39 Dolmen Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey two-bay vernacular direct-entry dwelling with attached byre on the site of a building which may contain the fabric of an 1834 structure. Rectangular plan form with twentieth century porch, adjoining linear outbuildings and associated detached outbuilding. Located north of the Legananny Dolmen (DOW035037) and standing stone (DOW035043); approximately 5 miles south of Dromara.

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles, cement skews and cement rendered chimneystacks with corbelled upper course; no pots or rainwater goods. Vestiges of lime render over rubble masonry walling. Remains of 2/2 timber sliding sash windows with vertical glazing bars, exposed sash boxes, concrete cills and masonry lintels (unless otherwise stated). Twentieth century cement rendered porch with flat roof and projected string course; painted timber sheeted door to east cheek, two timber casement windows to south elevation with continuous cill course and blank west cheek.

The principal elevation faces south and is asymmetrically arranged. The site inclines from left to right. Centrally positioned porch flanked by single windows; left window has exposed brick relieving arches with slate lintel and brick jambs. Three first floor windows. Extended to right by byre (see later).

Asymmetrical left gable (W) with apex chimney; attic window left of centre. Rubblestone retaining wall to south-west corner. Remains of outbuilding partially abutting at ground floor level.

The rear elevation (N) is asymmetrically arranged. Boarded-up window ground floor left; infilled window ground floor right.

The right gable (E) is abutted by a double height rubble masonry byre with loft (flooring removed). The south elevation comprises a door opening at ground level with masonry lintel and infilled first floor opening with masonry cill. The barn is further abutted by a single-storey twentieth century structure with mono-pitched corrugated iron roofing and remains of sliding door and metal-framed window.

Perpendicular gabled split-level outbuilding south of the dwelling; rubble masonry walling with masonry lintels and a natural slate roof with cement skews. Internal flag-stone lined drain and exposed machine-sawn ceiling joists carrying upper floor. Cart access to upper floor at rear of building via graded landscape. Rubblestone retaining wall to south-west corner. Later single-storey corrugated iron-roof extension to the rear.

Setting
Extensive rural
setting sheltered on a steep inclining elevated site. Access is via a track lined with dry-stone walls, bypassing Legananny Dolmen (DOW035037). Cement rendered concrete block structure to southwest beyond and the remains of a square rubble masonry pier with capping. Interconnecting paths set into the landscape serving adjacent historic dwellings to the north.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Rubble masonry partially rendered
Windows: Timber sliding sash
RWG: None

Historical information

Buildings are shown on the OS map of 1833-4 that appear to correspond to the present-day dwelling house (to the north) and outbuilding (south). Unfortunately, the property is not referenced on the map that accompanies the first valuation book of 1834, (as it was deemed under rateable value), so we have no way of positively identifying it. The fact it was not recorded suggests a fairly modest vernacular dwelling, which was probably single-storey and quite likely thatched.

In the second valuation of c.1862 Hugh Lavery is recorded as the occupier, leasing the ‘house, offices [outbuildings] and land’ from the Annesley estate. The buildings are rated and the relatively low amount of £2. The farm remained in the Lavery family for some years before passing to Owen McMullen who was resident at the time of the 1901 census, when he is noted as a 51yr-old unmarried farmer living here with his two sisters, Lucy and Teresa, and their young nephew, Hugh Murray. The house itself is noted as a ‘1st class’ slated (or C-I roofed) dwelling with six rooms in use and nine windows in front, all of which suggests the two-storey structure we see today (but probably without the porch extension) was present by this date, though its rateable value of £2 appears quite low for such a building.

Owen McMullen died c.1905 soon after the census and the house passed to John Lavery in c.1913 and then Laurence Conalty Junior in c.1918 remaining in the Conalty family until at least 1972. In the early 1930s the house was uninhabited and became redesignated as agricultural outbuildings. However, in 1939 it was renovated for use as a dwelling house and it appears likely that the concrete porch with asbestos roof tiles and attached concrete outbuilding were added at this time, with the accommodation recorded as comprising a scullery, kitchen, reception and three bedrooms.

The house has not been lived in for some time.

Townland – Legananny Ir. Liagan Aine ‘pillar stone of the goddess Aine’

References - Primary Sources
1 OS map 6inch County series, Co Down sheet 35 1833-4, 1860, 1901-02, 1920
2 PRONI VAL1B/359 First valuation, Drumgooland parish, 1834(-38)
3 PRONI VAL2B/3/51C Second valuation, Drumgooland parish, c.1862
4 PRONI VAL/12/B/16/15A-D Annual valuation revision books, Leitrim ED - 1864-1929
6 Census of Ireland – 1901 - http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie
7 PRONI VAL3D/4/3/K/5 Valuers ‘RV’ binders, Leitrim ED Vol.5 - 1933-57
8 PRONI VAL3C/4/2 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Leitrim ED - 1936-57
9 PRONI VAL4B/3/3 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Leitrim ED - 1956-72

Secondary sources
10 Placenamesni website - https://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=11753

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-storey vernacular direct-entry stone dwelling on the site of a building which may contain the fabric of an 1834 structure. Despite exhibiting twentieth century modifications, its vernacular character and layout survive. Later alterations illustrate the evolving nature of these building types. Located on a steep site, the complex is characterised by the graded landscape and dry-stone walling that has largely remained unaltered. This is a good surviving example of its type and typical of a small rural cluster that is becoming less common.

General comments

These structures are within Newry Mourne & Down District Council area.