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The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long single storey vernacular house set at the end of a drive to the NW of the Derryboy Road, c.3 miles N of Crossgar.

The front (S) façade has a slightly left of centre modern partly glazed door. To the left of this are two small windows all varying in size now with modern frames. All windows have similar modern frames. To the right of the door are three unevenly spaced windows, similar in size to those to left.

The W gable has two windows as front. The E gable has two tiny upper level windows with fixed light frames.

To the far left at the rear is a large modern window. To the right of this is a modern flat roofed conservatory/porch. To the right of this are three unevenly spaced windows as front and to the right of these is a small flat roofed extension with a window as front set into a ‘chamfered’ ‘link’ between it and the main rear façade, and a squat modern window to its E face.

The façade is finished in rough cast and painted. The gabled roof is covered in natural slate and has three brown brick chimney stacks. PVC rw goods.

Single and two storey rubble built out buildings to rear. Wrought iron garden gate to front E (of a design quite common in this area). Wrought iron farm gate further to E.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834 which probably corresponds (for the most part) with that we see today. The valuation records of 1837 tell us that the house at this point was in possession of a Samuel Morrow. The outbuildings to the rear were also present at this date, though all were single storey. Samuel Morrow (or a son/relative of the same name) was still resident in 1861, when the second valuation was carried out. The same records also tell us that a section of the outbuildings served as a ‘caretaker’s house’.

There used to be a school house just to the SE of this property, which is marked as a ‘National School’ on the 1859 OS map. This building was demolished in c.1997/8.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/23 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 23.
2 PRONI VAL/1B/336 p.20 First valuation, Killyleagh, 1837.
3 PRONI OS/6/3/23/2 OS map, 1st rev., 1859, Co. Down 23.
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

Long single storey vernacular house of probable pre 1834 origin, now with PVC window frames through and two small extensions to rear.