Turf House / Pig Crew

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-storey turf house (two-storey at rear due to the topography, and accommodating a pig-crew underneath) aligned NW-SE on a lane at the E of Corraghy Townland.

Pitched natural slate roof with half-round plastic rainwater goods. Walls are random rubble stone with dressed stepped quoins (some tooled).

Principal gable faces NW and contains a full-height semi-circular voussoired and keyblocked opening to turf-house.

NE elevation has three tall narrow ventilation openings (with stone lintels) to turf house. The left-hand side is two storey; ground floor contains a t+g sheeted door, with heavy stone lintel and stepped jambs, into the pig crew.

Rear gable is abutted by a single storey extension. The exposed section has a small square ventilation opening to upper level. The extension is cement rendered with monopitched corrugated metal roof and half-round metal rainwater goods. It has a corrugated metal door to right cheek; all other elevations are blank.

SW elevation has three tall ventilation openings to upper section, detailed as before.

Setting:
The turf-house forms part of a coherent group comprising a stable and byre (HB12/01/081) directly opposite and a sweat house (HB12/01/046) close-by. The present complex includes a modern farm and two modern dwellings, all occupying an isolated site at the end of a long lane.

Historical information

First cited on the 1906-07 OS 6” map, indicating a later-19th century construction date.

Primary sources:
1. OS map, 2nd edition 1857, Co Fermanagh 35.
2. OS map, 3rd edition 1906-07, Co Fermanagh 35.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An example of a turf house, built on a steep slope on and elevated site and incorporating a pig crew to lower level.