The Cottage

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The site is approached by means of a steep winding secondary road (the Bishop's Road ) that proceeds in a south–westerly direction from the main Coleraine to Limavady road with the turning at the hamlet of Downhill. This turning is at a point about six miles from the centre of Coleraine measured in a westerly direction.

A view of the house is obtained after traversing a short lane and passing outbuildings on the left (south-west) side. To the north the site which is atop a flank of Ben Evenagh mountain has spectacular views overMagilligan,the Inishowen peninsula and the Atlantic Ocean.The Inner Hebridean island of Islay is visible to the north.

The roof is thatched between cement skews. There are three corbel-topped chimneystacks, one rises on either gable and the third serves the kitchen hearth. The stack on the south-east gable supports one pot and that over the hearth has two pots. The north-west chimney is not provided with pots.

The stone walls are whitened, as are those of the porch. The porch walls have a smooth rendered finish in contrast with the traditional rough finish of the house. It is an addition.

The entrance to the house which faces north-east is contained within a projecting porch gabled and finished with natural slate. The door is of framed and sheeted timber and a vertically sliding window with sashes divided into two, vertically, lights the south-east side. Rainwater goods are of aluminium and a small naturally slated canopy on timber brackets protects the entrance.

The fenestration at the front of the house is made up of five openings, two to the left (south-east) of the porch and three to the right (north-east). The are of the vertically sliding variety with sashes divided into two panes vertically. The sash stops are moulded and the sills are of traditional depths. There are small openings in either gable of the house.

At the rear, starting from the south-east gable, and after passing through a gate, the window arrangement is as follows: -
A pair of windows with that on the left of slightly larger width, a window of further increased width, then a sheeted door glazed four-square at the top, a window with a further increase in width and finally a small window lighting the new utility room. The construction of the frames follows that employed at the front including the moulded sash stops and the deep sills.

A half-octagonal ended conservatory and utility room have been added on the north-west gable. Entrance from outside is by means of framed and sheeted timber door into the utility room. This extension is roofed with natural slate finished with a red clay ridge and rainwater goods are of aluminium. The conservatory is constructed of timber framing.

Historical information

A house is shown on this site on the OS map of 1831 / 32 and noted in the c.1833 valuation as the home of a P. Savage, with a rateable value of £2-15-0. This value had dropped to £1-10-0 when the second valuation was carried out in 1856, with occupant recorded as James Savage, and Sir Henry H. Bruce the lessor.

An intention to replace the roof covering with slate in 1983 and an intention to leave the building to decay in 1993 were overcome successfully. The thatch was repaired in 1986 and 2003, in both cases by Gerry Agnew using wheat straw.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/5/2 OS map, County Londonderry sheet 2, with valuation
references, (1831 / 32-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/55A-B First valuation, Dunboe, (c.1833)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/5/2 Revised OS map, County Londonderry sheet 5, with valuation references, (1856 / 57)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/5/5B Second valuation, Dunboe, (1856)

Secondary sources
1 Girvan, W.D., ‘The Buildings of North Derry’ (Belfast 1975), p.58

Other references
1 EHS Listed Building file HB03/12/020
2 EHS Monitoring of Thatched Buildings, report by Michele McFaul to EHS of inspection, 18 April 1994
3 Information from owner’s wife (29 July 2003)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This thatched dwelling occupies what is probablyone of the most spectacular sites in the country, and is up a short lane from the well known Bishop's Road. The building which faces north, has been renovated and adapted for modern living to a high standard. Traditional methods and materials have been used and the thatch covering is underlain by scraws and secured by scollops
The scheme has had the benefit of expert guidance. This included the acceptance of the conservatory extension which reflects the effort made to blend the old and the modern in a meaningful way