Wood Cottage

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Sited on the south side of Clooney Road and a short distance from the former entrance to Walwork House (Beresfords).The cottage sits at the back of ¼ hectare site, with neat garden.

A 1½ storey stone built cottage, two bays wide with gabled slated roof and central brick chimney stack. There is a one room deep centrally placed back return with lower ridge line. Principal ground floor windows have sandstone trim (now painted) with moulded labels. The gable entrance is tucked in at rear of cottage but projects sufficiently beyond the east gable to be just noticed. Two gablets emphasise the 1st floor windows of the principal facade. Built of blue grey whinstone with rustic plinth, decorative corbels support fascias and deep curvy barges decorate the main gables while the plainer gablet barges have exposed sprockets. The main entrance door has a Tudor arch head with matching hood moulding. Windows timber sash generally divided into four panes with ground floor large windows divided in six. There is a small two storey extension to the rear fitted into the angle of the return and finished in smooth rendering. The rainwater goods in cast iron with moulded sandstone kneelers at the ends of each gable.

To the south of the cottage across a small enclosed yard there is a single storey stone built with brick trims and white washed and slated outhouse

Historical information

The cottage is a result of the enlightened and benevolent policy of the Fishmongers’ Company. Built as an agriculturist’s dwelling in c1850s and kept in good repair before being disposed of by the Company later in the century. Curl suggests the design is based on prototypes by Henry Roberts, honorary architect to the Society for Improving the Conditions of Labouring Classes 1844-56. Henry Roberts (1803-76) worked in office of R Smirke (1781-1867).

References:

The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914
Victorian Architecture - R Dixon
Owner (1998)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A pleasing 1½ storey cottage in a Tudor gothic rustic style. It is stone built and well preserved, has pragmatic proportions, handsome ornamentation and the simple plan form of a small rural cottage. It retains its spatial organisation and internal detail particularly in stairway and windows.

The cottage is of historic interest amplifying the concern of the Fishmongers’ Company for its tenants and its anxiety to improve agricultural methods. This interest extends to the later Plantation Period of Ireland and is thus of national and local interest and of social importance.