83 Blackskull Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached multi-bay single-storey white-washed former thatched dwelling, built c.1820. Rectangular on plan facing northeast with stone byre to the south gable. Located at the end of a long lane to the east of Blackskull Road.

Pitched corrugated iron roof with three rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron guttering on iron drive through brackets to rendered eaves course and cast-iron downpipes. White-washed lime render over rubblestone walling. Square-headed window openings with concrete sills, some timber lintels and horizontally glazed two-over-two timber sash windows with exposed sash boxes.

Front elevation is four windows wide with central square-headed door opening and flush replacement door. Door opens onto small cobbled front area.

South gable abutted by single-bay stone byre with pitched natural slate roof, coursed rubblestone walling and redbrick window and door openings having a timber sheeted half-door.

Rear elevation abutted by lean-to extension. Square-headed window openings with four-pane timber casement windows.

Setting

Located at the end of a long shared lane to the east of Blackskull Road.

Roof Corrugated iron
Walling render
Windows Timber
RWG Cast-iron

Historical information

The dwelling is shown as a rectangular structure on the first edition OS map of 1834, together with a small outbuilding (now gone). The building is not listed in the Townland Valuation of 1828-40, as it would not have reached the valuation threshold (£3) for inclusion. By the second edition of 1858, a further structure is shown opposite the present house (now gone) and the buildings are listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as three separate dwelling houses. The main house, situated in a plot of 10 acres and valued at £1.5s, is leased from William Rea and occupied by Thomas Carson senior. Carson sub-lets two houses, valued at 15s each to Thomas Carson junior and William J Carson. One of these smaller houses is deleted in 1874. In 1882 both remaining dwellings became the home of Thomas Newell and in 1887 the ownership passed to a building society, the Discount Company (Belfast/Ulster Street Directory 1880).

By 1900 the occupiers of the present house were James Seawright and his wife, both hand loom weavers. They lived with their seven children aged between 2 and 13 in the two-room dwelling which was designated second class. By 1911 the older children were working, the sons as a postman and a weaver and the daughters as hem stitchers. One of the daughters had sadly died and the census reveals that three of the couple’s eleven children had not survived.

At the time of the First General Revaluation of 1933/4 the present house is listed as the home of Thomas Pedam who leases it from Robert Carson. The house is revalued at £3 and later passes to Martha Pedam (1938) and Philip Timmons (1951). The accommodation comprises two bedrooms and a kitchen and the house and single-storey return are of rubble masonry and corrugated iron. The rent is 2s per week.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/20/1 First Edition OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/20/2 Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/20/3 Third Edition OS Map 1903
4. PRONI OS/6/3/20/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1903-16
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/38D Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/21A-E Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/3 First General Revaluation (1933-57)
8. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/3/R/2 First General Revaluation (1933-57)
9. 1901 census online
10. Belfast/Ulster Street Directory, 1880
11. 1911 census online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached multi-bay single-storey white-washed former thatched dwelling, built c.1820. Rectangular on plan with lobby entry facing northeast with stone byre to the south gable. The present corrugated iron roof strongly suggests that this dwelling was once thatched, and that the thatch may survive, forming part of the region's vernacular tradition. Much historic fabric and detailing survive and its original character survives. It is a good example of this type and is one of a diminishing number in Northern Ireland.