39 Sixtowns Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The house is approached through a pair of flat iron gates hung on large circular section pillars with oversailing conical concrete caps. It is angled to the road that travels in a south-westerly direction from Draperstown to eventually reach Gortin but only a matter of half a mile from the former town.

The house that faces south is made up of three parts together with a modern extension at the rear all with a plastered and whitened finish.

The central section facing the road has a thatched roof between raised parapet gables. A slightly recessed portion to the left (west) has a similar roof finish. The ridges are decorated with exposed scollops and the eaves are cut tight to the wall faces. The chimneystacks that rise from either gable now appear very tall because of the lowering of the pitch of the roof. The portion to the left has had thatch substituted for the earlier felt covering as part of a scheme completed in 2001. There are lead flashings where this roof abuts against the parapet gable of the central part. The chimneystacks are finished with cappings as before and each supports a single black pot.

To the right (east) of the central part a store, recessed at front, is roofed with corrugated iron as before.

The central part is fronted by a lead covered cube porch with cast iron rainwater goods and with a part glazed sheeted entrance door. There is a quartered window on either side rather than the earlier six-pane lights. The wall surfaces on either side of the porch each contain a vertically sliding window with sashes divided vertically into two panes. These windows have small curved sash stops. The store is lighted by a fixed quartered window. Sills are of reasonable depths at leading faces. There are no openings in the gables or in the rear wall of the main house.

The extension is roofed with natural slate, including the boiler house, and the windows are top hung with sashes divided into two panes vertically.

The stone outbuilding to the east of the dwelling house is contemporary with the main building. The entrancve is bounded by circular "Ulster" pillars and the gste is a traditional wrought iron , blacksmith made, farm gate.These also appear to be contemporary with the dwelling.

Historical information

There is no building marked on this site on the OS map of 1832, but a house matching the present is shown on the revised map of 1856-57. The valuation of 1858 records the occupant as an Anne Crilly, with a Charles Murray and the Trustees of Robert Ogilby Esq the immediate lessors, with the rateable value calculated at 8/-.
A thatching scheme was carried out prior to the " Monitoring of Thatched Buildings" visit in April 1994. There was little sign of deterioration at that time.
The appendages at the rear were not considered a visual asset.The option of forming a separate unit connected by a short link was undertaken. This scheme was completed in 2001.
The owner was of the opinion that the existing roof timbers were unusable and gave instructions that they were to be replaced.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/5/40 OS map, County Londonderry sheet 40, with valuation
references, (1832)
2 PRONI VAL/2A/5/40A Revised OS map, County Londonderry sheet 40, with valuation references, (1856-57)
3 PRONI VAL/2B/5/28C Second valuation, Ballynascreen (1858)
References – Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

Monitoring of Thatched Buildings, report by Colin Hatrick to EHS 29 June 1994
Information from owner, Mrs McAuley, 10 July 2001.
Various reports in EHS file.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A single storey, four-bay, direct entry thatched house located adjoining a main road about half a mile west of Draperstown. .
The house has been largely rebuilt but continues to present a picturesque appearance on the approach to the Sperrin Mountains especially when viewed through the framework of the gates. Considerable effort has been expended to achieve a “restoration” that is admired in the locality. The early roof was not recorded and all that may be said is that the change in profile is regretted as the proportions of the house are affected, exacerbated by the exposure of the chimneystacks. The outbuilding,"Ulster" pillars and wrought iron farm gate also contribute to the period character.