration documents state that the ‘landmark qualities of Ballaradcliffe are one of the property’s most important features.’ Whilst the open vista to the south of the property remains intact, the dormer window on the roof of the south elevation and the two-storey side wings have altered the property’s form and proportions to such a degree that the building’s landmark qualities as a historic Georgian farmhouse in the landscape have been almost entirely lost. Although the Independent Inspector judging the appeals for applications 14/00319/GB and 14/00320/CON considered the alterations to ‘preserve the building, its setting and its features of architectural interest’, I do not agree with that conclusion. As outlined above, given the reasons for registration and the evidence provided, I judge the alterations to have caused substantial harm to the property’s significance and judge that the building can no longer be considered to be of special architectural interest or special historic interest. I therefore recommend that the application be approved, and that the property be removed from the Protected Buildings Register. ### Tom Sinden - Registered Buildings Officer - 3.12.2024 ## Recommendation for Interested Party Status The applicant/owner and their agent, as well as Manx National Heritage and the Local Authority (Andreas Parish Commissioners) are granted the right to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application as per regulation 9(4) of the regulations. Regulation 9(3) requires that when it determines an application, the Department must decide which persons (if any) who have made written submissions with respect to the application, other than those referred to in paragraph 9(4), should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application. There is no operational policy in respect to the awarding of party status for applications for deregistration, and therefore a case-by-case assessment is required. Given the focussed nature of the application and their very wide remit, The Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society is not judged to have sufficient interest in the subject matter to be awarded Interested Party Status. ## Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture *Rheynn Chymmyltaght, Bee as Eirinys* ### Determination of an application for de-registration of a building Further to the de-registration recommendation report for **Ballaradcliffe House, Andreas** (Registered Building 247), I am of the view that whilst the historic associations that the property has to the Radcliffe Family and the surrounding neighbourhood provide some historic interest, it is not considered that the same architectural interest remains through extensive alterations and modernisation of the building fabric and alterations to the plan form, massing and appearance. Furthermore, like for like repairs would not reinstate the significance which has been lost through the implementation/approval of works under a number of previous applications (including 14/00319/GB and 14/00320/CON). For the above reasons, I judge that there is justification for the removal of the building from the protected buildings register. I therefore determine that the de-registration application should be **approved**. Under the delegated authority item (3)(d) within DEFA Delegation No. 2022/05 dated 4th May 2022, I formally determine that the application for de-registration of **Ballaradcliffe House** (Registered Building 247) be approved, and that the recommendations within the de-registration recommendation report be followed in respect of Interested Party Status as per Regulation 9(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Building) Regulations 2013. Dated this 3rd December 2024 Jennifer Chance, Director of Planning and Building Control ## Appendix 1 Consultation Replies ## Andreas Parish Commissioners BARRANTEE SKEELEY ANDREAYS Please reply to the Clerk: J. J. Quayle Ballavarran, Jurby, Isle of Man, IM7 3AN Post # Tel: 01624 897686 10th August, 2019. Mrs E J Callow. Secretary, The Planning Committee, Building Control Directorate, Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, Isle of Man, Dear Mrs Callow, re: Plan No. 19/00824/CON; Application for the de-registration of Ballaradcliffe House, (07/00247/REGBLD) in accordance with 7(1)(a) of the (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013, Ballaradcliffe House, Klondroghad Road, Andreas. Applicant: R A Hayward I have to inform that Andreas Parish Commissioners have now considered the above proposed development, and have no objections thereto. Yours faithfully, Redacted J J Quayle. Clerk Andreas Parish Commissioner. From: Redacted Sent: 04 September 2019 23:29 To: DEFA, Planning Subject: PA19-00824 BALLARADCLIFFE HOUSE, ANDREAS APPLICATION TO DEREGISTER Attachments: PS PA19-00824 BALLARADCLIFFE HOUSE, ANDREAS APPLICATION TO DEREGISTER.docx Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or following any links. To: Secretary to the Planning Committee, Planning & Building Control, DEFA Dear Madam Please find attached the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society’s response to PA19-00824 BALLARADCLIFFE HOUSE, ANDREAS APPLICATION TO DEREGISTER. Kind regards Redacted Secretary Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society ## Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society **Isle of Man Charity No. 425** **Hon Secretary: Pauline Stewart** **95 Malaw Street, Castletown, Isle of Man, IM9 1LX** **secretary@manxantiquarians.com** ### Secretary to the Planning Committee **Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture** **Murray House, Mount Havelock** **DOUGLAS IM1 2SF** **4th September 2019** Dear Madam #### Pa19/00824 Ballaradcliffe House, Andreas Application To Deregister Isle of Man Natural History & Antiquarian Society note that the Registration of Ballaradcliffe House relates to the original house only. Subsequent to the Registration, Registered Building Consent and Planning consent was given to the construction of 'wings' on either side of the original house. These 'wings' are not Registered. The Society notes that the alterations referred to by the applicant in her request for de-registration relate to planning application PA14/00320/CON & 14/00319/B which relate to both Registered and non-Registered elements of the building and were subject to a split decision on appeal — some items being approved and some being refused. In making his recommendation of a split decision the Inspector noted, inter alia, '—I am satisfied that the building, its setting and its features of architectural and historic interest would all be preserved if all replacement windows throughout the original building, together with the new windows to the new wings, are all sash and case windows as detailed on the proposed drawing'—; this was accepted by the then Minister for DEFA. While it is clear that it might have been preferable if some of the alterations had not been made, let alone prior to obtaining registered building consent / planning approval for them, the fact remains that the Inspector's recommendation was made in the context of justifying the continued Registration of the original building le the house as was without its additional 'wings'. Approval of the application would therefore set a precedent for others to alter Registered Buildings, with or without consent, and then claim de-registration is justified. Isle of Man Natural History & Antiquarian Society therefore thoroughly OBJECTS to this request for de-registration. Yours faithfully Redacted Hon Secretary Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society ## Appendix 2 Current Operational Policy on Principles of Selection for the Registration of Buildings ## Operational Policy on the Principles of Selection for the Registration of Buildings in the Protected Buildings Register **Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture** *Planning and Building Control Directorate Murray House* ## 1.0 Purpose Of This Document

