95 Ballynahinch Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-storey, hearth lobby, pre-1858 vernacular dwelling. The propety is set within a small garden close to the busy Ballynahinch / Dromore road, roughly 3.3km east of Dromore.

The house is rectangular in plan with projecting gabled porch set to the right of centre to the south front. To the west gable there are two timber sheds.

The front entrance is located on the west face of the porch, and has a timber-sheeted door. To the south (gabled) face of the porch there is a window with 1/1 timber sash frame.

To the left of the porch there are two window openings with one to the right, all with 2/2 painted timber sash frames, smooth render surrounds and painted stone sills.

To the left side of the east gable there is a window with a four pane fixed metal frame.

The north façade has two windows; that to the left side has been partially bricked up while that to the right has a six pane fixed frame. The boiler is set within a metal housing to the right side whilst a uPVC oil tank is set to the left corner.

The west gable is without openings, however there is a timber shed abutting the gable. A small timber shed is attached to the north face of the first shed; this houses a dry closet. Both sheds are roofed with corrugated iron.

Walls are finished with roughcast render to the front and sides. The porch is finished with plain render. The rear wall is part roughcast render and part painted random rubble.

The roof is pitched and covered with corrugated-iron and has three rendered chimneystacks (one to each gable, the other slightly to the east of centre). Rainwater goods are part galvanised steel (with guttering is supported on cantilever brackets most of which has rusted and fallen away), and part uPVC.

Located in the hedge to the east side there is a water pump with a ‘cow tail’ handle. The maker’s name is embossed and reads ‘D Dugan Lisburn’.

The front garden is enclosed with low roughcast-rendered walls with plain coping, and a broad gateway with square roughcast rendered gateposts with pyramidal caps. There are 'vernacular' wrought-iron gates.

Historical information

A house matching the size and orientation of the present dwelling is shown for the first time on the revised OS map of 1858. In the valuation of 1861 it is recorded as a house and forge occupied by Samuel McFadden, with Robert McFadden the immediate lessor (probably holding a lease from the Meade estate), and the rateable value a modest £1.

In 1863 Alexander Creighton is noted as the tenant, with Eliza Wilson the immediate lessor. William Wilson took over the tenancy and the lease in 1870, and appears to have remained there until c.1930, although by this time the freehold had been acquired by a William Watson. By 1936 James Gourley was in possession of the building, renting it to Robert Kingham, and then, in 1942 to Samuel Jess. In 1951 the valuers list the property as vacant, with James Gourley resident in 1956 and continuing in occupation until 2008.

It is not known whether the forge mentioned in the 1861 valuation was actually part of the house structure itself. It may have been situated within a separate building, although the maps give no indication of this. If within the main structure itself, it must have been to the western end, however there now appears to be no obvious evidence of this. The forge itself ceased to be mentioned as part of the valuation after the 1860s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/2A/3/21A OS map, Co. Down, sheet 21, with valuation
references, 1858(-61)
3 PRONI VAL/2B/3/38A Second valuation, Dromore parish, 1859
4 PRONI VAL/12B/16/10A Annual valuation revision book, Dromore Electoral District, 1864-78
5 PRONI VAL/12B/16/10B Annual valuation revision book, Dromore Electoral District, 1879-91
6 PRONI VAL/12B/16/10C Annual valuation revision book, Dromore Electoral District, 1892-98
7 PRONI VAL/12B/16/10E Annual valuation revision book, Dromore Rural Electoral District, 1899-1908
8 PRONI OS/6/3/21/3 OS map, Co. Down, sheet 25, 1903
9 PRONI VAL/12B/16/10F Annual valuation revision book, Dromore Rural Electoral District, 1909-30
10 PRONI VAL/3B/4/1 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Rural district of Banbridge, Dromore Rural electoral district, 1935
11 PRONI VAL/3C/4/2 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Rural district of Banbridge, Dromore Rural electoral district, 1936-56
12 PRONI VAL/4B/3/2 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Rural district of Banbridge, Dromore Rural electoral district, 1956-72

Secondary sources
1 Information from present owner, April 2009

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This house is an excellent, and now somewhat rare example of a mid-19th century hearth lobby access vernacular dwelling. It is largely original both inside and out and as well as its original roof structure, retains some interesting features such as a dry closet and fixed bellows for the kitchen fire. The property is further enhanced by its unspoiled rural setting and small garden with original walling and gates.