12 Hill Head Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Description on 02.01.1973
A harled and whitened thatched cottage with two chimneys, one on north gable. Sashed windows on front elevation, two mine(?) frames, one margined and one with vertical divisions. Two with vertical divisions and a small window at rear. Thatched stone outbuilding. Unrecessed windows.

Description on 25.09.2012
Remains of a roofless, derelict single-storey, two-bay detached direct-entry vernacular dwelling with outbuilding, built between 1830-1853. Located along a laneway to the north of Hillhead Road and east of Kilrea, the site is surrounded by farmland.

Nothing remains of roof structure. No rainwater goods; walling is of rubble construction to the main elevation, coursed rubble to rear; much of the lime-based mortar has been lost; some brick replacements to window surrounds, remnants of harl to areas and black paint to base course.

Main elevation (east) is symmetrically arranged with two window openings on each side of a central doorway (recessed with timber frame and lintel remaining). Previous brick chimney to right gable; remains of second chimney breast between first and second windows to the left. Comprises a brick chimney breast abutted to an internal stone wall, most likely to be the former south gable wall before the building was extended. Nothing remains of window heads; some chamfered and rendered reveals remain to the interior.

South elevation is blank with some render remaining and rounded wall-heads.

Rear (west) elevation has largely collapsed.

North elevation is blank except for some remaining harl and black painted base-course.

Two adjoined outbuildings to the south east corner; right has pitched roof of corrugated iron with rounded gable-heads and a central doorway; replacement timber roof structure but long timber lintel and timbers (for stable use) remain; evidence of harl and whitewash to interior walls; small opening to right gable. Left wall and abutting structure is ruinous; timber sheeted roof has collapsed and no rear wall.

Setting
Situated within a farmland
setting of trees, hedgerows and fields, at the termination of a laneway leading north from Hillhead Road. Site has been largely remodelled with perimeter surrounded in gravel and bounded by concrete posts to the north and east; outbuilding to the east in close proximity to the main building.

Roof: None
Walling: Random rubble, coursed rubble
Windows: None
RWG: None

Historical information

The first and second edition OS maps (1830; 1853) illustrate that the current structures were built during this period, on, or near to the site of previous farm buildings shown on the first edition OS map (1830), of which no trace remains. The existing house and outbuilding were first recorded at a value of £0 10s in Griffith’s Valuation (1857-8) and in combination with the 11 acres of land, the total value was listed at £4 10s. Mr William Kirkwood was the tenant at this time and the landlord noted as Mr Andrew Orr, a local linen merchant.

The farmhouse was constructed during a time when steady improvements were being made to farmland, living conditions and local infrastructure. However these were not extended to private individuals and tenants were responsible for carrying out necessary improvements at their own expense; subsequently there was little incentive to do so. Farms were generally very small and tenants' houses were built from local stone or mud with a thatched roof (Kernohan; OS Memoirs 1830-39).

The second edition OS map (1853) shows that the original dwelling was less extensive, terminating with the chimney at the south gable and an abutting walled enclosure. Under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act 1903 ownership of the land was transferred to the occupier and this is illustrated in the Annual Revisions (1898-1910), which note that the succeeding tenant, Alexander Gilmore purchased the farm and buildings from Rev R.H. Orr in 1907. By the third edition OS map (1905) a well is situated to the rear and the building has been extended to the south. Improvements to the buildings are further confirmed by the census records; initially the farmhouse comprised two rooms, with two windows and was occupied by a family of nine (1901); during the following decade a room, two windows were added to the house as well as an outbuilding (1911 census).

The building continued to be occupied until the 1970s; at this time the building was thatched and comprised whitewashed walls, two chimneys, a timber sheeted door and timber sash windows with glazing bars. The building has lain vacant in recent decades and is now in ruins.

Since it was listed in 1977 there has been no contact between NIEA and the owners. It was a ruin when the thatch survey was carried out.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/27/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1830)
2. PRONI OS/6/5/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/5/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/27/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1925-33)
5. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1905)
6. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1925)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/40B – Griffith’s Valuation (1857)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2A – Annual Revisions (1867-84)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2B – Annual Revisions (1884-97)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2C – Annual Revisions (1898-1910)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2D – Annual Revisions (1910-29)
12. PRONI VAL/3/E/5/2A – First General Revaluations (1935)
13. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/6 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72)

14. Ulster Town Directories (1901-43)
15. Census of Ireland (1901-1911)
16. HB File (HB03.01.020)

Secondary Sources

1. Lewis, Samuel ‘A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ S. Lewis & Co, London (1837)
2. ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs; The Parishes of Co. Londonderry, V [Vol. 18] - Maghera and Tamlaght O'Crilly.’ Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast (1993)
3. Kernohan , J.W. ‘The Parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O'Crilly A sketch of their history, with an account of the Boveedy Congregation’ Coleraine, (1912)
4. Sampson, Rev. George, Vaughan ‘A Memoir; Explanatory of the Survey of the Survey of the County of Londonderry’ G&W Nicol, London (1814)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A symmetrical, single-storey, two-bay detached direct-entry vernacular building (formerly a dwelling), located to the north of Hillhead Road, in a secluded area surrounded by farmland. Formerly thatched and dating from the mid 19th century the building is now derelict and in a ruinous condition. This building is not of special architectural or historic interest.