17 Lower Clay Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small, single storey vernacular house set on a rise on the N side of the Lower Clay Road, c.2.5 miles S of Killinchy.

The front (E) façade has a left of centre panelled door (with semicircular arch heads to panels) with fanlight. To the left of the door is a sash window with horizontal glazing bars (almost all windows have similar frames). To the right of the door are two further windows.

The S gable has a small gabled outbuilding attached with natural slates to its roof, a rough cast façade and a timber sheeted door to E and to W. The N gable has a small upper level window with plain sash frame.

To the rear there is a right of centre door characteristic of the ‘direct entry’ type of vernacular layout. To the left of this are three windows, as front but smaller. To the right of the doorway is a similar window.

The façade is finished in rough cast and white washed to all sides bar the S gable. The gabled roof is covered in natural slate and has three yellow brick chimney stacks. Cast iron rw goods.

Wrought iron garden gate to NE corner of house (of a design quite common in this area). Similar but larger gates to vehicle entrance to road side. Much plainer wrought garden gate to E side of outbuilding to S.

Further single storey outbuildings to N of house, mainly rubble built with sandstone quoins.

Historical information

A house is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834, which probably corresponds to the building we see today. The valuation records of 1837 note that the property was then in the hands of a James McKinlen*. In 1861 it is recorded has the home of a John McCandless who leased it from Robert Heron (of Ardigon House near Killyleagh). The presence of yellow brick chimneys and horizontally glazed sash windows, suggests that this property was renovated in the late 1800s or early 20th century.

[*The valuer’s handwriting is unclear- he could have been trying to write ‘McCandless’ after picking up the pronunciation wrongly.]

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/24 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 24.
2 PRONI VAL/1B/336 p.32 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

Small vernacular house probably renovated c.1890 and intact externally.