Maryvale

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An early 19thC two-storey/ three bay farmhouse with farmyard to rear all set in mature grounds on N of Carnacally Road. At the entrance to the driveway there is a highly decorative sweeping gate screen and gates (HB16/14/018B).

This house was converted to an outbuilding in mid 1970s when a modern bungalow was built on its front lawn.

It is very much altered, its original roof has been removed and the wall head truncated. Modern monopitch corrugated metal roof. Walls are lined rendered with boxed quoins to front elevation only. The right bay is wider than the other two bays.

Front elevation faces S. Its original bay windows to left and right bays and porch to central bay are gone, leaving large openings at left and centre and a modern window at right. The central opening is a semi-elliptical headed archway, which linked the porch to the house. The four first floor openings have been truncated and infilled.

Left gable is blank and abutted by a modern lean-to.

Rear elevation is much altered and no few features of interest. There is a window on left bay and one to central bay. The central and right bays each have a doorway. All first floor windows are infilled.

Right gable is blank and abutted by an outbuilding.

To rear is a farmyard of much altered outbuildings.

Historical information

Captioned on both the 1834 and 1859 OS 6" maps as 'Maryvale'. Unfortunately the 1836 Valuation map is missing, so its dimensions at this date cannot be determined from the first Valuation book. On balance, however, it is probably of early 19th C date.

It is described in the 1862 valuation as being occupied by Olivia Gordon and measuring 22ft x 12ft x two storeys. Amongst the various outhouses are a barn (16ft x 7ft) and stable (23ft x 6ft), both two storeys high.

Mr. George Gordon of Maryvale married May Alice Corry (one of the prominent Newry Corry family) on 9th January 1878. Both Mr. Gordon (d 1916) and his wife (d.1906) are buried in the private graveyard at Coalpit Road (HB16/14/022). The house was then occupied by their eldest son Sydney George Gordon (d1939) and his wife Muriel (d1963), who are also buried at Coalpit Road. On the death of Mrs. Muriel Gordon the house was sold to the present owner.

Two 1950s photographs of the house show it prior to conversion into an outbuilding. At ground floor on left bay, serving the dining room, was a canted bay window with margin paned 6/6 sash to front and similar 4/4 sashes to cheeks, all under a shallow slate roof (similar bay window to right bay at ground floor). To central bay at ground floor is a box porch. It has a flat roof enclose by an iron balustrade. Walls are rendered as house and have a moulded cornice. Its front face has a 3x5 paned fixed window and its left cheek has a door. There are four tripartite windows to first floor. All have stone cills and granite block work surrounds. Three are 6/6 sliding sashes with matching 2/2 sidelights. The second window from left contains a French window (formerly onto porch roof) with matching sidelights.

The HMMB first survey slide shows the building in 1977 when it had a hipped natural slate roof but no chimneys. The slide shows the front elevation only, its first floor windows remain but ground floor openings are as present.

Primary sources
1. OS 6" map, 1834, Co Down sheet 41 (PRONI OS 6/3/41/1).
2. OS 6" map, 1859, Co Down sheet 41 (PRONI OS 6/3/41/2).
3. Second Valuation, 1862 (PRONI VAL 2B/3/69E, p.331).
4. Two 1950s photographs in possession of present owner.
5. HMBB first survey slide dated April 1977.
6. Information of grave stones at Coalpit Road (HB 16/14/022).
7. Information from owner in February 2000.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Although much altered, this early 19thC house, once occupied by a prominent local family, retains many of its internal features such as the cornices.