17 Cross Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Refurbished single storey / three bay house on S side of Cross Road.

Pitched natural slate roof with concrete skews. One chimney to each gable and another between the central and right bays. All are dashed and coped, each with four pots. Half-round metal rainwater goods with downpipe to right end of façade. Walls are painted cement dash over rubble stone with a smooth unpainted basecourse. Stepped stucco quoins to front elevation and right gable.

Front elevation faces NE. Main entrance is on central bay, which is narrower than the others. Three granite steps rise to a four-panelled (raised and fielded) door with beaded muntin and two brass knobs. It is flanked by three-paned sidelights, which are framed by panelled timber pilasters supporting a timber frieze over the door. Over the frieze is a semi-elliptical radial fanlight. Each remaining bay has two large 1/1 sliding sash windows with painted granite cills.

Left gable not inspected (see surveyor’s comments).

The right gable has a large 1/1 sliding sash window with painted granite cill, set to right.

Rear elevation only partially inspected. It has a return at left end, with a roof as main block, with similar chimney on gable end. Its left cheek has two 1/1 sliding sash windows.

Setting: To front is a small garden with gravel path and lawn with flowerbeds. Boundary to road is enclosed by a dashed wall. It has a pair of plain dashed gateposts with pyramidal caps supporting a pair of 19thC wrought iron gates with cast details and dog bars. To rear is a large modern farmyard containing no features of interest.

Historical information

A rectangular building is shown on the 1834 OS 6” map. It is not valued in the 1835 valuation book. This implies a small one-storey vernacular building. The 1860 OS map shows a more substantial complex, the valuation of which is now £10. There is an increase in valuation of only 10s. (in 1870) between the early 1860s and 1930 suggesting that the present house is of mid 19th C date.

The HMBB first survey slide shows the house as it is today but with an additional gabled outbuilding (gone in 1999) abutting to right and enclosing yard to rear.

Primary sources:

1. OS 6" map, 1st edition (1834) Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/1)
2. OS 6" map, 2nd edition (1860) Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/2)
3. PRONI Second valuation book, VAL 2B/3/49A, p.22.
4. PRONI Valuation revision books, VAL 12B/22/20.
5. HMBB First survey slide dated 12 /01/1970.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This building appears to retain much of its historic and architectural character and appearance.