Curley House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical two-storey (+ attic)/ three-bay early-19th dwelling on a rise on N side of Curley Rd.

Pitched natural slate roof with tiled verges and rendered chimney to each gable. The front pitch is laid in diminishing courses and the rear pitch has smaller, thicker slates which appear to be older than the larger thinner front ones. Half-round plastic gutters on projecting eaves course. Walls are painted and lined smooth cement render over random rubble, except at rear where they are unpainted wet dash.

Principal elevation faces south to road. Its openings are symmetrically arranged. At ground floor middle is a wide opening into an open porch. It has a segmental head and is trimmed with modern brick. The door into the house proper is modern and comprises two varnished timber doors with aproned sidelights and transoms. The left and right bays are each lit by a tall 1/1 sliding sash window; like all the other windows on this elevation, it has horns, exposed sash boxes, and painted stone cills. According to the owner, the left and right bay windows were each flanked by small segmental headed windows. He also states that the present entrance was inserted about 10 years ago and that it was a window before this. None of these statements, particularly the last one, can now be verified by observation. The first floor has two windows to the left and to the right bays, and one to the middle (landing) bay; all are diminished in height.

The left gable has a timber casement window just left of ground floor centre and a similar but smaller casement to the first floor; both have thin concrete cills and are probably in modern openings. There is a small metal-framed casement window at each end of the attic floor, both without cills.

The rear elevation has a doorway at ground floor centre from the hallway. It is a modern semi-glazed painted timber door. Immediately above, between the ground and first floors, is a modern timber casement landing light (with concrete cill). There was formerly a projecting return from this bay, now removed. The left bay has the remains of an 8/8 sliding sash window to the ground floor (with exposed boxes). There is a 1/1 exposed-box sash to the floor above. Both have smooth rendered architraves. The right bay is abutted to its ground floor by a one-and-a-half storey return. There is a small modern timber casement window to the first floor (without a cill).

The return has a pitched natural slate roof, half-round metal gutters to its W side, wet dashed walls and brick eaves courses. Its left cheek (facing E to the yard) has a modern metal casement window just right of centre. Its end gable has a modern metal casement window to ground floor and a smaller similar window to the upper floor. Its right cheek as a 2/2 exposed box sash window at its right end. All windows to this return have concrete cills.

The right gable is abutted to ground floor by a modern flat-roofed concrete block garage. There is a 1/1 sliding sash window to the first floor (with exposed boxes and concrete cill) and a small metal-framed window at each end of the attic floor.

Just NW of the house is a two-storey/ single bay farm outbuilding/ cart house. It has a hipped natural slate roof and random rubble walls (part dashed, part whitewashed). There are external steps up its north gable to the first floor.

The yard is enclosed to N and E by a random rubble masonry wall.

Historical information

A building is shown at this location on the 1834 OS 6" map. However, the first Valuation map of around the same date is missing, so it is not possible to ascertain from the first Valuation book whether its dimensions match those of the present house. Its style does, however, suggest an early 19th century construction. It is captioned 'Curley House' on the 1859 map. The 1862 Valuation book notes it as being occupied by Robert Parker and its dimensions are given as 45ft x 25ft 6in x two storeys, excluding the vestibule and kitchen. Its £12 valuation remains unchanged until 1876 when it increases to £14.10s.0d on account of new outbuildings and a greenhouse. However, it is down-valued to £9 in 1919.

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 book, 1862 (PRONI VAL 2B/3/69E, p.312).
4. Valuation revision book, 1876 (PRONI VAL 12B/22/19A, plot 8).
5. Valuation revision book, 1919 (PRONI VAL 12B/22/9E).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial house much altered both inside and out.