15 Tamnymullan Lane

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The house is situated at the end of a winding lane that proceeds in a north-westerly direction from Moneysharvan Road just short of a mile from the centre of Maghera travelling northwards towards Swatragh.

A single storey, three-bay, direct entry house with outbuildings extending from the right (north-west) gable.

The roofs are covered with corrugated iron, over thatch in the case of the dwelling, otherwise exposed over a pair of early trusses and modern sawn construction in the outbuildings. The sheeting over the first two bays of the dwelling is contained within concrete skews each of which rises to a corbelled brick chimney that at the right that serves the kitchen having a flue pipe as a pot. The living accommodation extends for a further bay in the direction of the outbuildings.

The walls of the dwelling are of stone finished in whitened roughcast and with a black recessed base. The outbuildings are finished in roughcast or harling.

The entrance with a timber ledged and sheeted door is flanked to the left (south-east) by one and to the right by two vertically sliding sashed windows with exposed frames and concrete sills of traditional depth. The widow to the left is 3/6 pane with one canted and one rounded sash stop. That on the right beside the entrance has1/2 panes and the final window has a small plain sash over one of double depth. These two windows have moulded sash stops. There are two steps before the entrance that is provided with small door blocks.

Proceeding along the front elevation to the right (north-west) the series of openings begins with a ledged and timber sheeted door, then a large 4/4 metal window with the top section and one of the bottom panes opening, next there are a three timber ledged and sheeted stable type doors. The third door has a sheet of corrugated plastic fixed to the upper panel.

After a small gap of under 1 metre there occurs almost at right angles a stone built byre with pitched corrugated iron covered roof entered by a stable type door with the top section missing. Abutting this on the right hand (north-east) side a brick built lean-to corrugated iron covered structure retains the cast iron bottom part of a stable type door.

The south-east gable of the dwelling supports a lean-to brick built store with corrugated asbestos roof and small window in the gable.

The rear of the building is overgrown and inaccessible.

Historical information

The buildings appear as existing on the OS map of 1832 and are unchanged on the revision of 1854.

References – Primary Sources

1. OS Map, 1st edition 1832, Co. Londonderry, sheet 36
2. 1st Revision 1854, Co. Londonderry, sheet 36

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Located at the end of a winding lane about a mile from Maghera.The hoise is a single storey, three-bay, direct entry house with outbuildings extending from the north-west gable.
Acceptable modifications have taken place within the original layout to provide a space to be used as a scullery and to add an internal porch.
The thatch has been retained under corrugated iron sheeting.
The fireplace is intact and timber ledged and sheeted doors remain throughout.
Two early trusses have been used to continue to offer some support to the outbuilding roofs.