11 Lough Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-storey three-bay, direct entry vernacular dwelling house built c1850 with former single-bay, storey-and-a-half attached byre aligned to south west and two-bay single-storey shed extension aligned to north east. Located towards the end of a one km laneway to the south of Lough Road, Silverbridge.

Asymmetrical principal elevation to south-east. Replacement pitched natural slate roof, black terracotta ridge tiles. Smooth rendered and painted chimneys with replacement terracotta chimney pots. Replacement uPVC rainwater goods. Painted rubblestone walling with painted plinth course. Square-headed openings, replacement uPVC windows, narrow rendered margins, painted concrete sills. Replacement composite front door.

One-and-a-half storey single-bay attached former byre aligned to left with roof continuous with dwelling, now converted to living accommodation. Replacement uPVC window. Attached shed aligned to right with shallow pitched corrugated metal roof and timber sheeted door.

South-west elevation is formed by gable end of byre. Timber-framed top-hung casement window at attic level.
North-west, rear, elevation is blank.

North-east elevation is formed by gable end of house and gable end of attached shed which abut a cutting into the slope of the adjacent hillside.

Associated single-storey, single-bay outbuilding c1885 located to south-east of dwelling house. Pitched natural slate roof, no rainwater goods. Painted rubblestone walling with painted plinth course. North-west and south-east elevations having centrally positioned timber sheeted doors to square-headed openings. Other elevations blank.

Setting:

House and outbuilding sit at the end of a short drive, to the east of a laneway leading onto Lough Road. Dwelling is positioned on rising ground within a valley at the foot of Carrigans Hill. Wrought iron double gateway with rubblestone piers open onto driveway having rubblestone walling with soldier coping to each side. Walling forms an enclosure around the dwelling and abuts the outbuilding, with further wrought iron pedestrian gates to south-west, south-east and north-east of dwelling. Painted rubblestone retaining wall to rear of site with single flight of steps giving access to high ground to the north-east of dwelling. Boundary wall to south-east features a substantial rubblestone structure, possibly a former lime kiln.

Roofing: Natural slate, corrugated tin
Walling: Random Rubblestone
Windows: uPVC, timber-framed fixed pane casement
RWG: uPVC

Historical information

The dwelling house is first shown on the second edition OS map of 1862, indicating that it was constructed sometime in the period between the first edition of 1835 and 1862. Griffith’s valuation of 1862 lists the dwelling at a value of 10s and it was leased by Elizabeth Murphy from Thomas P Ball. The house continues in the Murphy family throughout Annual Revisions and there is no change in valuation. An outbuilding is shown on the third edition of 1906-7 which appears to survive, although it may have been roofless at time of the 4th edition in 1956-7.

At the time of the 1911 census, Denis Murphy, Irish and English speaking farmer, was resident with his wife who was unable to read. Seven children had been born to the couple of which five survived and one was still living with them. The census building return shows that the dwelling was stone built and roofed in perishable materials, most likely thatch, with two windows to the front elevation. This implies that the western-most bay of the current structure was an outbuilding at this time. The out-offices return lists a stable, cow house, barn and shed.

In 1933 the house was revalued at £1.5s and 5s for agricultural outbuildings. The interior accommodation comprised a kitchen and a bedroom and the house was said to be in ‘good repair’ with rooms ceiled, earth floors and a slated roof. Dimensions are given of 30 feet by 15½ and the building is 10 feet high to the eaves. The occupier was Owen Murphy who had purchased the house under the Land Acts.

Patrick Gartland took over the house in 1947 and is listed as resident in valuation records up until 1972. In recent years the cottage has been let as a holiday rental and is known as ‘Tosses Romantic Cottage’.

References:

Primary Sources:

1. PRONI OS/6/2/28/1 First Edition Six Inch OS map (1835)
2. PRONI OS/6/2/28/2 Second Edition Six Inch OS map (1862)
3. PRONI VAL/2/B/2/35B Griffith’s Valuation Parish of Forkhill (1862)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/15/13A-D (1859-1923) Annual Revision Lists, ED Forkhill
6. PRONI OS/6/2/28/3 Third Edition Six Inch OS map (1906-7)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/2/14 (1935-1957) First General Revaluation, Rural District of Newry, Vol 3
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/2/6/R/2 (1933-57) Valuers RV Binder, ED Forkhill
9. PRONI VAL/4/B/2/22 (1956-1972) Second General Revaluation, Rural District of Newry, No 2
10. PRONI OS/6/2/28/4 Fourth Edition Six Inch OS map (1956-7)

Online Sources:

11. Census of Ireland (National Archives: Census of Ireland) (1901, 1911)
12. www.booking.com

Evaluation

Single-storey three-bay, direct-entry vernacular dwelling dating to c1850 with storey-and-a-half attached byre aligned to south west and freestanding associated outbuilding to south east. The house and outbuilding have been renovated and well maintained in recent years, and contribute to local rural landscape and built heritage. However, due to significant replacement of original fabric, including roofs, windows and interiors, the group does not meet the criteria for listing.