4 Ports Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A ruinous dwelling now of little architectural interest.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834 / 35 and all others thereafter. It is first recorded in the valuation of 1862, with an Edward Devitt listed as the occupant, John Madden as the immediate lessor, and the rateable value £1.

The first survey of 1983 describes the building as: ‘A one-storey thatched and lime-washed cottage. Two lime-washed cross-wall chimneys. Thatch stops before gables. Windows are various fixed and double-hung sashes with small panes. Doors are sheeted. Present front door was originally the back door and has no porch, but rear door has windbreak porch and interior screen wall with rectangular peephole to main room. Main room has an open roof; turf scraws held by ropes, roughly hewn ‘rafters’ and original purlins remain (very rough hewn). They are doubled by more recent timbers. Outside is a turf house, thatched on timber uprights. All stores thatched.’ The survey also states that ‘[The] Present owner (aged 83) remembers no major changes to the house in her lifetime (apart from the demise of the old dresser!). She still cooks on the open fire. Until recently it has been thatched by a relative (aged 70) who has recently become seriously ill’.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/4/39 OS map, County Fermanagh sheet 39, with valuation
references, (1834 / 35-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/2A/4/39B Revised OS map, County Fermanagh sheet 39, with valuation references, (1857-c.62)
3 PRONI VAL/2B/4/7E Second valuation, Galloon (1862)

Other references
1 EHS HB12/02/051 First Survey record card (1983)

This building is shown on the 1834 OS 6" map and subsequent editions. It is not valued in the 1835 Valuation, indicating a small vernacular building. It is valued at £1 in the 1862 Valuation. These data accord with the present structure which is probably of earlier 19th century date.

The First survey card of 1983 describes the building as “a one storey thatched and lime-washed cottage. Two lime washed cross-wall chimneys. Thatch stops before gables. Windows are various fixed and double-hung sashes with small panes. Doors are sheeted. Present front door was originally the back door and has no porch, but rear door has windbreak porch and interior screen wall with rectangular peephole to main room. Main room has an open roof; turf scraws held by ropes, roughly hewn ‘rafters’ and original purlins remain (very rough hewn). They are doubled by more recent timbers. Outside is a turf house, thatched on timber uprights. All stores are thatched.”

The card also states: “Present owner (aged 83) remembers no major changes to the house in her lifetime (apart from the demise of the old dresser!). She still cooks on the open fire. Until recently it has been thatched by a relative (aged 70) who has recently become seriously ill.”

Primary sources:
1. OS 6" map, 1st edition (1834), Co Fermanagh sheet 39 (PRONI OS 6/4/39/1).
2. Second Valuation book, Galloon Parish, Clones Union, 1862, p.151.
3. HMBB survey card, 1983.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A ruinous dwelling now of little architecturally interest.