1.1 This Operational Policy document sets out the criteria the Department will follow when assessing buildings for including in to the Protected Buildings Register, a register of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. It is issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture with the approval of the Minister.

#### 2.0 Legal And Administrative Context For Registration

2.1 Most European countries have systems to protect and to control change on important historic buildings. The system in the Isle of Man operates under the Town and Country Planning Act 1999. Registration ensures that a building's special character and interest are taken into account where changes are proposed. The Protected Buildings Register is compiled for the purposes of the 1999 Act and for guidance of the Department in its performance of its duties set out in the 1999 Act. The 1999 Act places a duty on the Department to maintain a register of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. 2.2 The Protected Buildings Register is available on the Department's website. Registration is the statutory process by which buildings are added to the Protected Buildings Register. Once included on the Register both exterior and interior has statutory protection under the provisions of the 1999 Act. Registration is intended to maintain the character of the Island's built heritage and to guard against unnecessary loss or damage. 2.3 Any building or man-made structure could be considered for entry into the Protected Buildings Register.

#### 3.0 Statutory Criteria

3.1 As set out in Section 14(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, the Department uses the criteria set out below when assessing whether a building is of special interest and therefore should be added to the Register.

#### 3.2 Architectural Interest.

3.2.1 To be of special architectural interest a building must be of importance in its architectural design, decoration or craftsmanship; special interest may also apply to nationally important examples of particular building types and techniques (e.g. buildings displaying technological innovation or virtuosity) and significant plan forms.

#### 3.3 Historic Interest.

3.3.1 To be of special historic interest a building must illustrate important aspects of the nation's social, economic, cultural, or military history and/or have close historical associations with nationally important people. There should normally be some quality of interest in the physical fabric of the building itself to justify the statutory protection afforded by Registration.

## 4.0 Wider Considerations

4.1 As set out in Section 14(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act, the Department will also take into account when considering whether to enter a building onto the register the following:

#### 4.2 Group Value

4.2.1 When making a decision to register, the Department may take into account the extent to which the exterior contributes to the architectural or historic interest of any group of buildings of which it forms part. This is generally known as group value. The Department will take this into account particularly where buildings comprise an important architectural or historic unity or a fine example of planning (e.g. squares, terraces or estates) or where there is a historical functional relationship between a group of buildings (e.g. farm complexes). If a building is designated because of its group value, protection applies to the whole of the property, not just the exterior.

