140 Tromra Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Asymmetrical detached three-bay two-storey rendered house, built prior to 1832 and adapted to its current form c.1907. Rectangular on plan facing east with 2 single storey rubblestone byres attached to the north gable. Positioned on an elevated site on the south side of Tromra Road accessed via grassy driveway on a steep incline.

Pitched natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles, cement parged verges and three rendered chimneystacks. Plastic rainwater goods throughout. Painted rough-cast render over rubblestone walling. Square-headed window openings with concrete sills and original 3/3 timber sliding sash windows with ogee horns and exposed sash boxes.

Symmetrical three-bay two-storey front elevation with a central square-headed door opening having replacement flush timber door.

Blind rubblestone south gable.

Cement rendered rear elevation with two square-headed window openings at ground floor level having replacement timber casement windows.

North side elevation abutted by two rubblestone byres. The byre abutting the house has pitched natural slate roof with the smaller byre having pitched corrugated iron roof. To the West of these outbuildings and set at right-angles is a single storey stone outbuilding with slated roof.

Roof Natural slate
RWG uPVC
Walling Painted rough-cast render over rubble stone
Windows Multipane original timber sliding sash

Setting:
Set on an elevated site on the south side of Tromra Road with a steep grassy driveway leading east and opening onto the road at an acute angle with a pair of decorative cast-iron gate posts.

Historical information

No. 140 Tromra Road, an early-19th century two-storey farmhouse located in the townland of Clegnagh near Glendun Viaduct, was first constructed prior to 1832. The original building on the site was a single-storey thatched farmhouse, however this was formalised into the current two-storey dwelling in c. 1907. The original building on the site was initially recorded on the first edition Ordnance Survey map which depicted the dwelling as a rectangular-shaped structure (occupying its current footprint) that possessed two small outbuildings to its east and south-east sides (now demolished). The Townland Valuations (1834) did not record any details of this building as it was not worth the minimum £3 necessary for inclusion in that source.

There was little change to the layout of the farm by the mid-19th century, although the eastern outbuilding had been demolished and was not depicted on the second edition Ordnance Survey map (1857). The contemporary Griffith’s Valuation (1859) set the total rateable value of No. 140 Tromra Road at 10 shillings and noted that the farmhouse was leased to a Mr. Denis McKillop by Edmund Cuppage, a prominent local landowner of Mount Edwards House in Cushendall. McKillop continued to reside at the farm in Clegnagh until his death in c. 1890 when the site passed to his widow, Bridget McKillop. The 1901 Census of Ireland records that Bridget McKillop lived at No. 140 Tromra Road with her six children who all worked the farm. The accompanying census building return described the farmhouse as a 3rd class dwelling that possessed a thatched roof, only consisted of two rooms, and possessed a stable, a cow house and a barn amongst its outbuildings.

The Annual Revisions note that the value of No. 140 Tromra Road was greatly increased to £2 and 10 shillings in 1907 suggesting that the building underwent a significant refurbishment at that time. In 1911 the census building return suggested that the farmhouse had been raised a storey as the number of rooms in the dwelling had been increased to four; in addition the building’s thatch had replaced with a slate roof. The current single-storey outbuilding, located to the north-west side of the farmhouse, was also likely added at this time as it was erected between the third and fourth edition Ordnance Survey maps (1903-04; 1922). The McKillop family had purchased No. 140 Tromra Road outright from the Cuppage estate by the 1930s. The value of the farm was increased to £5 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) which recorded a Mr. James McKillop as occupant. Following McKillop’s death in 1947, the farm passed to Daniel McKillop who remained at the site until at least the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) at which time its total rateable value stood at £10 (PRONI Wills).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/15/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/15/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/15/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1903-04)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/15/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1922)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/15 – Townland Valuations Map (c. 1830)
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/148B – Townland Valuations (1834)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/40B – Griffith’s Valuation (1859)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/14A-E – Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/5 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
10. PRONI VAL/4/B/1/10 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
11. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1918)
12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
13. PRONI Wills Catalogue (17 Jan 1947)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Symmetrical detached three-bay two-storey rendered house, built prior to 1830, but raised and slated c.1907 to take its present form . This modest farmhouse retains much of its original historic detailing and character, contributing greatly to its special achitectural and historic interest. A largely intact example of a farmhouse which has undergone historic development contributing to its interest, this is one of an increasingly rare vernacular building type. The building is also of local interest, having an unaltered setting and distinct elevated position overlooking the Tromra Road. The various outbuildings and decorative gate posts contribute to its interest.