House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long single-storey farmhouse of pre 1835 construction, whose vernacular appearance has been disguised by a ‘formal’ makeover of c.1918. The property is set to the south of Carbet Road, roughly two miles north of Portadown.

The house is set on a N-S axis with a collections of outbuildings to the S and E. The asymmetrical front elevation faces W. Roughly to the centre of this elevation there is a flat-roofed porch to the W face of which is the main entrance, which consists of a flat-arch doorway with (recent) panelled timber door with lattice-paned sidelights. To both the N and S faces of the porch there is a window, similar to the sidelights. To the left of the porch there are two similar sized flat-arched windows with stone cills and replacement c.1980s timber frames with top-hug openers with lattice panes. To the right of the porch there are two widely-spaced windows, with that to left greatly enlarged (probably in the early 1900s). Both windows have frames similar to previous.

There are no openings to the N gable. To the S gable there is a lower, gabled shed extension with a small flat-arched window opening to its gable and a flat-arched doorway to the E face, with timber sheeted door.

To the far left of the E elevation of the house there is a small porch extension with a mono-pitch roof and flat-arched doorway -whose door has fallen off- to its E face. To the immediate right of the porch there is a window, as front left. Beyond this there is a relatively long lean-to projection with two high level flat-arched windows (with recent two-pane timber frames). Set between these windows is a flat-arched doorway with partly glazed panelled timber door. To the right of the lean-to are two windows, as front left.

The façade is finished in painted roughcast with painted smooth cement render in-out ‘quoins’, base course and window surrounds. The porch is largely finished in painted smooth cement render with some ‘decorative roughcast panels. The roof is covered in corrugated-iron and has a slight overhang with plain barges and eaves. There are two rendered chimneystacks, positioned symmetrically on the ridge. The render to the gable indicates that the roof has been raised slightly. UPVC rw goods.

The shed extension is also finished in painted roughcast, with its roof covered in corrugated-iron also.

To the W of the house the is a large L-shaped single-storey outbuilding made up of a number of components, some corrugated-iron clad, other roughcast finished, with roofs a mixture of curved, mono-pitched and gabled. These have obviously been built in stages, the corrugated-iron sections to the N end dating from the early 1900s. Detached from these, to the SW of the house there is a large part brick, part corrugated-iron, partly open, barn with a curved ‘Belfast Truss’ roof with the ‘McTear’ form of the truss.

The farmyard itself is partly concrete and partly tarmac covered. There is a large garden (beyond a hedge) to the W of the house, with the yard and garden enclosed from the road by a low roughcast rendered wall.

Historical information

A house matching the present is shown on this site on the OS map of 1835, but not noted in the near contemporary valuation. The property is recorded in the second valuation, however, as a relatively old thatched building leased by a William McKnight from the Manchester estate. The McKnight family acquired the freehold in 1906-7 and remained in residence until 1912 when the house either passed or was acquired by a James Gilpin. In 1918 the valuers remark that the ‘old house’ was ‘raised and slated’. It is probable that the ‘formalisation’ of the window openings and the application of the present render, took place at this time also.

James Gilpin is listed as the occupant up until at least 1929, (when the valuation revision books cease). When surveyed in September 1974 the house was occupied by a Mrs M.A. Stronge, however it is now [July 2004] derelict.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/2/6 OS map, County Armagh sheet 6, with valuation
references (1835-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/222 First valuation, Seagoe parish (1836)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/2/6A OS map, County Armagh sheet 6, with valuation references (1860-62)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/2/19B Second valuation, Seagoe parish (1862)
5 PRONI VAL/12B/14/7A Annual valuation revision book, Kernan ED (c.1864-78)
6 PRONI VAL/12B/14/7B Annual valuation revision book, Kernan ED (c.1879-91)
7 PRONI VAL/12B/14/7C Annual valuation revision book, Kernan ED (c.1892-1906)
8 PRONI VAL/12B/14/7D Annual valuation revision book, Kernan ED (c.1907-19)
9 PRONI VAL/12B/14/7E Annual valuation revision book, Kernan ED (c.1920-29)

Other references
1 EHS HB14/04/003 First survey record card (23rd September 1974)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Long single-storey farmhouse of pre 1835 construction, whose vernacular appearance has been disguised by a ‘formal’ makeover of c.1918. The property now has a corrugated-iron roof, c.1980s renovations and detailing, and replacement window frames.