#### 4.3 Objects and structures

4.3.1 When considering whether a building is of special architectural or historic interest the Department may take into account the desirability of preserving, on the grounds of its architectural or historic interest, any feature of the building containing a manmade object or structure fixed to the building or forming part of the land and comprised within the curtilage of the building. The desirability of preserving such a feature is a factor which would increase the likelihood of the building being registered. However, in the absence of any other aspects of special architectural or historic interest, such features will justify the registration of the building only if they are of themselves of sufficient interest to render the building of special interest. The provision can be used for a variety of features; examples could include a finely panelled sixteenth century room, a fireplace and over-mantel that has been introduced from another building, or an elaborate plaster ceiling. This provision cannot be used to preserve in situ anything that is not a fixture, such as furniture or paintings.

#### 5.0 General Principles

5.1 In applying the statutory criteria and considerations, as set out above, the Department will also consider the following principles:

Age and rarity. The older a building is, and the fewer the surviving examples of its kind, the more likely it is to have special interest. The following chronology is meant as a guide to assessment; the dates are indications of likely periods of interest and are not absolute. The relevance of age and rarity will vary according to the particular type of building because for some types, dates other than those outlined below are of significance. However, the general principles used are that:

- before 1800, all buildings that contain a significant proportion of their original fabric are likely to be registered;
- from 1800 to 1860, many buildings may be worthy of consideration for Registration;

- • after 18601, because of the greatly increased number of buildings erected and the much larger numbers that have survived, progressively selection is necessary;
- • particularly careful selection is required for buildings from the period after 1945;
- • buildings of less than 30 years old are normally registered only if they are of outstanding quality and under threat.

Aesthetic merits. The appearance of a building – both its intrinsic architectural merit and any group value – is a key consideration in judging registration proposals, but the special interest of a building will not always be reflected in obvious external visual quality. Buildings that are important for reasons of technological innovation, or as illustrating particular aspects of social or economic history, may have little external visual quality.

Selectivity. Where a building qualifies for registration primarily on the strength of its special architectural interest, the fact that there are other buildings of similar quality elsewhere is not likely to be a major consideration. However, a building may be registered primarily because it represents a particular historical type in order to ensure that examples of such a type are preserved. Registration in these circumstances is largely a comparative exercise and needs to be selective where a substantial number of buildings of a similar type and quality survive. In such cases, the Department’s policy is to register only the most representative or most significant examples of the type.

National Context. The Isle of Man is a separate entity to the UK and the unique context of the Island’s historic development must be taken into consideration as part of the selection process. Special interest is likely to be conferred on buildings which may not be the case if they were in the UK, given the Island’s unique context.

State of Repair. The Department should register a building which has been assessed as meeting the statutory criteria, irrespective of its state of repair or other factors such as implications for future use or financial issues.

6.0 IDENTIFICATION OF BUILDINGS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR REGISTRATION - 6.1 Buildings may be identified for entry in to the register in several ways:-

- • The building may already appear in the provisional list drawn up by the Department for the purpose of recommending buildings for registration;
- • Buildings judged worthy of investigation with a view to registration may also have been identified in an area plan;
- • Buildings may also be added to the provisional list following proposals from Local Authorities, special interest groups or other bodies or individuals, that a particular building or buildings should be considered for registration, or protection by way of a building preservation order pending registration; and

1 *The year 1860 was selected because of the change which followed, in terms of the of the increase in building due to the boom of the island’s tourist industry which saw building on an unprecedent scale.

- If it comes to the notice of the Department that a particular building may merit registration and may satisfy the criteria set out above, then the Department may itself propose such a building for registration.

### 7.0 Priority Of The Consideration Of Buildings For Registration

#### 7.1

The Department will generally prioritise the consideration of buildings for registration in the following way:

#### 7.2

In certain circumstances the Department may prioritise buildings for consideration by means other than the above. For example, as part of a particular theme or when important information or evidence is uncovered that makes a clear case for a building being of special interest.

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## Appendix 3

Registration Notice and Entry Documents for Ballaradcliffe House

## Department Of Local Government And The Environment

## TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1999 THE REGISTERED BUILDINGS REGULATIONS 2005

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at a meeting held on the 20th March 2007, the Department of Local Government and the Environment, in pursuance of its powers under the above Acts and Regulations REGISTERED

### Ballaradcliffe House Kiondroghad Road Andreas Isle Of Man IM7 3EL

as represented by the buildings delineated on the plan hereto attached, in the PROTECTED BUILDINGS REGISTER by reason of its special architectural and historic interest.

