39 Hilltown Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey/ two bay L-plan lodge on S side of Hilltown Road at entrance to driveway to Templegowran House (HB16/10/018) and Derryleckagh Mills (HB16/10/019).

Pitched natural slate roof, its main ridge running W-E. Overhanging eaves with exposed rafter tails and plain timber bargeboards. Painted wet dashed chimney stack to centre of main ridge. Half round metal gutters. Walls are wet dashed and painted.

Principal elevation faces S. Its right bay advances forward as a gable. An open porch set in the angle between the left bay and the advanced right bay contains the main entrance. Porch has monopitched natural slate roof. Its front has a timber lattice screen to either side of the opening. The front door to house is four panelled; bottom two panels are raised and fielded with bolection mouldings; upper two panels are glazed. Two paned transom over.

The rest of the left bay is blank but for a small 2/2 sliding sash window with horns and concrete cill at first floor right. The left cheek of the advanced right bay is blank. Right bay gable has a 6/6 sliding sash window with horns and concrete cill to each floor (all windows are as this unless otherwise stated).

W elevation has a canted bay window to ground floor. It has a natural slate roof and half round metal rainwater goods (missing in places). Each face has a 6/6 sliding sash window.

N (rear) elevation fronts the main road and has a small 2/2 sash window to ground floor left.

E elevation fronts a small garden. Its right bay is gabled. There is a new kitchen entrance door to right and to its left is a 2/2 sash. To first floor centre are two similar windows.

Setting:
A pair of strap pointed granite rubble gates piers with shallow granite copings frames entrance from road. These carry plain wrought iron gates with ramping top rails, and scrolled sides. The small garden to E of house is enclosed by a right rubble wall to road (N) and a low one to S with a small flat iron gate.

Historical information

1830s and 1860s OS maps and valuations shown the original lodge to have been a one-storey rectangular building. The present L-plan structure is first shown on the 1902-03 OS map. There is no explicit mention of its rebuilding in the Valuation revision books. It is conceivable that this took place around 1877 when Samuel Cooper took over the estate and mills. Although shown with its L ground plan on the 1903 map, Dean states that it dates from c.1910; unfortunately he does not give his source.

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS map, 1st edition (1834), Co Down sheet 47.
2. PRONI First valuation book (c.1835), VAL 1B/ 389, p. 249.
3. PRONI OS map, 2nd edition (1860), Co Down sheet 47.
4. PRONI Second valuation book (c.1861), VAL 2B/ 3/ 69A, p.62.
5. PRONI Valuation revision books, VAL 12B/22/7A-F.
6. PRONI OS map, 3rd edition (1902-03), Co Down sheet 47.

Secondary Sources:
1. J. A. K. Dean, ‘The Gate Lodges of Ulster- a Gazetteer’ (Belfast 1994), p.97.

Delist/Relist 19th December 2001

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This modest but attractive gate lodge retains most of its original character and marks the entrance to an architecturally and historically important complex which includes Templegowran House (HB16/10/018) and Derryleckagh Mills (HB16/10/019).