Crosskeys Inn

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An L-shaped building with thatched roof between tiled gables and with a plastered and whitened wall finish that includes a black base at the front and at the south-east side. The ridge is of the wrap-over variety and the eaves are square cut.

The entrance elevation faces north-east overlooking a forecourt and a secondary road
that leads from Randalstown to Portglenone about six miles from the former town.

Timber diagonally sheeted centre hinged double doors are flanked to the left (south-east) by a fixed 3x3 timber window that retains the post office facility in the bottom left hand corner and to the right by a 8/8 timber vertically sliding sashed window with moulded sash stops. The widows are without sills. That to the left of the entrance has a timber shutter inscribed with the Crosskeys symbol painted onto the inner face and the shutter serving the right hand window is plain. A board above the entrance is painted with the name of the establishment.

The arm of the T that extends at right angles to the north-west has a 10/10 vertically
sliding sashed window with moulded sash stops and without a sill. There is no shutter. From the extremity of this elevation a low whitened wall with timber gate and rectangular pillar encloses a sunken area that gives access to the basement, now closed, by means of six stone steps.

A window of reduced size in the gable of this block has a 6/6 timber vertically sliding window at high level with moulded sash stops and without a sill.

The gable of this block rises to a corbelled chimneystack and there is s a similar stack
over the position of the lounge fireplace in the main block.

The gable of the main block is without openings but there remains a small sentry box in the form of an Irish gate pillar at the front (south-east), a remnant of the troubles.

Moving to the rear and starting from the south-west corner there is an 8/8 timber sliding sash window with moulded sash stops and sill of traditional depth.

An extension of the lounge now projects under an extension of the thatched roof between tiled parapets. It is entered by a timber ledged, braced and sheeted door on the south-east side and is lighted by a 4/4 timber vertically sliding window on the outer (south-east) side with moulded sash stops and no sill.

Beyond this there is an horizontal 4/4 vertically sliding window with moulded sash stops and no sill before coming to a lean-to store with a profiled metal roof covering and a timber door made up of four horizontal panels.

The windows on the north–west side are inaccessible from the outside.

A random rubble wall extends from the north-west corner of the public house along Grange Road to a bridge over the stream. It is built without a coping and is contemporary with the main building.

Historical information

A building matching the ‘L’-shape of the present is shown on the OS map of 1832-33. The property is recorded in the valuation of 1836 as a relatively old, but well maintained, thatched building, (quality letter ‘2B+’), measuring 50ft x 22 x 8½, 15½ x 18 x 8, with a cellar of 15½ x 18 x 7 and a thatched outbuilding of 70½ x 17 x 6. The occupant is listed as Patrick McAlane [probably McErlean] and the rateable value calculated at a relatively respectable £5-3-0. The building, (now with a small extension to the rear), is marked on the revised OS map of 1857 as ‘Crosskeys post office’ and recorded as a ‘public house and post office in the second valuation of 1859. By this stage the property was occupied by a George Neeson, with Henry Purdon the immediate lessor and the rateable value a still relatively respectable £5-10-0.

The quality letter given in the original valuation of 1836 suggests the building was regarded as at least over twenty years old at that date. The pub stands on what was originally the main road between Dublin and Coleraine and was probably a traditional stopping off point for travellers, though it appears too small to have acted as a coaching inn. A ‘noted public house where the Misses Boyd live’ is recorded in the townland of Ardnaglass in an a sale advertisement of March 1771, however, which could be a reference to this building.

The roof was re-thatched in 1979, repaired in 1982 and re-thatched again in 1986, the work on each occasion carried out by Gerry Agnew using straw and wheat straw. Further repairs were undertaken by Gerry Agnew, this time with flax, in 1994. In the same year an enquiry was made about infilling the basement; as an integral part of the listed structure retention was recommended but the access opening sealed off.

Proposals for refurbishment and extension were submitted to EHS on 21 February 1998 and proposed reinstatement following a fire in February 2000 was received by EHS in January 2001.A further scheme of extension and refurbishment was being negotiated in mid 2006.

The roof was re-thatched by Master Thatchers using water reed in 2001.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/1/36 OS map, County Antrim sheet 36, with valuation
references (1832 / 33-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/182 First valuation, Grange of Ballyscullion (1836)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/1/36C OS map, County Antrim sheet 36, with valuation references (1857-c.59)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/1/72B Second valuation, Grange of Ballyscullion (1859)

Secondary sources
1 O’Laverty, Rev. James, ‘An Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor Ancient and Modern’ vol.III (Dublin, 1884), p.340 [A transcription of an advertisement for the sale of lands at Ardnaglass, 16 March 1771]
2 Girvan, W.D., ‘Lists of Historic Buildings…West Antrim’ (Belfast, 1970), p.29
3 Pierce, Richard, Cooey, Alistair and Oram, Richard, ‘Taken for Granted…’ (Belfast, 1984), p.36
4 Brett, C.E.B., ‘The Buildings of County Antrim’ (Belfast, 1996), p.254

Other references
1 EHS First Survey of Historic Buildings in Northern Ireland report (DOE), 23 March 1971
2 Various reports, EHS files.

The building appears on the 1832-3 OS map without the rear extension on the main building.
It appears on the 1857 OS map as existing, including the rear extension but excluding the toilet/boiler & store block at the south-west side of the site, and is named “Crosskeys Post Office”.
Re-thatching was completed by Gerry Agnes using straw in 1979.
Repair of the thatch was undertaken by Gerry Agnew using wheat straw in 1982.
Complete re-thatching by Gerry Agnew using wheat straw was carried out in 1986.
Repair of the thatch was undertaken by Gerry Agnew using flax in 1994.
In 1994 an enquiry was made about infilling the basement area. As it is an integral part of the listed structure retention was recommended and the access opening has now been sealed off.
Proposals for refurbishment and extension dated 17 February 1998 were submitted to EHS.
Proposed reinstatement following a fire that took place on 21 February 2000 was received by EHS on 3 January 2001.
The roof was re-thatched by Master Thatchers using water reed in 2001.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Located about six miles north of Randalstown this L-shaped building has a thatched roof between parapet gables and a plastered and whitened finish. Apart from the section of the roof that was replaced following the fire of February 2000 all of the early detail remains or has been restored to match the original. The use of a flush door between the lounges is a minor deviation.
The remaining roof structure is of high interest. It is thought to date from mid 18th century and the owner plans to have dentrochronology testing carried out.