THE EFFECT OF THIS REGISTRATION IS IMMEDIATE and prohibits the alteration or demolition of the structure or appearance of any part of the building except in compliance with an obligation imposed by or under any statutory provision or with the prior written consent of the Planning Committee.

Dated this 23rd March 2007 By Order of the Department Redacted E J Callow Secretary, Planning Committee. 1st Floor, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas,

NOTE :

Under The Town and Country Planning Act 1999;

Schedule 2 The Protected Buildings Register

Notifications of entries on register etc.

2. (1) As soon as may be after a building has been entered in the register, or the register has been amended by removal of a building from it, the Department shall serve a notice on the owner and the occupier of the building stating that it has been entered in or removed from the register.

(2) The owner or the occupier of, and any other person having an interest in, a building which has been entered in the register may apply to the Department to remove the building from the register-

- (a) within the prescribed period after service on him of a notice under sub-paragraph (1);

- (b) after the expiration of the prescribed period after the decision of the Department on a previous request under subsection in relation to the building.

Under the Registered Building Regulations 2005

3. Periods for purpose of Schedule 2 paragraph 2(2)

(1) The period specified for the purposes of paragraph 2(2)(a) of Schedule 2 to the Act (period after notice of registration, within which owner or occupier may request de-registration) is 21 days.

(2) The period specified for the purposes of paragraph 2(2)(b) of Schedule 2 to the Act (period after initial period, during which owner or occupier may not request a de-registration) is 5 years.

c.c.:

1. Local Authority
2. The Owner/Occupier of the Building
3. Director of Manx Museum and National Trust, Kingswood Grove, Douglas;

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![A site plan showing the location of Ballaradcliffe House and surrounding properties, with the subject building highlighted in red.](https://images.planningportal.im/2019/07/907358.jpg)

![This image shows a 1:1000 scale site plan highlighting the location of Ballaradcliffe House in red, situated near Ballaradcliffe Road and neighboring properties.](https://images.planningportal.im/2019/07/285079.jpg)

## Registered Building Confirmation

| NAME: | Ballaradcliffe House | | :-- | :-- | | ADDRESS: | Kiondroghad Road, Kirk Andreas | | POST CODE: | IM7 3EL | | LOCAL AUTHORITY: | Andreas Parish Commissioners | | GRID REF: | 407995 |

### Introduction

Ballaradcliffe House (plates 1 \& 2) was the quarterland farm house of the Radcliffe family who have occupied a property on this site since the sixteenth century. The current house was built during the mid-nineteenth century and was included in the Ordnance Survey map of 1869 (Appendix 3).

Ballaradcliffe quarterland was located in the treen of Ballahestine, within the Parish of Andreas, in the sheading of Ayre. Other quarterlands in Ballahestine treen were Balla Steen, Larebane (now Larivane) and Ballavoddan. The quarterland of Ballaradcliffe included a large part of the present day village of Andreas. Due to the central position of the estate within the parish of Andreas and the close proximity of the village and church, it was only a matter of time before some of the land was developed.

Andreas parish is located centrally in the northern plain, the land use is predominantly agricultural and due to the richness of its tithes, until recent times the parish was the seat of the Archdeacon of Mann.

### History

'Ballaradcliffe' quarterland dates back to the sixteenth century when the land first came into the ownership of the Radcliffe family and the estate has remained in the same family for over four hundred years.

The Radcliffe family originated from Lancashire and came to the Island following the success of the Stanley family, who became Lord's of Mann in the fifteenth century. It is believed that the Radcliffe's first came to 'Ballaradcliffe' in the sixteenth century after a member of the family married the heiress to this part of Ballahestine treen in Andreas.

According to Constance Radcliffe there is a possibility that the first Radcliffe at Ballaradcliffe was Henry Radcliffe, previously a monk from the Friary of Bemaken in the parish of Arbory, whose father was the Abbott Thomas Radcliffe at the time of the Dissolution in 1540. It is stated that following the Dissolution of the monastery, Henry Radcliffe married a Miss Kelly (or Machellie) who was the heiress of the Balley Hastyn estate which was one of the Andreas treens, and as a result of this union 'Ballaradcliffe' was created. "Whether the Andreas Radcliffes are all descended from a

monk of Rushen Abbey or not, the Liber Assedations confirms that the original owners of Ballaradcliffe were the Machellies, and that the Radcliffes first entered there in the middle of the sixteenth century." (Radcliffe, IOMNH\&AS, vol III, no.2, pp.172/3). The dates of this correspond with accounts of the Radcliffe's moving to Andreas and there would have been few Radcliffe's on the Island at that time so it is possible that there was a connection.

