174 Huntly Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small, unusual, split-level ‘two-storey’ house of c.1840-50, built as part of a short terrace of three similar but non-identical dwellings, for employees of the (now demolished) near by mill. The terrace is built into sloping ground to the west side of Huntly Road, set back from the line of a longer terrace to the east. To the immediate W there is a now derelict former schoolhouse, which was latterly used as a hall. All of the houses in the terrace are vacant and in a state of disrepair.

The terrace is brick-built, but much of the façade is now covered in plant growth or obscured by bushes. No.74 lies to the west end of the terrace and is one of the two smaller properties [no.72 being the other].

The asymmetrical single-storey front elevation faces roughly N. To the left is the entrance, which has been boarded up. To the right is a window, which appears to have a two over two timber sash frame. This window is largely obscured by bushes.

The two-storey W gable could not be seen due to the proximity of trees and busthes. Attached to the ground floor of the gable there is a single-storey brick-built projection, now largely smothered by plant growth and badly dilapidated. To the S face there is a doorway and two window openings, with the remains of the flat-panel timber door to the doorway, and what appear to have been sash frames to the windows. There is a further smaller single-storey brick-built projection attached to the gable. This projection is flush with the rear façade of the terrace and contains the rear doorway to the property to its S face. This dooway contains a door which appears to have been originally part-glazed but which has subsequently been patched with boards. To the W face of the lean-to there is a small window with recent timber frame. [The surveyors could only see this window from the interior of the building.]

To the ground floor of the (two-storey) the S elevation there are two windows with the dilapidated remains of six over six timber sash frames. To the first floor there are two similar smaller windows (three over six).

The gabled roof is slated and has clay ridge tiles. There is a brick chimneystack to the W end of the ridge, which is now largely smothered in plant growth The rainwater goods are a mixture of original cast-iron and recent replacement PVC-u.

Historical information

A block matching the present terrace is first shown on the OS map of 1858-60, which, the continuity of valuation returns indicate, is the same block we see today. This short terrace was built by the Smyth family, undoubtedly for employees of their near by bleach and corn mills (‘Milltown’). The overall plainness of the terrace makes it difficult to date exactly, however it was not considered ‘new’ by the valuers in 1861, so it could conceivably date from as early as c.1840.

This particular house (no. 174 Huntly Road) was occupied by a Bernard McClurg in 1861. McClurg (or, a son / relation of the same name) is recorded as still living there up until 1905, when he was succeeded by a Samuel Lynas (1905/6-09), with a Henry Wilson following (1909-27) and a Mary Wilson from 1927 to at least 1935. The Wilsons also held the neighbouring property (no.72) during this period also.

The building appears to have been vacated c.1990.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/27/1 OS map, Co Down sheet 27 (1833-34)
2 PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 OS map, Co Down sheet 27 (1858-60)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/3/27A Valuation map, Co Down sheet 27, Tullylish parish etc. (1858-c.61)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/3/48D Second valuation, Tullylish parish (1861)
5 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25A Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1864-78)
6 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25B Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1879-87)
7 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25C Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1879-87)
8 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25D Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1887-89)
9 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25E Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1887-99)
10 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25F Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1900-08)
11 PRONI VAL/12E/87/1 Valuation plan of Milltown (1907 [-35])
12 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25G Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1909-21)
13 PRONI VAL/12B/16/25H Annual valuation revision book, Tullylish ED (1921-29)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Split-level ‘two-storey’ house of c.1840-50, built as part of a short terrace of three similar but non-identical dwellings for employees of the (now demolished) near by mill. A relatively early surving example of mill-workers’ housing, this building has an unusual layout and is still largely original.