Former number 35 Cockhill Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A semi-detached asymmetrical two-bay single-storey vernacular dwelling of lime-washed rubblestone construction, built c.1830 and located within a linear group of similar buildings on the south side of Cockhill Road near Ballymena. Rectangular on plan, abutted to south by the supporting gable of No.37B, which contains original timber-framed thatched-roof under corrugated-iron sheeting. Building is currently vacant.

Pitched natural slate roof (roof-line lower than abutting buildings), with timber-framed structure entirely exposed to left-side of west elevation (appears to be a 20th century replacement). Single red brick chimneystack to north, without pots. No rainwater goods. Walling is random rubblestone construction, with lime mortar joints and vestiges of lime-wash over lime-render, particularly to north gable. Square-headed window openings with largely 1/1 timber sliding sashes, having partially exposed sash boxes and replacement glass. Single square-headed door opening to west elevation, having a timber lintel, plain rubblestone reveals and a painted timber-sheeted door within a timber frame.

Principal elevation faces west, three-openings wide with a door opening to left-side. Pair of windows have timber lintels, ogee horns, shallow cement-rendered reveals and painted concrete sills.

North gable elevation is blank.

Rear elevation faces east and comprises three window openings; windows have plain rubblestone surrounds, no sills and are set almost flush with wall-line. Those to the right-side have chamfered horns and that to far-right has margin-lights. Left window is a nine-paned fixed-light timber casement with exposed frame.

South elevation abutted by adjoining building, No.37B.

Setting

Forming part of a linear row of similarly dated vernacular dwellings, orientated perpendicular to the Cockhill Road. The northern gable of the former No.35 directly lines the southern side of the road. Sited within a rural farmland
setting, the immediate surroundings are wooded and overgrown. A small, shared yard to the east is overgrown and is bound by a low rubblestone wall curving from north to south. The building forms part of a wider complex of vernacular farm structures located within a separate yard to the south and east, which are thought to be associated with the thatched dwelling at No.39 (HB07/10/017), to the south. This yard of outbuildings, in conjunction with No.39, are separately accessed from Cockhill Road, via a sweeping path to the north-east. Whilst the southern former dwellings in the terraced row have principal elevations which face east, that to the former No.35 and the abutting No.37B, both have principal elevations facing west.

Materials
Roof – Natural slate
RWG – None
Walls – Lime-wash render over uncoursed rubblestone
Windows – 1/1 timber sliding sashes & one multi-paned fixed-light timber casement

Historical information

This linear group of buildings is first shown on the first edition OS map (1833), forming part of a larger group with those to the north-east and having two small outbuildings in close proximity to the north-west.

The linear group of individual dwellings, comprising the present Nos.39, 37, 37B and the former No.35, remained largely unchanged on the second edition map (1853), except for the north-western outbuildings. The northernmost of these had been removed by this time, whilst the other outbuilding was connected to the western elevation of No.37.

The property is recorded in Griffith’s Valuation (c.1859), however the handwritten numbering on the accompanying map is very difficult to discern. Although unclear, the group of small dwellings, comprising Nos.37, 37B and the former No.35, appear to have been those leased by a Robert Dill to a Hugh Campbell and a Thomas Tweedy, which were valued at £1 and £0 15s respectively, and that leased by a John Hanna to a Samuel McDonnell, which was valued at £0 10s.

The different owners of the various buildings within the wider cluster indicate that this settlement may have originally developed as a clachan. Some of the buildings may have also been lodgings for farm workers, in particular the adjoining No.37B to the immediate south, which contains a single room with a hearth, characteristic of workers’ lodgings.

Subsequent OS maps show that the footprint of the building has remained unchanged since at least the mid 19th century. By the fourth edition OS map (1936) the complex of buildings is captioned ‘Hannastown’, reflecting the fact that the Hanna family had continuously occupied a number of the buildings since at least the mid 19th century.

The subsequent Annual Revision maps and records are also very unclear, however the rateable value of the buildings appears to have remained largely unchanged until at least the First General Revaluations (c.1930). Evidence obtained on site indicates that the timber roof structure of the former No.35 was replaced in the late 19th or early 20th century, with a slated cover likely replacing previous thatch. Census records (1901 & 1911), in conjunction with the Annual Revisions (1894-1920), show that the house was thought to have been occupied by a master carpenter, Robert Agnew, although this information remains unclear.

No.35 remained in use as a dwelling until at least the mid 20th century. The building, along with those which make up the wider complex, have all been vacated in recent years.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/37/1 First edition OS map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/37/2 Second edition OS map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/37/3 Third edition OS map (1906-07)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/37/4 Fourth edition OS map (1936)
5. PRONI VAL/12/D/1/37A-N Annual Revision Maps (1860-1935)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/2A Griffith’s Valuation Records (1859)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/3/18/A-E Annual Revision Records (1863-1930)
8. 1901 & 1911 Census Records

Secondary Sources
1. HB File (HB07/LQ065)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A fairly good example of an early to mid 19th century former vernacular dwelling, which is characterised by typically modest proportions and the use of locally sourced building materials.

Threatened by demolition, modernisation or dereliction, vernacular dwellings such as this are an increasingly rare building type. The adjoining buildings and the associated outbuildings make an important contextual contribution, and the group constitutes a significant example of a large traditional farmstead. Clachans such as this were once a common feature within the rural landscape of Ulster but have become increasingly scarce over recent decades. In particular, the abutting thatched structure to the south is a rare surviving example, retaining a lobby-entry plan form and an early example of a raised cruck-framed thatch roof.

Though making an important contribution to the setting of the adjacent vernacular dwellings, the poor condition and 20th century alterations to the fabric of the building are considered to have removed much of the original hisotric character and fabric of the building. Insufficient remains for the building to be considered of special interest, however the building is of significant local interest and is an important structure in the setting of the adjacent thatcthed dwelling. It should be noted that any alterations to the structure of this building could have a signficiant impact on the structural integrity of the adjacent thatched dwelling no. 37b (HB 07/10/035).

General comments

also HB07/LQ065

This record has been re-numbered and was previously HB07/10/036.