Charles Bland Radcliffe (b.1822, d.1889) Although he was born in Brigg, Lincolnshire, Charles Bland Radcliffe was the son of Manx parents. His father Charles Radcliffe was a Wesleyan minister who had originated from Ballaradcliffe, he happened to be stationed at Brigg when Charles Bland, his eldest son, was born.

Charles Bland Radcliffe is known for being one of the earliest investigators of the electrical physiology of muscle and nerve. Two of his brothers became Wesleyan ministers like their father and a third brother was an antiquarian.

## William John Radcliffe (b.1844, d.1916)

William John or 'Willy' Radcliffe was the Member of the House of Keys for Ayre from 1903 to 1916. He was also a member of the School Board, the Parish Commissioners and had been a Wesleyan local preacher for 30 years. He never married and lived at Ballaradcliffe until his death in 1916.

On the 24th June 1906 the Lieutenant Governor Lord Raglan visited Willy's Radcliffe's home at Ballaradcliffe and a photograph was taken in order to mark the occasion (Appendix 2). Also pictures are the Andreas Benevolent Society, which was founded in 1812 in order to help the parish poor and it is the only Benevolent Society in Britain which still remains today.

### Architecture

Ballaradcliffe is a mid-nineteenth century farm house. There are both Georgian and Victorian influences in the property, although the exterior is a typical Georgian style house. The property has been little changed since its construction and it includes the main living areas on the ground and first floors, in addition to attic space and a halfbasement (see Appendix 7 for the current floor plans).

The front aspect of Ballaradcliffe is exceptionally striking (plate 1), sitting on the brow of a hill, well-positioned in the landscape and with southerly views across the northern plain towards the hills (plate 3). The front elevation also has a much more fashionable style than the rear, but despite this the only entrance to the house is from Kiondroghad Road at the rear where the views to the property are more modest (plate 4), and on closer viewing the rear elevation has even remained unrendered (plate 5). The Ordnance Survey map of 1869 indicates that even at that time, the property was accessed from the Kiondroghad Road and the grand views of the front of the house were only seen from the road across the fields at the front of the property and not as the property was approached.

The exterior style of the property is typical of Georgian houses in that the front façade is elegant and formal with a square symmetrical shape and there is a panelled door in the centre with a fan light over (plate 6). The design of the fanlight was originally straight lines radiating out from a central arch at the bottom above the door, but it

has since been replaced with an inappropriate style of horizontal and vertical lines, not too dissimilar than the appearance of rows of bricks. The original fan light is clearly visible in the archive photograph dating from 1906.

Further features of the house which are commonplace with Georgian properties include the tiled hipped roof, the paired chimney stacks and the sash windows which consist of six panes over six panes (plates  ). The archive photograph from 1906 clearly shows that the earlier windows were six over six pane sashes, however since that time the front half have been replaced with the later Victorianstyle two pane over two pane sashes (plate 12), whilst the back half have remained in the Georgian-style.

The 1906 photograph reveals an interesting feature of the house in that the three present day blocked windows on the right-hand side elevation (when viewed from the front) initially look like they were once sashes like the rest of the windows. However, on closer inspection it becomes evident that the three 'windows' were flat in appearance and the top sash didn't project out over the bottom sash; this is because these windows were actually painted onto the wall in the recesses.

Detail of archive photograph from 1906 showing the three 'dummy' sashes. (Manx National Heritage)

This process of painting 'dummy windows' onto elevations was commonplace in the United Kingdom during the entire Georgian period, as 'Window Tax' was enforced from 1696 to 1851 and property owners would dodge payment by blocking windows, camouflaging them or painting dummy windows on in order to confuse the inspectors. However, dummy windows are much more unusual in the Isle of Man because Window Tax was never introduced and these fake windows are likely to have been painted onto the elevation for aesthetic reasons, in order to make the building appear more symmetrical. Evidence of painting the fake windows can still be seen in the paintwork today (plate 13). The fake windows on the right hand side elevation are the top centre, the bottom centre and the bottom right. No windows on the front or rear elevations were blocked but there are also blocked windows on the left hand side elevation which were possibly also painted dummy windows at one point, however these cannot be seen in the archive photograph from 1906 and the area is overgrown today so it could not be inspected at the time of this report.

