39 Low Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A restored single storey vernacular house aligned NE-SW on the W side of Low Road. Formerly two bays with outbuilding to left gable; the later has now been incorporated into the dwelling adding additional two bays.

Pitched thatched roof is decorated at the ridge and overhanging eaves; four straw birds perch on the ridge. Roof has raised skews and three lime-rendered chimneys – one to each gable and one between bays 2 and 3 (as viewed from east). Walls are lime rendered and white washed with contrasting basecourse.

Principal elevation faces SE. Each bay has a window, all are 2/2 exposed box sliding sashes with horns and painted granite cills; that to bay 1 (formerly outbuilding) has a concrete cill. Set to right of bay 3 is a wind break porch with a t+g half door. Left and right cheeks are blank.

Left and right gables of house are blank. Left gable has been reconstructed using a coursing resembling ‘crazy paving’.

The original openings to the rear elevation have been altered to mimic a façade with the addition of a windbreak porch and a number of window openings. From left: bay 1 and 2 have a single window, bay 3 has a windbreak porch (as façade) set to the left with two windows to its right, bay 4 has a single window set at a lower level. All with external security grilles.

To front site is a single storey outbuilding with left gable to the road. It has a pitched natural slate roof and half-round cast-iron rainwater goods, which drain into a timber barrel. Walls are lime-rendered with exposed random rubble to the yard (NE) facing elevation. It has two broad t+g sheeted half doors with external grilles, and a window opening set below eaves level to right end. Left gable and rear elevation are blank. Right gable is abutted by a lean-to cart-house with corrugated metal roof.

Setting:

Dwelling and outbuildings are enclosed to road by a lime-rendered and white washed random rubble wall; terminating each end are a pair of gate piers supporting wrought-iron gates - those to left end are cylindrical and those to right are square-in-section. Front site is gravelled with garden to rear.

Historical information

The building shown on this plot in the 1835 OS map has no valuation suggesting a small one storey structure such as the present one. Its valuation in 1862 was £1.10s.0d, but this increases to £2.5s.0d in 1869 and remains unchanged thereafter. This increase probably relates to the addition of the outbuilding extension to the gable and/or yard outbuildings. This house was occupied until 1994 by a Mr Leo Jordan, and has since been restored. It is presently leased to the Drumintee Jonesborough Senior Citizens Club.

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.132).
3. Valuation Revision book, 1896 (PRONI - VAL 12B/15/17A, p.10).

Secondary sources:
1. C Brett, ‘Buildings of Armagh’, UAHS, 1999, p.215

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A generally well restored and attractive vernacular dwelling set within a traditional farm complex, although some detailing (decorative embellishment to thatching and render to gable) is not historically accurate.