83 Low Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single storey gabled cottage with harled and whitewashed walls, formerly thatched but now roofed with corrugated asbestos. Sited on a slight slope running from end to end, with an outbuilding of higher ridge line attached to its east gable and two outbuildings adjacent.

Entrance faces south. Entrance elevation four openings wide with two windows to the left of a projecting porch, timber sliding sash, vertically hung, with horns, 2 over 2 with a horizontal glazing bar to each sash; concrete cills; one window to the right, similar but 6 over 3; window head rotting, concrete cill fractured, and window surrounded by creeper. Door ledged timber with door knob and iron latch, set in plain projecting porch covered by main roof swept over it; concrete door step. Roof corrugated asbestos sheets (replacement, since 1990, of original thatch) contained by cement coping to left hand gable, with overhanging eaves; small sheet of corrugated perspex immediately over porch; no guttering. Two chimneys: one on left hand gable, red brick, cement render finish in bad repair, no pot; one in central position on ridge, rustic brick, red terracotta pot. Wall of rubble stone, harled and whitened; one large boulder of basalt projecting from the front wall just above ground level to left of porch.

West gable harled and whitened as previous but a number of large basalt stones projecting from surface; one window to loft, timber sliding sash, vertically hung, with horns, 1 over 1 but upper pane missing and in poor condition overall.

Rear elevation: asbestos roof as on entrance front; walls as previous but some recent patches of cement rendered repair work; some large boulders projecting from surface. Three windows to the right of a low projecting gabled return: a pair of coupled sliding sash, vertically hung, without horns, each sash 4 over 4 about a central mullion; to right, two timber fixed lights each with one horizontal glazing bar; all with wooden window heads; all in poor repair. Return has similar roof to cottage; walls smooth cement rendered; window in west side, four light metal casement; window in gable, single timber fixed light, broken. Attached to left hand side of cottage, gabled outbuilding: walls basalt rubble, harled and whitened on south front, with traces of same on rear facade; red brick quoins and dressings to four doorways on south side; earthen floors, derelict state; roof uncovered at west end, with rafters exposed; undergoing repairs at east end with Bangor blue slates.

Two detached outbuildings standing to south side of cottage: outbuilding to east, gabled, walls as previous outbuilding, roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, red brick chimney to gable at south end; outbuilding to west similar but no chimney, with segmental arched double garage door of ledged timber in its east gable; square piers, harled, and low rubble stone walls to garden on south side.

SETTING: The cottage stands together with its outbuildings in a rural location, on an elevated site, set back from the main road and reached by a narrow lane through a gateway of rubble stone piers and screen walls much patched with cement, in poor condition and without gates.

Historical information

Appears on OS map of 1831 along with outbuildings.

References - Primary

1. OS Map 1831, Co Antrim 47.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A building of vernacular appeal in a deteriorated condition. Althought lacking its original thatched roof it retains most other original elements.