98 Dromore Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three structural bay, storey and a half , lobby entry, thatched house with smooth rendered and painted (formerly whitewashed) walls facing south west onto Dromore Road. Storey and a half natural slated former barn extends two bays to the north west and has been incorporated into the house. Sheeted timber door approximately central to house is flanked by two twelve pane (double glazed, spring balanced) timber sashes to the southeast and one to the north west. To the south east six pane sashes align at first floor with those below to the north west the six pane sash is closer to the door. Similar windows are replicated in the barn. Two at ground level with two aligning above. There are three rendered but unpainted chimneys on the ridge. One at each gable , the third almost aligning with the entrance door. The thatch is flax, scallop laid with hazel ligger rods at ridge and eaves in a simple pattern. It is cut back at the eaves to be perpendicular to the walls. At the gables it is parged onto concrete copings which are slightly lower.

The northwest gable of the barn has French windows at ground level and a six-pane sash above which does not align. The un-rendered single storey height stone boundary wall of the farmyard abuts the north corner.

The rear elevation has an eyebrow window (recent addition) centrally placed containing a twelve pane casement escape window. Below is a twelve pane sash. To the north east bay a similar sash. Beyond, the rear of the barn is narrower than the house. It is featureless apart from a small chimney rising from the centre of the back wall. To the south east (of the eyebrow window) a twelve pane sash set in a slated lean-to extension. Further to the south east a row of stone barns returns. These are also naturally slated.

The south east gable is flush with the stone barns described above. There are two sashes to the rear of the elevation not quite aligning. The nine pane sash at first floor is higher than the windows to the front. Below a taller nine pane sash. To the rear, a small slated return between the house and the barn with similar window.

Further to the south east are the gates to the farm yard. Simple cylindrical piers with conical caps are connected to the front façade by a short stretch of wall. The gates are of simple wrought iron construction. Regularly spaced verticals are interspersed with intermediate verticals which finish above a horizontal member at the mid point of the gate.

The building is located at a junction with the road from Waringstown and at a bend in the Dromore Road. It imparts great character and atmosphere to its surroundings.

Historical information

Different sources have suggested various construction dates for this property ranging from c.1680, to c.1700, to post 1700, with at least one writer referring to it as ‘a yeoman planter’s house’, but no evidence has been produced to substantiate any of these claims. Recent refurbishment works, however, have uncovered physical evidence which indicates that the building probably evolved from an original a single room incorporating the central structural bay, with construction changes suggesting a second phase of two rooms -the addition of the south-east bay- which were then extended upwards to become a storey and a half. The construction of the third bay differs again, indicating that it was next to be added, with the lower (former barn) section to the north-west end the last to appear.

Whatever the case, the main section of this house and a separate outbuilding to the southeast are both shown on the OS map of 1834. The house is recorded in the contemporary valuation as a building of more than 20 years old, occupied by a William Gryston [sic Gregson], and measuring 44ft x 21½ x 12, with the dimensions of the outbuilding given as 40 x 19½ x 6. The ‘quality letter’ supplied by the valuers reveals that the property was in poor condition at this point, a situation reflected in its relatively modest rateable valuation of £3-14-0.

The OS map of 1858 indicates that the barn extension to the north-west was in place by that date and that the return connecting the house to the outbuilding had also been constructed. Unfortunately no dimensions are supplied in the second valuation of 1861, but the fact that no major structural alterations are recorded in the later valuations, suggests that the building had indeed assumed its present form by the later 1850s. The occupant in 1861 is listed as Thomas Gregson, with the immediate lessor as George Douglasse and the rateable valuation a still modest £4-5-0 (a valuation retained up until the 1920s).

