57 Hillside Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical two-storey with attic three-bay farm house with adjacent complex of outbuildings, dated 1777 and 1874, located to the west side of Hillside Road, south of Ballycastle. Rectangular plan.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled ridge tiles, rendered skews and gable chimneystacks. Remnants of cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are lime-rendered over rubble stone with vestigial limewash.

Principal elevation faces SE; left bay is wider. Openings are vertically aligned with entrance door to right of centre with timber sheeted door. Windows to front are generally 8/8 (outer panes are narrower) timber sashes with exposed boxes over stone cills (unless otherwise stated), window to right side of front door at ground level no longer extant.

Left gable (SW) has remains of a 1/1 sliding sash window to attic, set to left of centre.

Rear elevation (NW) is four openings wide to each floor, vertically aligned, with door to left of centre. Windows to rear are 6/6 to ground floor, 3/6 to first floor. Twentieth century concrete and brick wall constructed up against and along width of elevation, approx 600mm high with metal handrails, forming platform for feeding of animals. Rubblestone wall extends from right side, single storey high, and extends along SW side.

Right gable (NE) has 3/6 attic window placed to right side.

Outbuildings:
Complex of outbuildings including modifed former dwelling, located to the north-west. With the exception of a corrugated metal Dutch barn to south, all are rubble stone of varying heights, with slate or corrugated metal roofs.

Attached range of single storey barns to W (known as 'South Range' in this report) (that to right has higher ridge); corrugated metal and slate roofs; windows are generally gone, with remaining cast-iron lattice to rear elevation.

Two-storey barn to NW (known as 'NW barn' in this report) with brick eaves, ventilation loop openings, timber sheeted doors, stone lintel.

North Range includes former two-storey three-bay dwelling and attached outbuilding, later converted for milking parlour and cowshed. Cobbled flooring, first floor gone; windows gone; remains of slated roof. Attached to NE side are remains of a corrugated metal Dutch barn.

Setting:
Isolated rural
setting in a valley, accessed via a long farm lane from Capecastle Road to W. Panoramic views of Knocklayde Mountain to east. Remains of former railway tracks exist to south of house, running in NW - SE direction. Round rubblestone pillars at field entrance to NE of house.

Roof: Natural Slate to house / tin & natural slate to outbuildings
Walling: Lime Rendered to house / rubblestone to outbuildings
Windows: Timber sliding sash to house
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

An agricultural complex which appears on the first edition Ordnance survey map of 1832, the general arrangement of farm buildings appears to remain largely unaltered from this time despite the valuations indicating that the buildings were rebuilt numerous times over the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The datestone above the door of the main house indicates that the original house was constructed by a Thomas Sharp in 1777. Griffiths Valuation (1861) indicates that the farm was occupied at this time by a Peter Sharpe who is presumed to be the son of the original builder. The house was valued at £2. The revaluation of 1866 indicates that by this time the house was occupied by Peter’s son, Thomas, who – according to the datestone – rebuilt the house in 1874. Field evidence suggests that this 'rebuilding' was a modification, and the rear of the house has an earlier character than the front; however the interior fittings are suggestive of the later nineteenth century date. The modifications precipitated no rise in the valuation of the property. The lessor is listed as an Alexander Stewart, passing to an Abraham Kidd M.D. in 1877.

The N outbuilding ('North Range') – later converted to a cattle byre - has a domestic character. Although this range is present on the earliest map of 1832 a second house is not noted until the revaluation of 1895, measuring 29’ x 19 ½’ x 15’, valued at £2 and 5 shillings and reported to be ‘currently in use as farm offices.’ This may refer to the single storey rubblestone building to the north of the original house. The occupier at this time is listed as Catherine Sharpe – presumably the widow of Thomas – who lived in the house with her four sons, Robert, Thomas, William and James; two daughters, Lizzie and Sarah; and grandson Silas J. Smythe. The 1901 census form indicates that there were eight outbuildings at this time including a stable, 2 cow houses, a calf house, a piggery, a boiling house, a barn and a shed.

By 1907 Catherine Sharpe had purchased the farm buildings and land under the 1901 Land Purchase Act, at which time the valuation of the buildings increased to £5 and 10 shillings. The revaluation of 1912 divides this valuation between two buildings of £2 and £3 and 10 shillings. The valuations indicate that by 1921 the occupancy had been transferred to two of Catherine’s sons, Robert and William. The revaluation at this time values the second house at £1 and 10 shillings with an additional valuation of 15 shillings.
The current owner states that the shop at 72 Castle Street, Ballycastle (HB05/13/006), 'Sharpe & McKinley', was owned by relations of the original Sharpe family.

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/2/8/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1832
2. PRONI OS/6/2/8/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1857
3. PRONI OS/6/2/8/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/2/8/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1933-31
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/17A – General Valuation of Ireland, General Revisions 1864-1876
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/17B – General Valuation of Ireland, General Revisions 1877-1887
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/17C – General Valuation of Ireland, General Revisions 1887-1900
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/17D – General Valuation of Ireland, General Revisions 1901-1911
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/17E – General Valuation of Ireland, General Revisions 1912-1929

Online Sources

1. General Valuation of Ireland, 1861 - http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/
2. National Archives – 1901 and 19aa census - http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

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

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

Evaluation

57 Hillside Road is an isolated two-storey, three bay farm house with attic, which may contain fabric dating from the eighteenth century. The rear of the house is of interest, having an earlier appearance than the front, which is characterised by a mid-to-late nineteenth century appearance, particularly internally. The interior is well preserved and contains elements typical of a modest farm dwelling of the nineteenth century, including timber partitions and good, varied examples of pigmented limewash. The house is a fine example of an evolved vernacular farm dwelling in its original setting, of a type once common in the Ulster countryside, now increasingly rare. Interest is enhanced by the survival of an original farm complex, containing a modified dwelling, located adjacent to the house.