House nr Camowen Green,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Pair of two-bay single-storey direct-entry vernacular dwellings, dating from the late nineteenth century, located to the west side of Camowen Road. Each have direct-entry rectangular plan.

Roof is pitched natural slate laid in diminishing courses; red brick corbelled chimneys. Walls are of rubble construction and lime-rendered. Windows are square-headed timber framed 2/2 sliding sash with exposed sash boxes supported by timber lintel; painted concrete sills.

Principal elevation faces south; each dwelling consists of central vertically-sheeted timber door flanked at left and right by single window (window at left blocked).

West gable is blank.

North elevation contains three windows, each with differing sill height; that to right is blocked.

East gable is blank.

Setting

Set in agricultural land at the corner of a lane leading to Camowen Green (HB11/07/040); access to farmland at west bounded by hedging.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Lime-rendere
Windows Timbe
RWG Casiron

Historical information

The building, which comprises two cottages side by side, first appears on the third edition OS map of 1906 in the grounds of ‘Camowen Green’ (HB11/07/040). The fabric suggests a late nineteenth construction but a precise date cannot be determined from the primary sources. This building seems to replace a building of a similar plan located slightly to the west that appears on the second edition of 1854 and is mentioned in Griffith’s Valuation. This dwelling was occupied by the same tenants, who appear to have moved to the new houses, at a time that is not noted in the records.

In Annual Revisions, two tenants are listed, Mary Reid and John Johnston and the lessor is John Norris, the occupier of ‘Camowen Green’. They are valued at 15s each. When Robert Harvey becomes occupier of Camowen Green in 1867/8, he also becomes lessor of these properties which fall vacant in 1902. In 1914 one cottage is let to John A Charters.

The building is distinctly vernacular in style with simple construction and materials, built in stone with natural slate roof laid in diminishing courses. The dwellings appear to have been combined into one some time during the early twentieth-century. Valuers' notes of 1934 record the dwelling as, "Large old one storey house in moderate order - was 2 cottier houses at one time. Service tenancy, no rent paid."

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/43/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/43/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/43/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/43/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1936-8)
5. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/43 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/28 – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/6A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
8. PRONI VAL/12/E/183/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan
9. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8R/1 - Valuers RV Binder (1933-57)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A pair of two-bay single-storey direct-entry vernacular houses, dating from the late nineteenth century, converted to one dwelling The dwellings retain original form, materials and internal fabric, including roof slates laid in diminishing courses, a feature localised to the area for buildings of the type. However, they are of a late date and not of the best examples of the type.