![A grainy, black and white archival photograph showing the exterior facade of a large two-story building with a group of people standing in front.](https://images.planningportal.im/2019/07/285080.jpg)

Three of the four elevations have been rendered whilst the rear elevation remains painted only (plate 14). A close inspection of the rear elevation revels that the house is constructed of a mixture of slates, local round stones (found widespread on northern beaches) and red bricks. Also at the rear of the house is a small porch entrance constructed of brick, this porch is unusual because it has a large single slate to the roof (plate 15).

Red bricks have been used in much of the construction of Ballaradcliffe, such as in the window surrounds, the internal walls, chimney breasts, the outbuildings and some of the garden walls. They could have been made on site or they could have originated from the Ballacorey brickworks, which was located in Andreas and in production from 1851 to 1926.

Internally, the property has retained many original features. On the ground floor, the front entrance has timber panelled walls to the lower half (plate 16) and the vestibule double doors and sidelights appear to be original (plate 17). The main internal doors on the ground and first floors are four panelled painted timber which are a Victorian style (plate 18), whilst older style six panelled painted timber Georgian doors are used in the kitchen, basement (plate 19) and attic (plate 20). This illustrates that at the time the property was constructed the modern styles of the time were used in the main living areas of the house, whilst the parts hidden from guests featured older styles.

The staircase is modest in style and has a simple wooden Victorian-style newel at the base in the main hall (plates 21, 22, 23 & 24). The two front rooms have both had their original fireplaces removed and replaced with modern styles. The windows in the reception room on the right hand side have painted timber panels surrounding them (plate 25), whilst the other reception room adjacent to the kitchen has none, illustrating that the room on the right hand side would have been more formal, away from the day to day running of the house and perhaps where guests would have been taken. A traditional fireplace still remains in a room to the rear of the property (plates 26 & 27); there is also a built-in cupboard in the recess beside the chimney breast (plate 28). These built in cupboards are often found in Georgian and Victorian houses as the proximity of the fire was made us of in order to keep dampness at bay (The Elements of Style, 1996). There are further cupboards on the first floor of Ballaradcliffe House (plates 29, 30 & 31). There is a small utility room adjacent to the rear porch which features an unusual small three over six pane sliding sash window Plates 32 & 33). A Georgian six panelled door in the kitchen leads to a stone staircase which gives access to the basement (plate 34).

Three of the first floor bedrooms retain their original fireplaces (plates 35, 36 & 37), the rear left hand side bedroom has subsequently been converted into a smaller bedroom and bathroom, therefore this fireplace has been lost. There are built in cupboards between the chimney breasts and the inner walls, hand carved hooks inside the cupboards match others attached to a beam in one of the attic rooms (plates 38 & 39). The bedrooms to the front of the house (plates 35 & 36) have a larger fireplace than the one to the rear (plate 37), this illustrates the importance of the rooms at the front, which would have been used for the owners of the property, whilst those at the back were more likely to have been the children's rooms. The interior of the cupboard in the front right hand bedroom shows the front wall and internal walls un-plastered (plates 40 & 41). It is clearly visible here that the main walls are constructed in stone,

being slate and round beach stones and the internal walls are brick built, which has allowed them to be narrower.

The staircase leads up a further flight to the attic apace, which is partitioned off with a timber wall and door (plate 42). The attic has been divided into two main rooms for storage or living space, lit by small rooflights (plate 39). The door to one of these rooms is Georgian style, painted timber with six panels (plate 20); the other door has been removed in the past. The remainder of the attic is uncovered roof space where the beams and the underside of the tiles are visible (plate 43). The door to this room is unpainted timber with two separate panels, not decorative in any way (plates 44 \& 45). This door has a wooden lock (plate 46), which is unusual and the door appears to be the oldest in the house, perhaps even originating from an earlier building which stood on the site. The uncovered beams reveal some pencilled graffiti, featuring names and dates. The earliest date found was 1852 (plate 47), which could possibly be the date of construction as it would correspond with the Georgian and Victorian styles in the house, the use of bricks in the construction (Ballacorey brickworks started production in 1851) and the house being included on the 1869 Ordnance Survey Map.

