Silent Valley’s 120-year-old landmark restored to support the people protecting the Mournes
The project team mark the completion of the restoration work outside the Superintendent’s House at Silent Valley
Thursday 01 October 2026
A historic house at the entrance to Silent Valley has been restored to support the staff and volunteers who care for the Mourne landscape, while preserving architectural features dating back more than 120 years.
The listed Superintendent’s House now has specialist archive, meeting and welfare facilities for its continuing use by Mourne Heritage Trust, following the completion of an extensive NI Water conservation project.
Originally built to accommodate the Water Commissioner’s Superintendent and his family during construction of Silent Valley Reservoir, the property remains a working part of the estate’s heritage.
Historic features repaired and preserved
The restoration included repairing and upgrading original sash windows, conserving decorative timber features and rebuilding historic chimneys using traditional methods. Reclaimed timber was also turned into new flooring, with heritage materials used throughout the building.
GEDA Construction carried out the work, managed by Tetra Tech in partnership with Dickson Fitzgerald Architects. The project team worked closely with the Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division to retain the house’s original character while introducing modern facilities.
NI Water Senior Project Manager Michael Donnelly said:
“Traditional conservation techniques have been combined with carefully considered modern improvements, allowing us to preserve the building’s history while creating a practical workspace for those who continue to look after this special landscape.”
Local craftspeople brought specialist skills
Specialist subcontractors, craftspeople and suppliers contributed skills including lime plastering, bespoke joinery, furniture restoration, heritage glazing and stone conservation. Materials and services were sourced locally wherever possible.
Mr Donnelly said:
“Projects like this rely on specialist skills and we’re extremely proud that so much of that expertise could be found here in the Mournes area as well as other parts of Northern Ireland. From local joiners and stonemasons to flooring specialists and conservation contractors, every organisation involved has played an important role in bringing this historic building back to life.”
The work forms part of NI Water’s Historic Estate Project, a rolling programme to survey, protect and care for listed assets in its ownership.
A working future for a historic building
The exterior of the newly restored Superintendent’s House at Silent Valley.
The Superintendent’s House is one of 44 listed assets in NI Water’s care, alongside landmarks including the Mourne Wall, Silent Valley Red Gates and Dunnywater Aqueduct.
Mr Donnelly said:
“The Superintendent’s House has witnessed more than a century of the Mourne Water Supply Scheme, and thanks to this restoration it will continue to play an important role in supporting the people who work every day to protect and care for the Mournes.”
For Mourne Heritage Trust’s staff and volunteers, the completed work provides facilities for the practical business of looking after the landscape. A house originally built for those overseeing the reservoir’s construction will continue to serve the people caring for its surroundings.
