20 Draperstown Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

From the south-west end of Tobermore at the intersection with Wood Road the road to Draperstown travels north-west and then turns west to reach Evergreen Farm (No. 22) that is situated to the west of the lane that gives access to 20 Draperstown Road. The distance travelled is just over half a mile from Tobermore and the lane is about a quarter of a mile in extent.

A one and a half storey, four bay, direct entry house with corrugated asbestos roof that was substituted in 1942 for the thatched covering.

The house faces south-east overlooking a lawn with herbaceous borders. The enclosing wall is of concrete construction and access is by means of a flat iron gate.

The construction of the house is of stone and brickwork with a roughcast finish above a recessed dark coloured plinth.

There are five double-corbelled chimneystacks, on one each gable and the others at intermediate points over the kitchen, bedroom and parlour hearths. There are no pots. Rainwater goods are of plastic with gutters fixed to timber fascias.

The entrance is protected by a projecting porch with curved corrugated iron roof and with a top-hung timber window on either side.

The entrance door is glazed above and below with single panels and is flanked on either side by upper lights all glazed with obscure glass.

The porch is flanked by two top-hung timber windows on either side. Sills are of traditional depths.

There is a similar window at upper level in the right hand (north-east) gable and the left-hand (south-west) gable is blank.

A shed of brick and stone construction with curved corrugated iron roof abuts the north-east gable.

At the rear north-east corner there is a scullery projection with lean -to corrugated asbestos roof and with wall finish similar to the main house. The entrance door is flush and the windows, one at the front and one in the north-east wall, are of the top-hung timber variety.

There are five windows to the right (south-west) all of top-hung timber construction. All with traditional depths of sills apart from that lighting the bathroom which is without such a feature. The parlour window is paired.

Historical information

The building appears on the first map of 1832 with a single outbuilding projecting at the north-west corner.

The map of 1854 is similar but has the addition of a projection, integral with the house, at the south-east corner. This feature no longer exists.

The alterations which date from 1942 include the raising of the walls, applying a new wall finish, forming a new roof structure and making certain internal alterations.

References – Primary Sources

1. OS map, 1st edition 1832, Co. Londonderry sheet 36
2. OS map, 1st revision 1854, Co. Londonderry sheet 36

Secondary Sources

Information from owner on 15 October 2003 and 11August 2004

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This house is located just over half a mile from Tobermore at the end of a shared lane about a quarter of a mile in extent. The lane leads off from Wood Road near the SW end of Tobermore going towards Draperstown.It is a one and a half storey, four bay, direct entry house with corrugated asbestos roof. The building is at least of 19th. C date but could be much earlier.The window opening proportions are suggestive of the 18th C. The house retains a strong historic character despite the alterations.