Sandville,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey farmhouse built c.1810, located to the east side of Altrest Road, Bready. Rectangular-on-plan facing South with central single-storey canted extension at north.

Roofs are pitched asbestos slated; terracotta ridge tiles; four red brick corbelled gable chimneystacks with round clay pots; smooth rendered eaves course supporting timber bargeboards and replacement ogee uPVC rainwater goods. Walls are pebble-dashed over smooth rendered plinth. (east side of house has projecting plinth, west is flush, the house in its entirety appears to be built c.1810; this suggests that the east side of the house was built from the remains of a previous farm dwelling); windows to South elevation are generally 6/6 timber sliding sashes at ground floor; 6/3 at first floor (diminished in height) except for two at extreme right that are top hung as North elevation, windows at north are top hung timber casements, all with projecting masonry cills and smooth rendered banding unless otherwise stated.

Principal (south) elevation central bay contains four-panelled entrance door with sidelights and fanlight over, tripartite window at first floor; left bay contains tripartite window at each floor; right bay contains tripartite window at each floor at left, and timber sliding-sash windows at right at each floor.

Left (west) gable is contains 6/6 timber sliding sash at right and 2/2 timber casement at left; first floor is blank.

Rear (north) elevation is abutted at centre by single-storey canted extension with hipped artificial slate roof. At left, four-panelled replacement entrance door with transom light; tripartite casement window at right. At left of extension, replacement timber panelled door with glazed panes over at left; two windows at right; six windows at first floor.

Right (east) gable contains single 2/2 timber casement at right; first floor is blank.

Set within a rural farmyard to the east of Altrest Road, Bready; the house is preserved within its original
setting with traditional farmyard to north enclosed by replacement plastered boundary wall at west and single-storey outbuildings at east, (south of which is traditionally constructed with roughcast rendered walls and natural slate roof); the south side of the house contains garden enclosed from road at west by rendered boundary wall with square piers supporting wrought-iron pedestrian gate. Immediately west of Altrest road there are several single-storey and two-storey outbuildings, a former flax-mill which pre-dates Sandville house. Traditionally constructed with random rubble and brick, lime rendered with combination of natural slate and corrugated tin roofing. The road-edge building aligned north south contains three round-arched-headed carriage openings, the left of which contains vertically sheeted timber door.

Roof Asbestos slate
Walling Pebble-dash over smooth rendered plinth
Windows South elevation - 6/6 timber sliding sashes at ground floor; 6/3 at first floor (diminished in height), top hung casements at north
RWG Ogee profile replacement uPVC

Historical information

The house appears on the first edition of the OS map (1832-3) uncaptioned. It is later captioned “Sandville” (OS Maps, 1853, 1905).. A formal garden is also indicated on the second edition.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) records a dwelling (80x25x16.3) and an addition (9.6x9.6x5.6) occupied by Robert Alexander. Also present are a feeding shed, a garden house and three offices all valued at £20 7s 11¾d.

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) states that Robert Alexander of Sandville occupies the house which is leased from the Marquis of Abercorn. It is described as a house, offices, flax mill and land. The buildings are valued at £14 and the flax mill at £4 10s.

Annual Revisions record the house passing to the Thompson family in the 1890s but continuing to be leased from the Abercorns. A marginal note of 1894 states: “Flax mill and dwelling house in good repair.”

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/2/1– First Edition OS Map (1832-3)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/2/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/2 – Townland Valuation Map(1828-40)
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/639A&B – Townland Valuation Records (1828-40)
6. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/2A-B – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/42C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/18A-G – Annual Revision Records (1860-1925)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A traditionally constructed early-nineteenth century farm dwelling built c.1810; located east of the Altrest Road, Bready. Preserved within its original setting with informal farmyard to north and former flax mill at west; The curiously long front elevation retains its Georgian character and has a particularly interesting fanlight and tri-partite timber sash windows.