The property sits on sloping ground, the rear door being at ground level, whilst the front door is accessed up a series of steps. As a result of the gradient, the basement only covers the front right hand side of the property. In the main room in the basement there is a Georgian style six-panelled door in unpainted timber (plate 19); any door which was meant to be seen by visitors would have been painted as bare wood was thought to be very unsavoury during the Georgian and Victorian periods. The main room in the basement also features a large fireplace (plate 48) and a separate area, divided by a timber partition, presumably to be used for storage (plate 49). There are also two windows in this room which are both three panes over two sliding sash, one with a vertical and the other with a horizontal lower glazing bar (plate 50). There is a further window in an internal wall to allow light into another room, this window is a larger six pane over six sliding sash, perhaps one of the originals from the front of the house which was removed in the twentieth century.

## The garden

The grounds of Ballaradcliffe have some large mature trees and although parts of the grounds have become overgrown, there are some well-maintained hedgerows and lawns, particularly to the rear of the house. It is obviously a garden which has been well looked after in the past.

There is a pair of large brick built gate posts at the rear left hand side of the house (plate 51), positioned in order to separate the house and garden from the outbuildings and farm workings. Although these gate posts are overgrown with Ivy, a closer inspection reveals that they were originally two vertical stone slates (plate 52), once a common feature in the Manx countryside in areas where they were available but are now seldom seen.

### The outbuildings

Ballaradcliffe was historically a large quarterland farm and as with other such farmsteads, there were originally a series of outbuildings and a farmyard on the site. According to the Ordnance Survey map of 1869 (Appendix 3) there were what appears to be three buildings on land adjacent to Ballaradcliffe House, but these have

subsequently been demolished. The Ordnance Survey map of 1869 includes a single storey outbuilding immediately to the rear of the house (plate 53) which is still standing, although the roof is now in poor condition. A further outbuilding is located along a farm track to the rear of the house (plate 62), along with the thie veg (plate 58), although these buildings were not included in the 1869 Ordnance Survey map. A current map of the area showing the positions of the former outbuildings is included with this report (Appendix 6).

The larger barns of Ballaradcliffe were demolished at the end of the twentieth century. Planning Application (99/786) proposed the demolition of the barns and the construction of new properties on the site. The 'Statement of Case' in the Planning Application contained the following statements with regard to the outbuildings (Appendix 9),

The site is currently overgrown with trees surrounding the boundaries bordering the main Bridge End Road and Ballaradcliffe Road residential development. There are also trees along the side boundary brick wall within the site and general scrub within the plot. Also standing on the site is a derelict two storey stone and brick built building which runs east-west across the site and was possibly constructed for some form of agricultural use with storage at first floor level. There is also the brick built shell of a single storey building adjacent to the boundary hedging of the site and numbers 9 and 10 Ballaradcliffe Road. There is substantial screening to Bridge End Road but the lower end of the Appeal site is overgrown with bushes, hedging and some palm trees.

There is already a large two storey building on the site which we wish to demolish and remove together with the remains of other outbuildings, the footprint of these buildings covers quite a large area but there is still a great deal of open space left around these buildings. Once removed, it will be easier to site two dwellings comfortably within the confines of the site.

Still remaining on the site is the house of Ballaradcliffe, an adjacent single storey outbuilding, a garage adjoining this outbuilding, the outside toilets or thie vegs and a further outbuilding located nearby on a farm track.

## Outbuilding adjoining the house

The outbuilding immediately to the rear of the house (plate 53) is single storey with features such as a wooden framed window (plate 54) and a fireplace (plate 55) with chimney stack still in place. The part of the outbuilding which is nearest to the house appears to have at one time been used as a water storage area. There is a brick-built garage attached to the outbuilding (in front and to the right of the house in plate 56). The garage has an interesting radial fan light over the doorway (plate 57), similar to the original fan light over the front door of the main house, as seen on the archive photograph from 1906.

### Thie veg

Near to the garage is the brick built thie veg (plate 58) which has two rooms with wooden toilet seats, one is a single seated room and is more modest in style and now overgrown (plate 59), whilst the other is a double seated room with painted wooden

panelling and a window offering views to the surrounding countryside (plate 60). A possible theory behind this is that the smaller, more modest thie veg was for the employees of Ballaradcliffe such as the farm workers and housemaids, whilst the more 'luxurious' thie veg would have been reserved for the Radcliffe family and their guests.

