21 Fernagh Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached four-bay single-storey whitewashed stone house, built c.1820. Rectangular on plan facing east set perpendicular to the road, with byre attached to north gable. Two detached ranges of single-storey outbuildings to the east and south form an informal rectangular front yard.

Pitched natural slate roof, black clay ridge tiles, two brick chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Whitewash over rubble stone walling. Square-headed window openings formed in painted brick with timber lintels, concrete sills and replacement 6/6 timber sliding sash windows with angled horns and exposed sash boxes. Off-centre shallow windbreaker porch formed in painted brick with Liscannor stone shelter with tongue-and-groove painted timber door. To the rear elevation is a short outshot formed in painted brick with a diminutive window opening, and a square-headed door opening formed in painted brick with timber lintel and painted tongue-and-groove timber door.

A detached painted stone structure to the rear has a pitched natural slate roof and timber sheeted door.

Setting:-
Both ranges of outbuildings are single-storey with pitched natural slate roofs, cast-iron rainwater goods, painted rubble stone walling and square-headed door openings formed in brick with timber lintels and vertically-sheeted timber half-doors. Two small window openings to the south range only with timber casement windows. The forecourt is grassed with some modern paving in front of the outbuilding opposite the house. Otherwise there are a few mature shrubs and some trees in the boundary hedges.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Replacement timber
Rainwater goods: Cast-iron

Historical information

A structure is shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1833, as is an outbuilding to the east side. A small building to the west elevation is first shown on the 1906 OS map. It is difficult to be certain whether the present building dates from before the first edition of 1833 as it has been subject to some remodelling.

The property is not included in the Townland Valuation. Griffith’s Valuation records a ‘house, offices and land’, which is valued at 15s.6d, occupied by Michael Higgins and leased from Alexander McCausland. There is a change in occupier to Bernard McAteer in 1910.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/1-5 - Ordnance Survey Maps (1833, 1854, 19006, 1935-1, 1964)
2. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/35 - Townland Valuation (1820-1840)
3. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/35B - Griffith’s Valuation Map (1858)
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/47A - Griffith’s Valuation (1858)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/17A-F - Valuation Revisions (1860-1923)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached four-bay single-storey whitewashed stone house, built c.1820. Recently refurbished in a sensitive manner with replacement timber sliding sash windows, natural slate roofs and vertically-sheeted half-doors. With much salvage materials used, it is difficult to distinguish original fabric from replacement, however, the overall composition remains intact and it is a good example of a traditional small holding in a sheltered rural setting. Its survival is of note and it represents a type that is fast disappearing.