38 Ballygoskin Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey vernacular dwelling currently undergoing substantial renovation, with large extensions in the process of building at front and rear. The building is set to the to the N of the Ballygoskin Road, c.3 miles NE of Crossgar.

The front (S) façade has had a large gabled projection (in breeze block) added recently to the right of centre. To the E face of this is a timber sheeted doorway with small glazed panel. To its S gable there is a right of centre sash window with Georgian-like panes (six over six) and thick glazing bars. Unusually it is the top sash which slides open.

To the left of the gabled projection (on the main front façade) are five unevenly spaced sash windows, as before, but with that to the far right with eight panes over eight. To the right of the gabled projection (again on the main front façade) there is a further sash window (eight over eight).

The main E gable has two tall narrow windows with modern frames. This gable merges with the E face of a recently added single storey rear return (in breeze block), which has a large picture window with modern frame. The gable of this return is blank, but to the W face there is a large modern style sliding patio door ensemble.

The main W gable has two windows as E gable. This gable also merges with the (W) side of a single storey rear return, which has a single modern window. The gable of this return has another modern window. The rear façade of the main building (between the returns) there is a door (as front). To both the far left and far right of this door there is a small four pane, fixed light, window.

All windows have timber cills. The façade of the main original building is in random fieldstone (greywacke) rubble, the extensions/returns are in (as yet unrendered) breeze block. All sections of the roof are gabled and covered in natural (Spanish) slate. The roof has an overhang with plain barges. There are two small brick chimney stacks to the main roof. No rw goods. Solar panels to front of main roof and to return to E.

Well to N of house. Former gates to S removed (with the gates themselves preserved by the owner).

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1859. The valuation records of 1837 note that either this house, or one slightly to the north east (there is some confusion as to what building the key on the accompanying valuation map actually refers to), was at that point in possession of a James Wilson. The 1861 valuation is unambiguous, however, stating that it was the home of a William White, who leased it from a Charles Mathews.

The current owner, who acquired the property fairly recently after it had lain derelict for some years, states that he has seen documents ‘which indicate that the house was built in 1732’, and that it once belonged to a man named Taylor. The writers were unable to confirm any of this, but a Thomas Taylor did own the near by farmstead now known as ‘The Fort’, during much of the 19th century.

When first surveyed in September 1978, this property had maintained its classic linear vernacular dwelling appearance, complete with thatched roof, but it has been much extended recently and has also lost the thatch.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/24 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 24.
2 PRONI VAL/1B/336 p.37 First valuation, Killyleagh, 1837.
3 PRONI OS/6/3/24/2 OS map, 1st rev., 1859, Co. Down 24.
4 PRONI Second valuation, Killyleagh, 1861. [In print in PRONI search room and Linen Hall Library.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Relatively substantial single storey farm house of pre 1834 origin currently recently to whose original linear cottage appearance has been much altered recently with the addition of gabled extensions at front and rear.