Presbyterian Manse

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey / three bay house situated to right of Hilltown Presbyterian Church on north side of Main Street.

Pitched natural slate roof with modern red brick chimney to each gable. Semicircular metal rainwater goods. Walls to facade are painted lined render with raised stepped stucco quoins to front.

Main entrance is at ground floor centre and consists of a reproduction six panelled stained timber door (panels raised and fielded) with a semicircular headed transom over; glazed with modern yellow glass. Run moulded architrave to doorway, with run moulded archivolt over.

Left and right bays at ground floor each have a single reproduction 1/1 stained timber sliding sash window with horns. There is single similar window to each bay at first floor, all diminished in height. All windows have moulded painted stucco architraves.
Left gable is pebble-dashed and blank.

Rear elevation is abutted to centre by a two storey return. Remaining wall to left and right is smooth rendered and painted. To ground floor left bay are two modern top opening timber windows. To ground floor right bay there is a pair of modern stained timber French windows with concrete steps up from yard. To first floor right is a modern top hung stained timber window.

Rear return has a pitched natural slate roof which ties into rear pitch of main roof. Its walls are smooth rendered and painted. Left cheek of return has a modern door and window to ground floor. To first floor left are two tall modern top hung timber windows. Gable end of return has a modern window to ground floor centre and one to first floor left. Its right cheek has two modern windows to ground floor and two to first floor.

Right gable of main block is pebble dashed. It has a modern top hung window to first floor right.

Small front area is enclosed by a rendered dwarf wall with spiked railings with matching gate held on cylindrical one-piece granite gate posts with pyramidal caps. To right of house is a yard which is enclosed to road by a high rendered wall.

Historical information

Shown on 1834 valuation map; probably erected in early 1830s at same time as adjoining meeting house (HB16/07/002). Described in 1835 valuation as measuring 33ft x 29ft x 19ft 6in; one-storey rear return. Then occupied by Rev. Robert Lockhart. Large-scale 1859 valuation map shows rear return at right-hand side, so present central return is a later addition.

The first HMBB survey slide (c.1970) shows the building to have rendered and coped chimneys, a radial spoked fanlight and a four-panel, bolection-moulded painted timber front door.

Primary sources:
1. Valuation map, 1834 (PRONI: VAL 1D/ 3/10).
2. First valuation book, 1835 (PRONI: VAL 1B/ 354, p.28).
3. Second valuation map, 1859 (PRONI: Val 2D/3/16).
4. HMBB slide, c.1970.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Although associated with the adjoining church, this house has been modernised to such an extent that it retains few features of interest. It is not special enough to merit listing.