Finnard House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Substantial two-storey gable-ended late Georgian style house of c.1840-50, with, possibly later, single-storey canted bays to front and c.2000s PVC window frames throughout. The property is set within a rural location, at the end of a long lane to N of Glenvale Road, roughly three miles W-SW of Rathfriland.

The main portion of the building is roughly rectangular in plan, with a large two-storey gable-ended return to rear (N). The front elevation is symmetrical and faces S. To the centre of the ground floor is the main entrance, which consists of- a panelled timber door, sidelights with Georgian panes and panelled aprons, timber jambs with decorative brackets and an elliptical fanlight with spider’s-web tracery. To the left of the entrance is a single-storey canted bay topped with a cornice and parapet, the latter obscuring the roof. The windows to the bay have PVC frames (as do all the other window openings). To right of the entrance is an identical bay, whilst to the first floor there are three windows.

To the left hand side of first floor level on the W gable there is a window, with two smaller symmetrically arranged windows at attic level. A small single-storey corrugated iron shed leans-to this gable.

The E gable has two symmetrical arranged windows to the first floor and two more to attic level. Both sets of windows are larger than their equivalents on the W gable.

To the ground floor of the rear elevation there are two windows to the left of the return, with another to right. The return itself is two-storey, but slightly shorter than the main portion of the building. To the E face of the return there is a door to left on the ground floor, with replacement partly glazed door, and a window to left on the first floor. To the gable end of the return there is a window to centre-right on the ground floor, and another to left on the first floor. To the W face of the return there is a window to centre-right on the ground floor, and another, roughly to centre, on the first floor.

The façade is finished in an unpainted replacement cement render, with moulded ‘in-out’ quoins to front. The ground floor level of the rear façade of the main section of the house, (to left of the extension), is finished in roughcast. The front façade (and parts of the gables) is covered is creeping plant growth.

The gabled roofs of the main portion and the return are slated. The main section has two rendered chimneystacks with corbelling. The rainwater goods appear to be wholly metal, with half-round guttering and round downspouts.

To the immediate front (S) and W of the house is a relatively large garden. To rear is a large (mainly paved) with farmyard, with a collection of two and single-storey outbuildings. The outbuildings to NE (which include a large two-storey gabled structure with rendered façade, slated roof and external stone staircase), appear to be the earliest. To the NW corner of the yard is a lower two-storey double-pile outbuilding (possibly c.1870s+), with an unusual stone staircase to front. To the NE corner of the yard there is a farm gate with blacksmith-made wrought-iron gate, with a similarly fashioned pedestrian gate to the SW corner (leading into the garden). There is a late Victorian / Edwardian cast iron water pump to the W side of the yard.

Historical information

This building is of mid 19th century date, being depicted on the 1860 OS 6" map. Although buildings are shown on the 1834 map, none has the alignment of the present one. It is valued at £7 in the 1862 Valuation and there is no subsequent change - this suggests no significant structural changes thereafter.

Primary sources:
1. OS 6" map, 1834, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/1).
2. OS 6" map, 1860, Co Down sheet 47(PRONI OS 6/3/47/2).
3. Second Valuation, 1862 (PRONI VAL 2B/3/69D, p.286).
4. Valuation revision books, 1866-1929 (PRONI VAL 12B/22/19A-F).

General comments

**Under consideration : awaing additional information** 30th March 2004