9 Barleyhill Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey direct-entry house, built c.1820, located to the east side of Barleyhill Road. Rectangular-on-plan with single-storey flat-roofed porch to west; attached outbuildings to south; attached single-bay two-storey wing at north (partially collapsed).

Roof is pitched natural slate; rendered red brick chimneys (that to north collapsed). Walls are lime-rendered over rubble construction. Windows are square-headed timber-framed 3/6 sliding sash at ground floor and 6/6 at first floor; all supported by timber lintels; all have sandstone sills.

Principal elevation faces west; abutted at centre wind-break porch with concrete roof (door missing); window opening to each bay at each floor.

North elevation is abutted by north wing; west elevation largely overgrown; north elevation is exposed rubble and contains projecting chimney-breast; east elevation contains single casement window and square-headed door opening at ground floor surmounted by single casement at first floor.

East elevation contains four window openings at each floor; two at ground floor left have been widened and are partially collapsed.

South elevation is abutted by one-and-a-half-storey pitched outbuilding with roughcast walls and corrugated metal roof; further abutted by single-storey stableblock with hipped natural slate roof.

Set within rural farmyard accessed from road at west through pair of wrought-iron gates supported on rendered brick piers in rubble walling; to south, one-and-a-half-storey mill building; roof is pitched corrugated metal and walls are rubble (east elevation rebuilt in concrete blocks); remains of cast-iron mill-wheel to west elevation. To south-west, ruin of two-storey barn; walls are exposed rubble with fieldstone quoins; segmental-headed carriage-arch; steps to east provide access to first floor. To north, further yard contains two-storey lime-rendered stable-block with pitched natural slate roof; steps at west provide access to first floor; and single-storey barn abutted at east by small byre; roofs are pitched corrugated metal; walls are exposed rubble with fieldstone quoins.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Lime-rendered
Windows Timber-framed 3/6 sliding sashes; 6/6 at first floor
Rainwater goods Steel half-round gutters and round downpipes; cast-iron to east

Historical information

A rectangular structure, comprising two dwellings, is present on the first edition OS map of 1833 together with outbuildings to the north. By the third edition of 1905 there are outbuildings to the south and west adjoining the more southerly house. The more northerly house appears to have been extended to the rear.

The main structure on the site comprised two separate dwellings. In the Townland Valuation (1828-40) the occupiers are listed as Thomas McFarland and William Knox and the houses are valued at £4.4s.1d and £4.0s.8d. A note states of Knox’s house, ‘Dwelling house part occupied by old Knox as a freedom’. Dimensions are given for both houses and their outbuildings.

In Griffith’s Valuation (1859) the lessor of both houses is Sir Robert Ferguson Bt and they are valued at £5 (McFarland’s house to the south) and £1.10s (Knox’s house to the north). In 1862 William Knox becomes the lessor of both houses. In the fieldbook dated 1864-79 a ‘mill’ is inserted in McFarland’s plot and the value is consequently raised to £7. Knox’s buildings are raised in value in 1872 to £3, a marginal note reading, ‘+offs’. In 1891 the Knox buildings are again raised in value, to £5.10s, and a note reads, ‘house raised and slated’.

In 1933 the McFarland house is listed as a house, offices, mill and land. However, the reference to ‘mill’ is later deleted (change undated). The house is valued at £5.15, later raised to £7 together with £1.15s for outbuildings. It consists of a kitchen, three rooms, p[antry?], store room, three bedrooms and a further store room upstairs. The valuer notes that the house is occupied rent free by the brother of the owner and that clean water is close by. The house is constructed of rubble masonry and slated. A plan and dimensions are given.

The house of Mrs Sidney Knox comprises a porch, kitchen, three rooms, pantry, four bedrooms and two attic bedrooms (unceiled) and is of rubble masonry and slated. A plan and dimensions are given. It is initially valued at £3.10s, later amended to £7.15s with £2 for outbuildings.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/16/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/16/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1855)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/16/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/16/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1939)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/16 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/633 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/16 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation, Union of Castlederg (1859)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/35/16A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
10. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/1N/1 – Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached three-bay two-storey direct-entry house, built c.1820, located to the east side of Barleyhill Road. The house retains its external form and detailing and internal internally a masonry wall-hearth to the kitchen, an important element within a house of this type. The site contains outbuildings and the remains of a mill building. Although of interest as a vernacular farmhouse, the building has suffered loss of original fabric through deterioration and does not meet the criteria for listing.