22 Agherton Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical one-and-a-half-storey three-bay detached rubblestone Georgian house; pre-dating1830 and located to the north side of Agherton Road southeast of Portstewart town centre. Rectangular plan with modern two-storey return and single-storey extension to rear (of little interest) and small single-storey annexe to east.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles and rendered chimneystacks with concrete coping rising from gables. Aluminum rainwater goods on projecting eaves with timber fascia boards. Walling is random rubble built to rough courses with some snecking; smooth painted render to gables and rear elevation. Windows are replacement throughout; 6/6 timber sash with horns, flat red-brick arches, slightly projecting cement render reveals, and projecting stone sills (unless otherwise stated).

The principal elevation faces south and is typically Georgian in style; asymmetrically arranged with elliptical-headed doorcase to right of centre flanked to either side by two windows (those to left are more widely spaced). Raised-and-fielded seven panel timber door with brass knob, accessed via a stone step and surmounted by radial fanlight with red brick head.

The west elevation has two diminutive 1/1 timber windows to attic; partially abutted at left by the modern extension to rear.

The north (rear) elevation has mid-twentieth century timber casement bow window to left; abutted to right of centre by the two-storey modern return, which is abutted to west by the single-storey modern extension.

The east elevation has a diminutive 1/1 timber window to left at attic; single-storey rubble stone annexe to ground floor with 3/3 window to south elevation.

Setting:
Situated on an extensive plot, slightly back from and facing the road, with large lawned garden to rear bounded to surrounding farmland by mature trees and hedgerow and modern mortared stone wall to west. Slab paving to small front yard, bounded by rubblestone walls. Full-height wrought-iron latch gate to west gives access to walled garden enclosed by high rubblestone walls. To northwest is a painted rubble-stone slated barn with raised stone verges, abutted by the modern extension; modern up and over garage door to east elevation. Also to northwest is a single-storey rubblestone outbuilding with corrugated tin roof and timber-sheeted door to centre of west elevation. Two harled Ulster piers to entrance at southeast, supporting original wrought-iron gates, with gravelled driveway leading to gravelled parking area to rear. To east is a refurbished single-storey vernacular dwelling facing east.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Random rubble
Windows: Replacement timber sash
RWG: Aluminum

Historical information

No. 22 Agherton Road, a one-and-a-half-storey Georgian cottage located in the townland of North Ballyleese, was constructed prior to 1830 when the building was portrayed on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map; the map depicted the cottage along with the single-storey outbuilding to its east (now converted into a separate dwelling). The property was not included in the contemporary Townland Valuations of the area as it was not worth £5, the minimum value required for inclusion.

By the second edition of the Ordnance Survey map (c. 1860) there had been no discernible alteration to the cottage or its eastern outbuilding, however since 1830 two outbuildings to the northeast and northwest side of the house had been added (both now taken down). No. 22 Agherton Road was first valued in Griffith’s Valuation (1857) which noted that the property was let by John Cromie of Cromore House (HB03/070/011) to James Black, a local blacksmith; Black’s cottage and outbuildings were valued at £5. 15s. According to the Ordnance Survey memoirs (c. 1830) James Black was a prominent figure in the area as he contributed funds to local organisations including the Erasmus school (see HB03/07/013), by means of subscription.

Black continued to reside at the cottage in North Ballyleese until his death on 24th October 1865 at which time the property came into the possession of his son Samuel Black, a local farmer (PRONI Wills). The 1901 Census notes that Black (68, Methodist) resided at his father’s cottage with his wife Jane (60) and their three adult daughters; the census building return described the cottage as a 2nd class dwelling that consisted of eight rooms and possessed a stable, two cow houses, a piggery, boiling house and a barn located in the outbuildings surrounding. Samuel Black died c. 1910 when his widow Jane was recorded as occupant in the Annual Revisions; in the year of her husband’s death Jane Black purchased the cottage outright from the Cromore Estate, however in the next year Jane also died leaving ownership of the cottage to her children. The 1911 census noted that the three daughters, Ellen (40), Mary (39) and Catherine (27) resided at the site alone, maintaining their father’s farm; by 1911 the census building return had upgraded Black’s cottage to a 1st class dwelling. Ellen Black continued to reside at No. 22 Agherton Road until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1930.

Prior to the current edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1966 there had been very little alteration to the plan of the site, however by that year the north-western outbuilding had been taken down and replaced with a smaller north-west outbuilding currently connected to the cottage via a modern extension. In 1972 Girvan described the dwelling as ‘a one-storey cottage with attics, five bays wide, of rubble basalt with brick surrounds, Georgian-glazed’ and noted that the property had recently been renovated, however it was not until the late-20th century that the two-storey return and modern kitchen extension (G09) was added to the rear of the cottage (Girvan, p. 37). The former single-storey vernacular outbuilding to the east of the cottage has been converted into a separate dwelling, however despite this alteration and the modern additions to the cottage, the original Georgian character of the group has been maintained.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/3/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1830
2. PRONI OS/6/5/3/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map c. 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/5/3/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/3/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1922-32
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/5/3 – Townland Valuation Map c. 1830
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/ 539A-B - Townland Valuation c. 1830
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/10 – Griffith’s Valuation 1857
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17A – Annual Revisions 1859-1863
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17B – Annual Revisions 1874-1876
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17C – Annual Revisions 1877-1887
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17D – Annual Revisions 1888-1894
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17E – Annual Revisions 1895-1905
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17F – Annual Revisions 1906-1917
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17G – Annual Revisions 1918-1929
15. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17H – Annual Revisions 1926-1930
16. PRONI Wills Catalogue (25 Oct 1865)
17. Ordnance Survey Memoirs, Co. Londonderry, Vol. 33 No. XII (1835)
18. Census of Ireland (1901 / 1911)
19. Ordnance Survey Map – 12-4 (1966)
20. First Survey Record – HB03/07/012 (1973)
21. First Survey Image – HB03/07/012 (1973)

Secondary Sources

1. Girvan, W. D., ‘Historic Buildings in Coleraine and Portstewart’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A refurbished one-and-a-half-storey three bay detached rubblestone Georgian house with modern extensions; pre-dating 1830 and located to the north side of Agherton Road southeast of Portstewart town centre. Sensitively refurbished using materials of appropriate quality and style, much of the original character has been preserved. Despite modern additions to rear, the principal aspect from the road is unaffected and the original proportions are retained. A walled garden, slated barn, rubble stone outbuilding to west and harled Ulster piers with wrought-iron gates to west add to the historic interest of the site. A refurbished single-storey vernacular dwelling to east also adds to the quality of the setting.

General comments

Listing Criteria R Age and S - Authenticity also apply.