The Cottages

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mildly picturesque house of probable mid 19th century construction, with two storey projecting gabled end bays and central single storey ‘link’, much modernised and extended in 1985. Originally this property contained two dwellings and locally it is still known as ‘The Cottages’. The house is set close to the E side of Spa Road, less than a mile SE of Ballynahinch.

The front elevation is asymmetrical and faces roughly W. To the centre the façade is single storey and flanked by the two storey gabled end bays. To the N is a further long (and overtly modern looking) single storey section to N. To the left of the main ‘linking’ single storey portion is a small hipped roof porch which abuts the N bay. To the S face of the porch is a timber sheeted door. To the W face is a small high level window with modern frame (as do all windows). To the right of the porch is a large window.

The gabled W facades of the two end bays each have a single window to both floors. The S bay has a small window close to the eaves on its exposed N façade. There is a similar window to the exposed N façade of the N bay and a slightly larger window to left on the ground floor. The long single storey portion to N has a long continuous window to its W façade.

Due to the fact that the property backs into steeply rising ground to E and S neither the rear or the S elevation could be seen. However, it is clear that the ‘linking’ section has been extended and is now two storey to the rear side.

The building is largely finished in fresh looking plain cement render with the N single storey section in painted brick. All sections of the roof are gabled with that to the single storey linking section extended in 1985 (in order to make the rear of this portion two storey), and now level with the roofs of the end bays. The roof of the N single storey section has an uneven pitch. The entire roof has an overhang with shaped barges and finials to the tall end bays. Artificial ‘slate’. Velux window to front. Small rendered chimney stack to NE. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

There appears to be a very small building shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858, which may correspond to the ‘linking’ portion of the present house. It is possible that this original property was connected with a small quarry which was located to the immediate north, perhaps a quarry-worker’s dwelling. Some time after 1858 this original dwelling was either demolished or simply had the two tall end bays added to it, with two properties created in the process.

Both dwellings were amalgamated some time prior to 1975. At some point prior to this date also (possibly the 1960s) the long single storey section to the north was added. In 1985 the building was extended to the rear and completely renovated. The shaped barge boards, which give the property its mildly picturesque look, were added during this time.

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/6/3/22/1 OS map, Down sh 22, 1834
3 PRONI OS/6/3/22/2 OS map, Down sh 22, 1858
4 PRONI and Linen Hall Library Second (Griffith’s) valuation, Magheradrool, c.1863 [in print]
5 PRONI OS/6/3/22/3 OS map, Down sh 22, c.1901
6 EHS OS map, sh 204-7, 1975

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Mildly picturesque house of probable mid 19th century construction, with two storey projecting gabled end bays and central single storey ‘link’, much modernised and extended in 1985. Originally the property contained two dwellings and locally it is still known as ‘The Cottages’. The aforementioned ‘picturesque’ look of the building is in large part due to the shaped barge boards (on the end bays), which were added during the 1985 renovation.