95 Mill Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-storey vernacular house with attic, of probable pre 1830 construction, extended to the southwest end perhaps c.1870, with a gabled porch and dormers of probably c.1900 and a mid 20th century rear extension. The property is located on the northwest side of Mill Road, less than a mile southeast of Portstewart town centre, set back from the road, with a garden to front and rear and outbuildings to the southwest side. Until relatively recently surrounded by fields the area around this house is now saturated with c.1970s+ modern style dwellings, whose all-pervading presence has reduced the building to something of a curiousity.

The house is finished in painted roughcast and has a gabled roof which is slated with clay ridge tiles and rendered parapets. The extension (which appears to have been constructed in sections), is partly finished in painted cement render and has a felted roof (which is mainly lean-to).

The front elevation faces roughly SE and is asymmetrical. To the right of centre is the projecting gabled porch. To the SW face of this is the main entrance which has a panelled timber door. To the SE (gabled) face there is a window with horned timber sash frame (vertical glazing bars- two panes over two). Louvered ‘shutters’ have been attached either side of this window. To the NE face of the porch is a slightly larger window with multi-pane fixed timber frame (twelve Georgian-proportioned panes). The porch oof is covered is a man-made (slate-like) tile and has a slight overhang with decorative barge boards.

To the far left of the front elevation there is another doorway, with a (recent) panelled and glazed timber door. To right of this are two windows, similar to that on the SE face of the porch (‘shutters’ included). To right of the porch there are two more similar windows, although only that to far right has ‘shutters’.

Attached to the SW gable there is a large single-storey L-shaped outbuilding. The section of this abutting the house itself is older, possibly contemporary with the house itself, but the rest (i.e. that portion lying on a SE-NW axis) appears to be largely mid 1900s. The older section is finished in similar manner as the house. To its front façade there is a window to far left with a fixed timber frame (six panes). To right of this there is a doorway with timber-sheeted door, with another window to right again (also with a fixed timber frame- six panes), then another doorway, (with panelled and glazed timber door), and, to far right, a small window (with fixed timber frame-four panes). To the rear (NW) façade of this section there is a small window also with a fixed timber frame (three panes). The gabled roof of this section is as that to the house, but with two small skylights to the SE side.

The NE gable of the house is devoid of openings. A relatively tall wall extends from the left edge of the gable (and is flush with the front façade). This wall has a doorway (with timber-sheeted door) with a small window-like recess to its left.

To the left on the ground floor of the rear elvation there is a square window with horned double-sash frame (each with one pane over one). To the right of this is a slightly taller and narrower window, with a recent timber frame. Direcly above each of these windows (abutting the eaves) is a small window, each with recent timber frames. To the right hand side of the rear elevation is the extension. To the NW face of this ther is a doorway, partly glazed timber door, with a window to either side, both with relatively recent timber frames. To the SW face there is another window with a horned timber sash frame (one pane over one).

There are three small, symmetrically arranged, gabled dormers to front. Each of these has a recent timber frame to front, and glazed sides. The roofs of each are slated and each has plain bargeboards. There are three rendered (ridge) chimneystacks, one each to the gables and another to the SW of centre. Mixture of cast-iron and PVC-u rainwater goods.

There is a relatively recent flat-roofed shed to the immediate N of the house.

Historical information

A house matching the plan of the present (but without the outbuilding set at a right angle to the southwest) is shown on the OS map of 1830, but not noted in the contemporary valuation. A similar building is shown on the OS map of 1856 and recorded in the valuation of that year as measuring 33ft x 18 x 10, with ‘offices’ (outbuildings) of 45 x 18 x 7 and 30 x 17 x 6- the latter thatched. These dimensions suggest that the southwest third of the house, (the area between the two closer positioned chimneystacks), was probably part of the outbuilding at this stage. When this portion was raised three feet and converted to living space is not clear. The valuation increases from £2-13-7 to £2-15-0 in 1870 suggesting that it probably happened at this time. It is conceivable that the porch and dormers were added at this stage also, but features like these are generally late Victorian / Edwardian, particulary on relatively modest houses such as this. They may have appeared c.1900.

The occupant in 1856 is listed as one James Reid, who was succeeded in 1870 by Matthew, Reid, who in turn was followed in 1907 by William James Reid, who acquired the freehold in 1910. The Reid family remained in possession of the house until 1958, when a Robert Martin, [?a relative of the Reids], is noted as resident. Martin stayed on until 1976, when the property was acquired by the present owner.

The larger portion of the extension to the rear seems to have been built in the mid 1900s, changes in the valuation suggesting around 1958.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/5/3 Valuation map, County Londonderry, sheet 3 (1830-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/2A/5/3 Valuation map, County Londonderry, sheet 3 (1856-58)
3 PRONI VAL/2B/5/15A Second valuation, Ballyraghan parish (1856-c.59)
4 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17A Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1859-63)
5 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17B Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1864-76)
6 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17C Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1877-87)
7 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17D Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1887-94)
9 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17E Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1895-1905)
10 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17F Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1906-17)
11 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17G Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1918-29)
12 PRONI VAL/12B/5/17H Annual valuation revision, Portstewart ED (1926-30)
13 PRONI VAL/3B/6/2 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portstewart RD (1935)
14 PRONI VAL/3C/6/18 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portstewart RD (1936-57)
15 PRONI VAL/4B/5/7 Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portstewart UD (1957-72)
16 PRONI VAL/14B/168 Third General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Strand Ward (1972-87)
17 PRONI VAL/14B/168 Third General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Strand Ward (1987-93)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

*See General Comments*

Single-storey vernacular house with attic, of probable pre 1830 construction, extended to the southwest end perhaps c.1870, with a gabled porch and dormers of probably c.1900 and a mid 20th century rear extension. This house has been altered over the twentieth century thus removing some historic fabric and detailing and although it is of local interest as a vernacular house it is not of listable quality.

General comments

Advised by member of the public, 7th July 2011, that this property has been demolished. Exact date of demolition unknown.