15 Ballymacanallen Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached single-storey direct-entry vernacular dwelling with linear outbuildings; built c.1850 and located south of the Ballymacanallen Road, near Gilford. Rectangular on plan with projecting windbreak porch at front and timber-sheeted lean-to to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles, raised masonry verges and rendered chimneystacks. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods. Walling is ruled and lined render to north elevation and roughcast render to remainder; northwest corner is chamfered to lower level, with sandstone corner stones. Windows are 1/2 timber sliding sash with projecting masonry sills; 2/2 (with horizontal glazing bars) and 1/1 to rear in simple smooth rendered surrounds.

The principal elevation faces north and is irregularly arranged, with slated gabled porch to left of centre, flanked by a window to left and three windows to right. Simple bargeboard and timber-sheeted entrance door to porch.

The east gable is abutted by adjoining building; HB21/01/057B.

The south (rear) elevation has a timber-sheeted door to right of centre, abutted by a timber-sheeted lean-to; flanked by two 1/1 windows to right and two 2/2 windows to left.

The west gable has a timber-sheeted door at attic.

Setting

Located on a country road north of Gilford. To southwest is a paved yard, accessed from road via a pair of wrought-iron gates, with various roughcast single-storey outbuildings with tin roofs. At rear is an overgrown yard with a linear row of outbuildings; that to right is rubble stone with red-brick dressings, having timber casement windows flanking a timber-sheeted entrance door. Wrought-iron gate to southwest corner. Modern two-storey dwelling to east.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The present house was built c1850 as an extension to the neighbouring original early nineteenth century dwelling. The cottages are situated in the rural hinterland of Gilford, an agricultural landscape that has retained its character and remains relatively unchanged.

A rectangular structure is shown on the first edition OS map of 1834 which occupies the footprint of the present day number 17 Ballymacanallen Road. By the second edition of 1858 the structure has been extended westwards to form what is now number 15 and by the third edition number 17 has been further extended eastwards, beyond the chimney that would once have marked the gable end.

The map evidence shows that number 15 was constructed between 1834 and 1858, as an extension to the neighbouring dwelling. James Wilson is the occupier at the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) and he leases the property from James Hamilton. The house and outbuildings are valued at £1.15s and the house is situated in an acre of land.

By 1901 the occupier was Ellie Emily Lowndes, a 37-year-old widow from County Meath, who worked as a grocer. The house had four rooms and four windows to the front facade and was roofed with perishable material. Valuer’s notes of 1904, which were made following an appeal against the valuation by Lowndes, show that the building was thatched, felted and slated in different portions and a nearby outbuilding was roofed in corrugated iron. The cost of construction was said to have been £70. By 1907 the occupiers were farmer David and his wife Mary Jane Robinson, daughter of Joseph Heaney who lived in the neighbouring house and was also their landlord. The couple had three young children and their house was still thatched at this stage.

David Robinson died on 10th December 1936 leaving his widow resident at the house. Mary J Robinson took over the neighbouring house in 1931 and in 1933 she became the owner in fee of both properties under land purchase legislation, which was designed to redistribute land to the farmers who worked and lived on it. In the First General Revaluation of 1934 the house was revalued at £4.10s and the plan and dimensions show that the house had been slated and a porch added. The accommodation consisted of a reception, kitchen, scullery and two bedrooms and the valuer noted that the building ‘has been renovated’. In 1945 Samuel J Robinson leased the house from David J Robinson.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/26/1 First Edition OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/26/2 Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/26/3 Third Edition OS Map 1901-2
4. PRONI OS/6/3/26/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-21
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/350 Townland Valuation (1828-40)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/48A Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/25A-H Annual Revisions (1864-1930)
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/12/C/3 – First General Revaluation Valuer’s RV Binder (1933-57)
9. PRONI Will of David Robinson died 10th December 1936

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An attached single-storey direct-entry vernacular dwelling with outbuildings; built c.1850 beside the original dwelling (HB17/01/057B) to the east. Detailing is largely intact and its original proportions and much of its early character survive. The earlier house and the outbuildings to rear add interest. The pair demonstrate the development of the site and are a relatively rare surviving example of vernacular dwellings, once common in this area. However, permission has been granted for their replacement.