124 GORTREE ROAD

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1840. Rectangular on plan facing NE with two-storey extension built c.2012. Located on a large site on the north side of Gortree Road accessed via gravel driveway with large yard to the rear enclosed by rendered and rubblestone outbuildings.

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles and two rendered chimneystacks with terracotta pots rising from either gable end. Replacement half round steel rainwater goods. Pebbledash rendered walling with smooth rendered plinth course. Square-headed window openings with painted masonry sills (original cills to front and side) and replacement timber sliding sash windows with angled horns (unless otherwise stated).

Symmetrical three-bay NE front elevation has a central elliptical-headed door opening with replacement timber doorcase comprising flat-panelled door flanked by sidelights, lintel cornice and webbed fanlight. Two windows to ground floor, 6/6 sliding sash flanking entrance door with three 6/3 timber sliding sash windows to first floor. Door opens onto tiled front step to front gravel area.

SE side elevation, gabled with single 6/6 timber sliding sash window opening to RHS gd floor.

SW four-bay rear elevation abutted by two-storey flat-roofed glazed 'link' connecting to substantial two-storey rear extension. Four windows to rear of main house - all modern timber double glazed casement - two either side of glazed link, one at gd, one at first floor.

NW side elevation, gabled with one 6/6 timber sliding sash window to LHS gd floor, and one 6/3 sliding sash window above to first floor. Modern bay window to gd floor RHS set behind rendered screen wall.

Setting:
Located on an extensive sloping site on the north side of Gortree Road with fine views across countryside, accessed via gravel avenue enclosed to the west by rubblestone walls and opening onto the public road via splayed rendered walls and piers. The west side of the rear yard is enclosed by a multi-bay single-storey range of rendered outbuildings with sheeted iron roof and sheeted timber stable doors. The north side is enclosed by a nineteenth-century lofted rubblestone outbuilding having slate roof, stone steps to the south, replacement timber windows and replacement sheeted timber doors having timber lintels, stone sills and brick reveals.

Roof Natural slate, on stone corbel
RWG Replacement metal
Walling Cement pebbledash render, smooth plinth and reveals
Windows Replacement timber sliding sash, modern timber windows to rear

Historical information

This house is not shown on the 1830 Ordnance Survey map, but does appear on the map of 1853. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1858) the property was in the possession of John Cochrane who was leasing it from the Grocers’ Company of London. The buildings were given the valuation of £5. The Valuation revision Books record a change in occupancy from Cochrane to Alexander Buchanan in 1889. In the House of Building Return of 1901 it was noted that the house had six windows in front and there were eight rooms in occupation. The equivalent return from the 1911 census recorded five windows in front and six rooms in occupation. Alexander Buchanan died in 1919 and the property passed to Archibald S. Buchanan. The property continued in the possession of the Buchanan family for the rest of the century. A report from a site visit in the year 2000 noted that the house was in a ‘bad condition, but not yet beyond repair’. In 2004 repairs to the roof were carried out and a major renovation, including the construction of a rear extension, was proposed. This was undertaken c. 2012.

References

Primary sources
1. PRONI, Griffith’s Valuation
2. PRONI, Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1830 – OS/6/5/14/1
3. PRONI, Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1853 – OS/6/5/14/2
4. PRONI, Valuation map, c. 1908–c.1918, VAL/12/D/5/14D (based on Ordnance Survey map published in 1907)
5. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1933, OS/6/5/14/4
6. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1954, OS/6/5/14/5
7. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1964, OS/6/5/14/6
8. PRONI, Valuation Revision Books, 1860-1930, VAL/12/B/32/12A-F
9. PRONI, First Northern Ireland General Revaluation Books: Annual Revision Lists, 1936-57 – VAL/3/C/6/9
10. NIEA, First Survey Card
11. NIEA, HB Records

Online sources
1. 1901 and 1911 census returns: www.census.nationalarchives.ie
2. PRONI, Will Calendars: www.proni.gov.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1840. The restrained proportions and modest scale typify a rural house type of the 1840s where classical details are employed in a subtle way. Recent (2012) works saved the house from dereliction. Replacement windows to rear detract, but overall the house and yard are intact and read as a cohesive group. Good setting. It is an appealing family home with extensive grounds and adds to the collection of nineteenth-century structures scattered across the landscape.