Rose Cottage

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single storey gabled 3-bay cottage with a gabled rear return and a gabled extension to one end. Main entrance faces south.

South elevation: 3-bay with one window to each side of a projecting gabled porch. Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; cast iron rainwater goods; two chimneys, one on each gable, of red brick with new open sided rectangular brick superstructure on each stack. Walls of main block are of limestone rubble with roughly shaped quoins to extremities; red brick block dressings and flat arches to windows. Windows in main block are rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 6 over 6, without horns, in exposed sash boxes. Porch walling is of red brick, much of it bearing traces of what looks like lime-wash; shaped timber bargeboards to gable. Main entrance is a rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a decoratively glazed rectangular fanlight, set in smooth rendered reveals with unpainted timber lintel; windows in side wall of porch are small rectangular timber sliding sash, 2 over 4, without horns, with exposed sash boxes, in plain reveals with unpainted timber lintel. Extending to the left and set back almost to the rear wall of the gable of the main block, is a single storey wing which appears to be an entirely new block: slated roof as previous; walling, rainwater goods, and dressings to window as previous; one window, similar to those of porch.

West elevation of main block is a gable of limestone rubble with roughly shaped quoins, with a projecting central chimney breast in rubble stonework; one window, at attic level, to left-hand side, timber sashed as previous to porch, in brick reveals with unpainted timber lintel.
West elevation of set-back wing is a plain blind limestone rubble gable.

North or rear elevation comprises the main block to the left and the wing to the right.
Main block: roof slated as previous with one modern flush rooflight to each side of a central gabled rear return. Original rear wall of main block to each side of rear return now obscured by single storey flat roofed extensions. Extension to left is 1-bay comprising a large modern rectangular window set in a rubble wall. Extension to right of rear return is 2-bay, of rubble limestone, containing a rectangular glazed ledged timber door, small-paned, and a small timber window sashed as previous to front porch, set in plain reveals with a flat arch head in red brick. Central rear return is gabled with ridge now at same height as ridge of main block, whereas originally it was much lower. Return gable now 2-storey whereas originally it was 1-storey: ground floor contains a pair of coupled timber sashed windows, each 6 over 6, without horns, set in plain reveals, surmounted by an original segmental red brick relieving arch, this window created out of an original doorway; first floor, or attic, contains a small timber sashed window as previous to front porch, set in plain reveals with brick flat arch. PVC downpipe to left of ground floor window.
Extending to the right, and projecting slightly, is the wing, a newly built block: roof slated as previous; walling as previous; cast iron rainwater goods as previous, but pvc soilpipe; one window, new pair of coupled rectangular timber sliding sashes, each window 6 over 6 without horns, set in segmental brick arch. A newly built red brick chimney stack rises from the left-hand wall of the rear return.

East elevation comprises the gable of the main block, to the left, with a later modern flat roofed extension, or infill room, to the right. Gable is of rubble stonework similar to west gable, and contains one small window, to the left, at attic level: timber, sashed 2 over 2, as previous to front porch. Extension to right is 2-bay, of rubble stonework, containing a new rectangular door and a large new modern rectangular window.

SETTING: The building stands within its own grounds on an elevated site, facing a narrow lane off the main street but set well back from it. It is approached by a tarmac driveway which extends to the east side of the house. Lawns and grassed areas to front and rear with shrubs and other plantings. To the rear of the house is a single storey gabled outbuilding, a new building, with slated roof, rubble walls, timber sheeted doors, and sashed window; it is connected to the rear of the wing of the house by a rubble stone screen wall containing a small timber gate. The grounds merge with those of the adjacent former court house (HB15/02/007).

Historical information

Precise date of building not recorded but a building is shown in this position on the OS map of 1860. A building is shown in approximately this position on the OS map of 1834 but it is smaller. The porch does not appear until the OS map of 1908. It may be taken to be a re-building of an early 19th century cottage, possibly as late as the late 19th century or early 20th century.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1834, Co Armagh 8.
2. OS Map 1860, Co Armagh 8.
3. OS Map 1908, Co Armagh 8.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a 19th century house, sensitively extended in 20th century with character and charm of historic interest which retains some of its original features and displays some traditional detailing.