31 Essan Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay single-storey direct-entry lime-washed thatched house, built c.1830. Rectangular on plan, facing east with windbreaker entrance porch, outshot to rear and a further multi-bay single-storey thatched outbuilding to north, set perpendicular to house.

Pitched straw thatched roof. To the interior is an early rough-hewn timber roof structure complete with unsawn ridges, sawn and unsawn A-frames, unsawn purlins and rafters and peat scraw underthatch. Cement verges to either gable surmounted by rendered chimneystacks. Lime-wash over rubble stone walling. Square-headed window openings, concrete sills and replacement timber casement windows.

Three-bay front elevation with a central shallow windbreaker entrance porch with lean-to concrete roof, cement render walling and square-headed door opening having replacement vertically-sheeted timber door with glazed panel, opening onto concrete step to gravel front area.

South gable end with large cement rendered chimneystack and a single square-headed window opening to former attic level with timber casement window.

Rear west elevation with small outshot to the northern end and a single square-headed window opening with replacement timber casement window.

North gable end with cement rendered chimneystack and pebbledash cement render.

Thatched outbuilding to the northwest has a pitched rush thatched roof, lime-washed rubble stone walling and vertically-sheeted timber doors.

To the interior is an early rough-hewn timber roof structure complete with sawn A-frames and purlins, unsawn rafters and peat scraw underthatch. A single former chimney remains to the centre of outbuilding.

Set on an elevated site to the north of Essan Road with a gravel lane enclosed by raised ditch.

Roof: Straw thatch.
Walling: Lime-washed rubble stone
Windows: Square-headed timber casements
RWG: N/A

Historical information

The houses are shown on the first edition OS map of 1833.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) finds that there are ‘no houses in this townland worth five pounds a year’.

In Griffith’s Valuation the buildings are listed as ‘house, offices and land’ occupied by John Byrne and leased from Michael and Frederick Smith. The buildings are valued at 15s. In 1886 Annual Revisions raise the value to £1. The occupiers remain the Byrne family.

References:

Primary Sources

PRONI OS/6/6/22/1 – Ordnance Survey Map 1833
PRONI OS/6/6/22/2 – Ordnance Survey Map 1854
PRONI OS/6/6/22/3 – Ordnance Survey Map 1904
PRONI VAL/1A/6/22 – Townland Valuation Map
PRONI VAL/1B/636A-B – Townland Valuation Records (1828-1840)
PRONI VAL/2/B/6/38C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
PRONI VAL/12/B/35/14A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
PRONI VAL/12/D/6/22A-D – Annual Revisions Maps (1860-1929)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Small single storey direct entry thatched dwelling which despite having had its interior modified, retains a wealth of original fabric and together with its thatched outbuilding, and early roof structure, forms an intact vernacular group in this remote and unspoiled rural setting. This type of building is becoming increasing rare and those that are this mostly unchanged are important.