## Outbuilding on the farm track

A further outbuilding is located at the rear of Ballaradcliffe House, along a farm track (plates  ). This single storey brick built outbuilding consists of a laundry room, a pig pen and a pigeon roosting room.

The laundry room has a floor made of round beach stones and it still contains the old built-in laundry tub or 'copper' (plate 63), which has a built-in fire underneath, necessary for boiling the water in order to kill parasites such as lice, fleas or bedbugs which might be lurking in the washing. To the left of the laundry tub is a large open hearth which may have been used for cooking or for simply heating the outbuilding for the farm labourers or house servants to use (plate 64).

The pig pen adjoining the laundry room has an open front with troughs for feeding the animals (plate 65). The room for roosting pigeons is at the end of the outbuilding. Inside there are rows of brick perching boxes which have been built into the rear wall (plate 66) and high in the gable elevation there is a small opening designed to enable the birds to fly in and out (plate 67).

### Recommendation

Ballaradcliffe House is suggested for inclusion on the Protected Buildings Register for the following reasons;

### Architectural Interest and Aesthetic Quality

Ballaradcliffe is a Georgian-style farm house dating from the mid-nineteenth century (possibly 1852). Architecturally Ballaradcliffe has not been altered much since it was first constructed, with only minor alterations taking place and it is therefore a good example of a Georgian property.

There are also outbuildings which should also be considered for inclusion within the Registration as they are part of the site and they contain important historic features which relate to the domestic and farming aspects of the property.

### Historic Interest

'Ballaradcliffe' quarterland dates back to the sixteenth century when the land first came into the ownership of the Radcliffe family and the estate has remained in the same family for over four hundred years. The original quarterland now includes much of the present day village of Andreas.

### Close Historic Association

There are possible historical links with Thomas Radcliffe, the last Abbot of the Franciscan Friary in Arbory who married into the House of Stanley. Links with Charles

Bland Radcliffe (1822-1889) who was one of the earliest investigators of the electrical physiology of muscle and nerve and with William John 'Willy' Radcliffe (1844-1916) who was MHK for Ayre from 1903 to 1916.

## Landmark Qualities

The landmark qualities of Ballaradcliffe are one of the property's most important features. Ballaradcliffe sits on the brow of a hill with views southwards across the northern plain towards the hills. The property is a prominent feature in the landscape and it is surrounded with trees with a long field in front of the property which positions the house well back from the road (plates  ). The excellent site is possibly the main reason for the location of Ballaradcliffe.

## Sources And References

### Books

Calloway S. (ed), 1996, The Elements of Style. Kitto J., 1990, Historic Homes of the Isle of Man. Watt D. and Swallow P., 1996, Surveying Historic Buildings.

### Newspapers

Cunliffe Shaw R., Story of an Old Manx Northside Family. Ramsey Courier, Wednesday December . (Source - Manx Note Book website).

Manks Advertiser, 22nd May 1832. Ploughman. Manks Advertiser, 1st January 1833. Fire at stable. Manks Advertiser, 15th January 1833. Death of William Radcliffe. Manks Advertiser, 5th February 1833. Sale of Farmstock.

### Articles

Cumming J.G., 1857, Story of Rushen Castle, Chapter 3. (Source - Manx Note Book website).

Manx Heritage Foundation, 1991, Manx Farming and Country Life 1700-1900. Radcliffe C., The Radcliffe's of Andreas, IOMNH\&AS, vol III, no. 2, pp. 172-195.

Maps and Plans Wood's Atlas, 1867, DoLGE. Ordnance Survey Map, 1869, DoLGE. Current digital maps, DoLGE.

### Photographs

Archive photograph (1906), Manx National Heritage. Current photographs.

## Internet Sites

Manx Note Book website www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook Georgian Houses www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/houses/georgian.htm Georgian 'dummy windows' www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/iloveny/architecture/windows/gallery/gallery25.shtml www.thisismoney.co.uk/tax-advice/council- tax/article.html?in article id=401439\&in page id=82 Details of the washroom www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/astonhall/changingtimes/themes/homes/poor/vans.htm

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*Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).*
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