29-31 Glenloughan Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A linear group of three single-storey, two-bay direct entry vernacular dwellings with outbuildings, built pre 1833 and located at the end of a long lane to the north side of Glenloughan Road, west of Banbridge. All three are rectangular on plan; dwelling to west of group has a windbreak porch to front and a modern return to rear.

All three have corrugated metal roofs and cast-iron half-round rainwater goods; variety of red-brick and rendered chimneystacks and raised stone verge to west gable. Walling is painted roughcast render. Windows are mainly 1/1 timber sliding sash in contrasting reveals with projecting painted sills; some modern timber casement windows to rear.

The principal elevation faces north; that to east is concealed (east gable not viewed). Dwelling to centre has timber-sheeted door to left of centre; 1/1 window to left and right; east and west gables are abutted by adjoining buildings. South elevation has three windows.

Dwelling to west of group has windbreak porch to left containing a modern timber door; two windows to right. The east gable is abutted by adjoining building. South elevation has a tripartite modern casement window to right and a 1/1 window to left; abutted to left of centre by the modern return (of no interest). The west gable is blank.

Setting

Situated at the end of a long lane north of the Glenloughan Road. Mud track leads to yard with modern concrete outbuilding to west of lane and linear group of dwellings with a single-storey outbuilding to north enclosed by a roughcast rendered wall with coping stones. To centre are two square roughcast rendered gate piers with pointed caps supporting original wrought-iron field gates, leading to inner yard to front of house. To rear is a lawned garden with variety of mature trees, bounded to lane by a modern timber fence. Square rendered gate-pier and wall to entrance at rear return.

Rubble stone and lime-rendered outbuildings to north have corrugated metal roofs and openings to south; west gable is partially red-brick and has a timber-sheeted door at left.

Roof: Corrugated metal
Walling: Rough-cast
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The current buildings comprise a row of vernacular dwellings, originally three in number, but now comprising two postal addresses, 29 and 31 Glenloughan Road. The three dwellings are shown on the first edition OS map of 1833 set in a rural agricultural landscape to the east of Scarva that has changed little in the intervening period with the exception of the construction of a branch line railway between Scarva and Banbridge in 1859. Outbuildings to the north of the dwelling houses are also shown on the first edition and have survived to the present day. It is not until the OS map edition of the 1960s/70s that a return is shown to the rear of the westernmost dwelling.

The buildings did not reach the valuation threshold for inclusion in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) but are listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) and all are leased from the same landlord, the Rev J H M Johnson. Working from west to east, the first house, valued at 10s, was set in an acre of land and occupied by Edward Goodfellow, the second, was valued at 15s and leased by Daniel Small and the third, part of a farm of 13 acres, was the home of Bridget Burns with a valuation of £1.5s.

The 1901 and 1911 censuses reveal that the two dwelling houses that were inhabited at this stage were thatched and the earlier census of 1901 further suggests that the walls were of perishable material such as mud or wood. The census is not always a reliable guide, however, and certainly by 1911 both houses are recorded as stone, brick or concrete, although they are still thatched. Each dwelling has three rooms in 1901 and by 1911 Daniel Small’s house has acquired a further room. Daniel Small was a farmer living with his wife and four children, the oldest of whom worked as a farm labourer. Also resident at the house was a 6-year-old nephew. In the second dwelling lived Patrick Byrnes and his sister, both in their seventies. They lived with their niece, 35-year-old widow Susan Conlon who was a domestic in general service. Patrick Byrnes was unable to write and made his mark on the census form. By 1911 Daniel Small’s two eldest sons were working on the railway and his younger son as a general labourer. The second house was occupied by William Joseph Lavery, a farmer and his 22-year-old sister who worked as a seamstress.

Some changes in occupier occurred over the ensuing years but by 1921 Daniel Small had become the occupier of all three dwellings and in 1922 he became the owner under land purchase legislation introduced in the early twentieth century.

The First General Revaluation of 1933/4 continues to list three dwellings on the site, all the property of Daniel, then James P Small and all now roofed in corrugated iron. Working from west to east, the first dwelling remained in use as a house and was revalued at £2.10s and 5s for agricultural outbuildings. The accommodation comprised two bedrooms and a kitchen with a scullery extension of concrete block construction.

The next dwelling was no longer inhabited and was revalued as an agricultural outbuilding with a valuation of 15s. In 1946, it was renovated for use as a dwelling, valued at £2.8s. The occupier was Ellen McArdle and then Jean Mulligan from 1953. The accommodation was a kitchen and one room and the rent 2s per week, later raised to 6s.

The easternmost dwelling was also in use as an agricultural outbuilding valued at £1.5s. Accommodation had comprised a parlour, kitchen and bedroom with an attached outbuilding. In 1946 the house was renovated and used as a dwelling once more. The house was revalued at £3.10s and a rent of 3s per week was payable. A concrete block outbuilding was added to the site in 1946 and appears to have survived to the present day.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/26/1 First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/26/2 Second Edition OS map 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/3/26/3 Third Edition OS Map (1903-4)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/26/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1903-17)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/42 Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/22A-D Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/3 First General Revaluation (1936-57)
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/3/S/2 First General Revaluation (1933-57)
9. 1901 census online
10. 1911 census online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A linear group of three direct-entry, single-storey, two-bay vernacular dwellings with outbuildings, built pre-dating 1833. An example of a vernacular group, the buildings are of some historic and architectural interest. Much of the original character and setting have survived. However, it is not among the best examples of the type.