99 Castlevennon Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-storey vernacular hearth-lobby dwelling pre-dating 1833 with twentieth century modifications. Rectangular plan form with detached outbuildings in a half-courtyard arrangement. Located at the end of a lane to the east of Castlevennon Road, approximately 4 miles east of Banbridge.

Pitched corrugated asbestos roof with plain ridging and cement skews; metal rainwater goods comprising half-circle gutters; brick chimneys with corbelled upper courses, with vestiges of roughcast render. Roughcast cement rendered walling. Replacement steel-framed casement windows with concrete cills (unless otherwise stated). Replacement mid-twentieth century timber front door with oval glazed panel and associated mouldings; set into gabled windbreaker porch with corrugated roofing; dry-dashed walling with plaster banding.

The asymmetrical east facing principal elevation is five openings wide. Entrance porch located left of centre flanked by windows. Further right is a 2/2 timber sliding-sash window with horizontal glazing bars beyond which is a projecting flat-roofed toilet surmounted by water tank. Window to far right.

The left gable is blank; apex chimney; plinth projected by approximately 300mm; partially exposed rubble masonry walling to the left (failing render).

Asymmetrical rear elevation with windows centre and right; 2/2 timber sliding sash window with vertical glazing bar to the left. Far left bay set back with single window.

The right gable is blank; abutted by a single-storey rubble masonry outbuilding with pitched corrugated-iron roof; sawn timber roof structure.

Setting

Traditional complex of farm buildings set out in a half-courtyard arrangement, located at the end of a long lane set in a rural landscape not visible from the road. Single and two-storey outbuildings arranged perpendicular to the east of the dwelling; lime render over rubble masonry walls with natural slate roofs and sawn timber roof structures; timber sheeted doors and a variety of window openings and ventilation-apertures. The south building has an upper deck carried by timber post and beam structure accessed by masonry/concrete steps to west gable. Evidence of previous abutments to both buildings and vestiges of a rubble masonry wall enclosing the site to east.

Roofing: Thatch under corrugated-asbestos
Walling: roughcast
Windows: Steel
RWG: Metal

Historical information

Buildings are shown on the first edition OS map of 1833 which correspond to the dwelling house and outbuildings present on the site today. There is some remodelling and extension to the buildings over the years but the original plan form persists.

The farmhouse is not listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) as it would have fallen below the threshold for inclusion. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the tenant as James Watt, who leases the 26 acre farm from Michael Jones. The house and outbuildings are valued at £1.5s. The farm passed to Richard Hook in 1879 and in 1882 there was a rise in valuation to £3 suggesting additions and improvements at this time. Robert Smyth took over the farm in 1884 and was resident at the time of the 1901 census with his wife and six children aged between 5 and 15. The two-room house was designated second class. Robert Smyth became the owner in fee of the farm in 1909 under land purchase legislation and the farm remained in the Smyth family at the time of the First General Revaluation (1933/4). The farm was still thatched in the 1930s and the accommodation comprised three bedrooms, a ‘room’ and kitchen.

Vacant for some years.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/1 First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 Second Edition OS map 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/3/27/3 Third Edition OS Map 1903
4. PRONI OS/6/3/27/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1903-18
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/52 Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/3A-E Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/1 – First General Revaluation (1933-57)
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/3/B/6 – 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

Single-storey vernacular hearth-lobby dwelling pre-dating 1833 with twentieth century modifications. The hearth-lobby layout and thatched roof structure survive. The outbuildings and partial remaining structures form the setting features and represent the development of a small holding. Although of some interest, modernisation has compromised its originality and it is not among the best examples of the type.