House at Montalto

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long, single storey gabled cottage of largely pre-1834 construction, with a distinctive Jacobean style folly-like three to four storey tower. The building, which was apparently once used as a schoolhouse, but is now an occasional dwelling, is set within the Montalto estate, on a slight rise to the S of Montalto House.

The tower is located in the centre of the front (E) elevation. It projects forward roughly 2 metres and is topped with baroque gables. To the middle of the ground floor is a recessed gothic arched doorway with plain fanlight and modern sheeted door. To the left f the tower are three 2/2 sash windows. That to the right side is slightly narrower. To the left of the tower are a further three 2/2 sash windows. That to the left is narrower and set slightly lower.

The N and S gables have bargeboards with slight overhangs and a small single 2/2 sash window.

The W façade faces out on to an enclosed yard which is enclosed by a 2 metre high wall. The elevation has four unevenly spaced 2/2 sash windows to the right. The windows are all of slightly different size and are set at different heights. Between the first and second windows (From left) is a small boiler housing with a stainless steel flue. To the far right is a sheeted door with a small vision panel.

The façade is rendered and painted and the gabled roof is slated. Two skylights to rear. Three rendered chimney stacks.

In a garden-like area to the front of the building there is a two stage stone ‘podium’ with panels and cornicing. Apparently this used to have a ‘bell shaped top decorated with floral swags’, but this has now been taken off.

Historical information

This building is shown in a slightly shorter form on the OS map of 1834, next to an area marked ‘sheepfold’. The original function of the building is obscure. It appears to have been a schoolhouse at some point (presumably the 19th century and presumably for the younger members of then owners the Ker family). It has also been suggested that it was built as a church (or rather, chapel) by the original owners of the Montalto estate, the Rawdon family, but this seem unlikely and there appears to be no evidence to support other than the fact that it sports a church-like tower.

The building appears to have been extended in the later 1800s. It was renovated in the late 1990s and now serves as an occasional dwelling.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.1255 Title deeds, legal and testamentary papers, correspondence and Irish Land Commissioners Papers re the Ballynahinch Estate, 1630-1940
2 PRONI OS/6/3/29/1 OS map, Down sh 29, 1834
3 PRONI VAL/1B/388A-B Valuation records, Magherdrool, 1834-1838
4 PRONI OS/6/3/29/2 OS map, Down sh 29, 1858
5 PRONI and Linen Hall Library Second (Griffith’s) valuation, Magherdrool, c.1863 [in print]
6 PRONI OS/6/3/29/3 OS map, Down sh 29, c.1901

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Long, single storey gabled cottage of largely pre-1834 construction, with a distinctive Jacobean-gabled folly-like three to four storey tower. The building’s original function is uncertain, but it apparently served for a time as a schoolhouse and is now an occasional dwelling.