The house has remained with the descendants of Thomas Gregson and underwent a major renovation in 2001. During this renovation a rear window to the first floor of the north-west bay was uncovered, as well as a chimney flue at the centre of the adjacent gable, which is now back in use again. The fire had been moved to allow the creation of a second room to the rear of this section. A similar partition also divided the northwest bay. Apart from these changes, and the incorporation of the former barn extension to the northwest, the renovation maintained the historic plan. Two windows have been added to the former barn portion, with French windows to its gable and a chimney to the rear. Cills have also been added to all windows to the first floor of the front elevation.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/3/20 OS map, County Down sheet 20, with valuation
references, (1834-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/346 First valuation, Magheralin (1834-35)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/3/20A Revised OS map, County Down sheet 20, with valuation references, (1859-c.61)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/3/46C Second valuation, Magheralin (1861-63)
5 PRONI VAL/12B/21/6A-F Annual valuation revision books, Magheralin, (1864-1929)

Secondary sources
1 “A rural oasis preserved” in ‘Farmweek’, 30th November 1978 [Author not known]
2 Brett, C.E.B., Oram, Richard, et al, ‘Lists of Historic Buildings…Craigavon’ (revised edition, Belfast, [?1979])
3 Gailey, Alan, ‘Rural Houses in the North of Ireland’ (John Donald, Edinburgh, 1984), p.187
4 Pierce, Richard, Cooey, Alistair and Oram, Richard, ‘Taken for Granted…’ (Belfast, 1984), pp.87-88
5 Brett, C.E.B., ‘The Buildings of North County Down’ (Belfast, 2002)

The owners have recently rescued this building from near dereliction. Works to the building have necessarily been extensive but this has afforded examination of the structure. It appears from the large basalt walls that the building was originally a single room incorporating the central bay. Construction changes to indicate a second phase of two rooms (addition of the south east bay) extended up to become storey and a half.. The construction of the third bay differs again indicating a later date with the end barn of similar age. The renovation also uncovered a rear window to first floor of the north west bay and a chimney flue at the centre of the adjacent gable. This has now been reused. Previously the fire had been moved to allow the creation of a second room to the rear of this structural bay. A similar partition also removed divided the north west bay. The recent renovation has maintained the historic plan apart from these changes but has incorporated the barn to the northwest. Two windows have been added to this at ground level, French windows to the gable and a chimney to the rear. Cills have been added to the first floor windows along the front elevation.

The building is indicated on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map and appears to have reached its present size by that stage. The return barn is not connected however and the barn against the northwest gable has not been constructed. The return has been enlarged and connected to the building by 1850 and the north-western ban constructed. It is likely given the history of the area that the core of the house dates from Plantation times. Some sources date the building at 1680 though evidence is not provided for this assertion. .The building was listed in 1977 and thatched in Wheat Straw in 1978. In 1991 rethatching and repairs to the roof structure were carried out. By 1999 however it was regarded as a ‘building at risk’ and very vulnerable. The current thatch coating is in flax.

References- Primary sources
Ordnance Survey Memiors, Parishes of Co Down 111 P57
Jope, E.M. An Archaeological Survey of Co Down 1966 pp 437-439
Ordnance Survey First Edition 1834 Co Down Sheet 20.
Ordnance Survey Second Edition 1850 Co Down Sheet 20.
The construction of the building

Secondary sources

Bassett, George Henry. County Down Guide and Directory 1886 p277
Oram R. ‘Craigavon’, UAHS 1971 p8 item 33.
Gailey A ‘Rural Houses of the North of Ireland’ John Donald, Edinburgh 1984, p187
UAHS, Buildings at Risk, Vol 6, 1999, p57
Farmweek Nov3Oth 1978 ‘A rural oasis preserved’
Pierce Richard, Coey Alistair, Oram Richard, ‘Taken for Granted’ pp87-88, RSUA 1984
Brett CEB ‘Buildings of North County Down’ UAHS, Belfast 2002 p148

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A rare survivor of a once common type recently renovated to maintain its historic plan form and appearance. Of historic interest for its age, plan form, and evolution from a single room cabin. Architecturally, it is a very attractive historic building.