Murrays Corner

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical two storey, three bay house aligned NE-SW with a single-storey shop to right gable. Prominently sited at the junction of Seavers Road and Chapel Road.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and verges. There is a whitewashed and corbelled chimney to each gable. An advanced eaves course supports half-round metal rainwater goods.

Walls are whitewashed with base course to façade. Principal elevation faces SE. Central doorcase consists of a pair of painted stone pilasters with moulded brackets supporting a narrow stone canopy. Door is t+g sheeted with upper glazed panel. Flanking the door to each side is an exposed box 2/2 sliding sash window with horns and painted concrete cills. Aligned above to first floor there are three similarly detailed windows but diminished in height.

Left and right gables are blank. That to right is abutted by a single storey shop, which advances beyond the house.

Rear elevation is almost completely abutted to ground floor by a single storey return (see later). The exposed right bay has a window, detailed as those to façade. All remaining windows are top-hung casements. There is a window to each bay at first floor.

Return has a flat felted roof with cement rendered and whitewashed walls. Its NW face has a modern glazed timber door to right of centre. To its left are two windows (that to left end is narrower). Right cheek has a narrow window to left end. Left cheek of return and the right gable of the house are abutted by a single-storey former shop (presently used as a sitting room).

Former shop to right gable has a pitched corrugated metal roof. Main (SE) face has two landscape timber framed 1x1 fixed pane windows. Its left gable abuts the house; the advanced SW face has a t+g sheeted door. Rear elevation has a modern glazed timber door to right and a top-hung timber casement to left. Right gable is blank.

Historical information

A building is shown at this location on the 1835 OS map. It is noted in the Valuation book of the same year as belonging to Bernard Feran and is described as a dwelling measuring 38ft 6in x 18ft 6in x 13ft 6in. It is valued at £2 from the 1862 Valuation book onwards. It is probably of early 19th century date.

Primary sources:
1. First edition OS 6" map, Co Armagh sheet 29, 1835 (PRONI - OS 6/2/29/1).
2. First Valuation book, 1835 (PRONI - VAL 1B/244B, p.257).
3. Second Valuation book, 1862 (PRONI - VAL 2B/2/37B).
4. Valuation Revision book, 1860s-1920s (PRONI - VAL 12B/15/17A-D).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is an attractive and prominently sited house with former shop to right gable. However, the extensive alterations to the interior and plan of this building and the modern extension and casement windows mean that it is no longer of special architectural or historic interest.