8 Balloolymore Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay one-and-a-half-storey rendered house, built c.1840, with off-centre gable-ended return and later extension abutting the east gable, built c.1990. Set on an elevated site on the north side of Balloolymore Road with rear yard to the east enclosed by two linear ranges of rubblestone outbuildings.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, rendered verges and rendered chimneystacks rising from all gables. Replacement plastic guttering to rendered eaves and plastic downpipes. Dry flint dash rendered walling with smooth rendered plinth course. Square-headed window openings with painted masonry sills and largely original timber sash windows.

Symmetrical front elevation is three bays wide with a replacement 8/8 timber sash window to the left and an original 8/8 timber sash window to the right. Central three-centred arched door opening with an original tripartite timber frame having replacement four panelled timber door, replacement webbed fanlight and replacement sidelights. Door opens onto granite platform to paved front area overlooking front lawn.

West gable has two window openings to the attic level with original 2/2 timber sash windows.

Rear elevation abutted by one-and-a-half-storey gable-ended return having a single round-headed stairhall window with original 6/6 timber spoked sash window having glazed hub and a further slender window opening at ground level with an original 4/4 timber sash window. The return has a large square-headed window opening to the west cheek with paired single-pane timber sash windows. A further diminutive window opening to the attic level of the gable end has a 2/2 timber sash window.

The east gable also has a pair of window openings to the upper level with replacement timber casement windows and is abutted by a flat-roofed single-storey extension. The return has a single window opening to each level with replacement timber casement window to the upper level and an original 2/2 timber sash window at ground floor level.

Setting

The flat-roofed extension to the east gable is abutted to the south by a single-storey structure fronting onto the front garden with corrugated iron roof. Concrete paved yard to the east enclosed to the north by a single-storey rubblestone outbuilding with pitched natural slate roof (corrugated iron to the west), coursed and snecked rubblestone walling, vertically-sheeted timber sliding vehicular doors and some steel casement windows. The east is enclosed by a lofted single-storey lime-washed rubblestone outbuilding with pitched natural slate roof, vertically-sheeted timber doors and some steel casement windows. The south of the yard is enclosed by late twentieth-century structures.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Dry dash
Windows Timber
RWG uPVC

Historical information

Tithe current dwelling house dates from the mid-nineteenth century and is first shown on the second edition OS map of 1860. The first edition of 1833-4 shows ‘Flour & Corn Mills’ and a ‘Flax Mill’ to the west of the site and further structures to the east of the site of the present house which appear to have survived as outbuildings. The south outbuilding is orientated slightly differently on the second edition of 1860 and may be a rebuild. The Townland Valuation (1828-40) records a house and corn, flour and flax mills on the site, the dwelling house occupied by a ‘Mrs Mayne’.

The Maine family built a new cottage on the site in the mid-nineteenth century and this is listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) of 1856-64 as a house and offices occupied by William Maine and leased from Alexander Maine and valued at £10. Dimensions are given for a ‘neat cottage’ situated on a farm of over 61 acres. The farm and return is slated with thatched and slated single-storey outbuildings also recorded. In 1904 the house passed to Samuel McLelland, who is recorded in the 1911 census as a farmer living at the house with his wife and five children. The nine-room house with 12 outbuildings is designated second class. The farm remained in the McLelland family into the 1930s when accommodation comprised, four bedrooms, two receptions, a kitchen, scullery and pantry. The house remains in use as a domestic dwelling.

References:
Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/35/1 First Edition OS Map 1833-4
2. PRONI OS/6/3/35/2 Second Edition OS map 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/3/35/3 Third Edition OS Map 1901-2
4. PRONI OS/6/3/35/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1902-20
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/360 Townland Valuation (1828-40)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/52 Griffith’s Valuation (1863)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/3A-E Annual Revisions (1864-1930)
8. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/1 First General Revaluation (1933-57)
9. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/3/B/1First General Revaluation (1933-57)
10. 1911 census online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay one-and-a-half-storey rendered house, built c.1840, with off-centre gable-ended return and later extension abutting the east gable, built c.1990. Much historic fabric and detailing survive, of good quality and detailing. The setting on an elevated site with rear yard to the east enclosed by two linear ranges of rubblestone outbuildings also survives and forms a good yard with the house. The outbuildings also represent small scale rural industry, having been part of corn and flax mills originally. This modestly scaled rural residence with unsophisticated proportions is a good example of the type of small farmhouse that is becoming rare in the area.