File:The Abbey, Whiteabbey - geograph.org.uk - 324071.jpg

English: The Abbey, Whiteabbey Whiteabbey, a village in the parish of Carnmoney, Barony of Lower Belfast, County of Antrim and province of Ulster, 4 miles (N.) from Belfast on the shore of Belfast Lough; containing 71 houses and 391 inhabitants. It takes its name from an old abbey whose picturesque ruins consist of a chapel, the remains of which denote the early English style of architecture, but at what time or name or by whom founded it is not known.

Lewis, Samuel,

“A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Vol:II”, 

London:S Lewis & Co. 1837, p712

This was designed and built in 1850 for Richard Davidson a MP, on the site of another MP, Samuel Getty, who had a gentleman’s cottage on the site. It was named “The Abbey” because it was on the site of an ancient Cistercian Abbey which stood nearby from 1215 to 1925. Its entrance is very like Abbeydene, but with no pillars.

Abbey, the residence of William Getty Esquire, is a spacious and handsome residence, possessing much taste in its style of construction and presenting a handsomely ornamented and stone-finished front. It is situated in a handsome lawn of about 10 acres, which is well laid out and planted. Abbey was erected in 1835. Ordnance Survey, Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Antrim 1, 1838-9

You can see that the original house only stood for 15 years before being rebuilt. Maybe it was destroyed by fire?

OS Map Sheet 57, 1857, 6”:1mile This Italianate style house first appeared in directories in1866. After of the death of Mr. Davidson, Charles Lanyon bought his own work for his own home in 1862 although he had lived in it for several years before. Charles lived here with his wife and ten children until his death in 1889.

Written by Adam Barnes, age 11, 2006