Stragullin,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1865, located to the west side of Drum Road, Strabane. Rectangular-on-plan facing west with central single-storey entrance porch; single-storey return with pitched roof to rear.

Roof is hipped natural slate, blue/black clay ridge tiles, four smooth rendered corbelled chimneystacks with decorative clay pots. Corbelled eaves supporting u-profile cast-iron rainwater goods; walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with projecting plinth and projecting rendered stepped quoins; windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes with projecting stone cills.

Principal elevation faces west; abutted at centre by single-storey entrance porch with flat parapet roof, flanked by window to each side; three windows at first floor. Entrance porch contains dipartite window at east; entrance door to north and south cheek, both contain original glazed four-panelled timber door, each accessed by four stone steps.

Left (north) elevation is three-bay and contains central entrance door, flanked by window at each side; three windows at first floor. Original timber panelled entrance door with glazed panes and transom light over; accessed by single masonry step.

Rear elevation is abutted at left by single-storey return with pitched roof; exposed section at left contains stairwell window, two windows at each floor at right.

Right (south) elevation contains three windows at each floor.

Return has hipped natural slate roof, walls are roughcast rendered. North elevation contains single replacement uPVC casement window; east elevation contains vertically sheeted timber door at right, two 2/2 timber sliding sashes at left, abutted at left corner by random rubble boundary wall enclosing yard to west. West elevation is blank, east elevation contains a single 6/6 timber sliding sash window at left.

Immediately east of the house the remaining fragments of stone slabs arranged in a circular pattern indicate and early horse engine house. The house is accessed both from the east and north; the north lane encompasses an arrangement of farm buildings to the north east. House accessed at north via decorative wrought-iron gates and railing; entrance at east comprises cast-iron gates supported on cast-iron posts and flanked by smooth rendered square piers with pyramidal caps.

Roof Natural Slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined render
Windows 6/6 timber sliding sashes
RWG U-profile cast-iron

Historical information

The house is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1905. The first edition OS map of 1832-3 shows a collection of ancillary buildings to the north of the current house, some of which are still in existence. The complex is captioned ‘Strathgullin’ on the second edition OS map of 1855.

Griffith’s Valuation of 1858 records a ‘house, offices and land’ on the site, occupied by Aaron Gordon and leased from the Marquis of Abercorn and Captain Murray. The buildings are valued at £10.5s.

Valuation Revisions record an increase in valuation to £25 in 1865. A marginal note reads ‘value new home at £20’, indicating that the house had recently been constructed at this date; the offices are valued at £5. A slight increase to £26.10s is recorded in 1878 due to the addition of ‘Cottier’s House’. The Gordon family remained in residence during the period of Annual Revisions (until 1929). However, the lessor became George Knaggs in 1889.

The First Survey information notes that the property is a ‘…Victorian design which retains fenestration of Georgian proportions. The Gordon family, who were in Ireland by 1741, acquired the land at Stragullin in 1798 and the present house was erected in 1865’.

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/6/10/1-First Edition OS Map (1832-3)
2.PRONI OS/6/6/10/2-Second Edition OS Map (1855)
3.PRONI OS/6/6/10/3-Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4.PRONI VAL/1/B/638C-Townland Valuation (1820-1840)
5.PRONI VAL/2/B/6/41-Griffith’s Valuation (1858)
6.PRONI VAL/12/B/42/10A-G-Valuation Revisions (1860-1929)

Secondary Sources

1. UAHS file D2734/3

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1865, located to the west side of Drum Road, Strabane. The house displays good style and proportions and features a double sided front porch and steps. Largely intact in plan form and detailing internally and externally the building is well-conceived. It is enhanced by its rural farmyard setting and mature gardens and overall the house contributes significantly to the architectural heritage of the local rural area.