2-4 Manse Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey house and (slightly shorter) two storey shop, set at an angle to each other to the W side of Derryboye cross-roads, c.3 miles N of Crossgar. The house is set to the N and may have been built around c.1835 whilst the shop set at an angle to it to the S, probably began life as single storey, but was later raised in height.

The front (E) façade of the house (No.4 HB18/02/013B) is not quite symmetrical. Slightly to the left of centre on the ground floor is a panelled door with plain fanlight and plain rendered surround. To the left of this is a sash window with Georgian panes (six over six) with a similar window to the right of the doorway and three more slightly smaller versions to the first floor.

The N gable has two similar sash windows to the ground floor, another (slightly smaller) to the right on the first floor, and another (smaller again) to attic level. This gable merges with the short N face of a rear two storey lean to.

The S gable could only be seen at a distance. It appears have a modern [?fixed light] window to the left on the ground floor, a sash window (as front) to the left on the second floor and a smaller sash window (two over two) to the right at attic level. To the far right this gable has a short link to the shop, and, to the left, the gable merges with the short S face of the rear lean to (which has a modern window at ground level).

The rear façade is in fact the W façade of the lean to. Near the centre to the ground floor is a modern glazed door. To the left of this are two square modern windows and to the right of the doorway is a larger modern window. To the left at the first floor are two sash windows (two over two), then a larger window with margin panes and coloured glass, and to the far right, a sash window as left.

The façade of the house is pebbledashed with smooth render surrounds to openings and chamfered quoins to front. The roof is gabled and covered in natural slate. Small cast iron skylight close to ridge at rear. Parapets and red brick chimney stacks to gables. Cast iron rw goods. Fairly recent looking snecked rubble wall to E and N of house. Extensive collection of two and single storey outbuildings in yard to rear of house.

The shop/post office (No.2 HB18/02/013A) sits at an angle to the S of the house and abuts its SE corner. Close to the centre of the shop’s front (N) façade is the doorway which has a glazed door with roller shutter hood over and shouldered surround. To the far left of this is a window with modern frame and simple moulded surround. To the right of the doorway is a fairly large shop window with three light (six pane) frame with segmental heads to each light. The shop window has a King George VI wall post box cut into its both right corner. To the first floor are three windows as left on ground floor, with a timber sheeted loft door between the first and second windows. Modern projecting post office sign to right of loft door.

The E and W facades are both blank, the W façade taken up with the link to the house. The rear façade has a single storey lean to to the right with a sheeted door and a boarded up window to its S face. To the left of this (on the main rear façade) is a dilapidated [?casement] window. To the first floor is a small, dilapidated, sash window (four over two) to the left and a blocked up former window opening to the right.

The N and E facades of the shop are finished in painted lined render with chamfered quoins and base. The rear is finished in rough cast with plain render to the lean to. The W façade could not be seen. The roof is hipped and covered in natural slate. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

Buildings are shown on this general site on the OS map of 1834, however, none appear to match the size or orientation of the present structures exactly. The valuation records of 1837 tell us that the group at this date consisted of a dwelling, measuring 41ft x 28 x 19, a store at 65 x 18½ x 7 and a ‘carhouse’ at 47 x 16 x 6½. Significantly, the valuers state that the house is an ‘A-’, that is a relatively new building, constructed within the last twenty years (as opposed to an ‘A+’ or an ‘A’ which could be a few decades older). This could mean that the house the valuers recorded was built between 1834 and 1837, and is therefore that shown on the revised OS map of 1859, a house which appears to match the size and orientation of that we see today. However, none of this is certain as the dimensions quoted by the valuers do not appear (at a rough reckoning), to match those of today’s house.

The building to the south, now used as a shop and post office , probably began life as single storey. On the 1859 OS map it is marked as a post office, which could suggest that it had assumed its current form by that stage.

Both buildings used to belong to the Lindsay family, who held them (and/or previous buildings on the site) from at least 1837 to, apparently the early 1900s. The current owner of the shop states that the property was a spirit grocers at one stage, but was later bought by Raffrey Presbyterian Church, some of whose congregation wished in suppress the liquor license.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/24 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 24.
2 PRONI VAL/1B/336 p.20 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

Two storey house and shop, set at an angle to each other at a rural cross roads. The house is relatively plain with a gabled roof and may date from c.1835, but this is not certain. The shop, which abuts the corner of the house and was linked to it at one stage, may have begun life as a single storey outbuilding and assumed its present form c.1850s or slightly later.