25 Forkhill Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Atwo-storey, two-bay farmhouse aligned NE-SW, with outbuilding to S.

Roof is pitched natural slate (some slates missing) with a red brick chimney to each gable, tiled skews and advanced eaves course. To centre of ridge are the remains of ‘fleur-de-lys’ cast-iron crestings. No rainwater goods. Walls are random rubble.

Principal elevation faces SE and is whitewashed and lime rendered. To centre is a windbreak porch with shallow monopitched natural slate roof. Left and right cheeks are blank. Door is modern timber with single glazed top panel. To its left and right is a 3/3 exposed box sliding sash window with painted granite cills. Aligned above to first floor are three 2/2 sliding sashes, detailed as those below.

Left (SW) gable has ghost marks of a former 1½ storey outbuilding, above which the wall is wet-dashed. To first floor left is a t+g sheeted door.

Rear elevation has a fixed single-pane window (with no cill) to ground floor left, but is otherwise blank.

Right gable is blank with ghost marks of a former one storey outbuilding.

Outbuilding

To S is a 1½ storey outbuilding (in poor condition) with pitched natural slate roof and whitewashed and rendered rubble stone walls with painted brick dressings.

Principal elevation faces W. To left end is an opening with segmental brick head, partially infilled with concrete blocks. To right end is a t+g sheeted half-door. Above, to upper level, are two circular ventilation openings.

Left gable has an infilled window opening to upper floor.

Rear elevation has a door opening to left and ventilation openings as before.

Right gable is abutted by an external stair (seven granite steps). They lead to a t+g sheeted loading door at upper level. Abutting right side of steps is a small ruinous outbuilding with rubble stone walls and monopitched natural slate roof. Its W face has a door opening. Its right cheek is blank and its rear elevation has a small window opening.

Setting:

Building is accessed by a lane from the road with rubble stone boundary wall. To front is an earlier 20th C cast-iron gas lamppost; lantern gone (not original).

Historical information

A building is shown on OS maps from 1835 onwards. Its rateable valuation in 1835 was less than £5 so no statistics are given in the Valuation book of this date. This indicates a one-storey building, not the two-storey one which now exists. In 1862 its valuation was £3.10s.0d and this increases to £4 in 1870 and to £4.15s.0d in 1884 (with no change thereafter). Although it is conceivable that one or both of these increases reflect the heightening of the house in the 1870s or '80s, it is equally conceivable that they relate to the addition of new outbuildings. On balance, the present building probably dates from the mid 1800s.

The occupant stated (April 2000) that the house once belonged to Captain Holywood, a local sea captain. There is a memorial to him in nearby St Michael’s Church (HB16/13/006)

Primary sources:
1. First edition OS 6" map, Co Armagh sheet 29, 1835 (PRONI - OS 6/2/29/1).
2. Second Valuation book, 1862 (PRONI - VAL 2B/2/37B, p.155).
3. Valuation Revision book, 1870 (PRONI - VAL 12B/15/17A, p.97).
4. Valuation Revision book, 1884 (PRONI - VAL 12B/15/17B, p.132).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A 19thC traditional farmhouse retaining much of its original character. Along with its outbuilding, and rubble stone walling, it forms a pleasant vernacular grouping.