Former house

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single storey, two-bay direct entry house facing east. Originally a pair, the second dwelling is now represented by a wallstead set back from the general building line.

Access is by means of a lane that travels in a south-easterly direction from Tirnony Road that emanates from the Maghera / Swatragh Road just over one and a half miles from the former town.

The roof covering is of corrugated iron finished with a cement skew at the front of the left (south) end and continuing to the right (north) over a byre, with roofing sections missing or dislodged, and terminating in a lean-to corrugated iron roofed shed that has a fascia of similar material incorporating an aperture made up of two vertical panes. Above this shed the outline of a previous roof is in evidence at a lower level on the gable of the byre.

There are two chimneystacks one centrally placed above the kitchen hearth and the other on the south gable serving the parlour fireplace.

The wall finishes are either roughcast or exposed stone.

The timber ledged and sheeted entrance door is flanked to the left (south) by two windows. The first is top-hung aluminium framed without a sill set in a newly-plastered surround with a timber sheeted soffit. The second retains the frame of a timber window within a newly-plastered surround and with a sill of traditional depth. The entrance to the byre, partly closed with concrete blocks retains the remains of a timber sheeted door.

Historical information

The building is reputed to be the earliest that survives in the townland.

It appears on both the 1831-2 and 1853 Ordnance maps.

References – Primary Sources

1. OS map, 1st edition 1831-2, sheet 32, Co. Londonderry
2. OS map, 1st revision 1853, sheet 32, Co. Londonderry

Secondary Sources
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Information from Niall O’Kane of the Carntogher Community Association.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This single storey, two-bay, direct entry house has it's layout intact including an outshout that it is typical for this part of N Ireland. It is an interesting example of a vernacular house even though none of the original roof structure or roofing materials remain in place.