The Rock

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, rambling, part single, part two storey ‘formalised vernacular’ house which may have assumed much of its present form in the 1830s, and which appears largely original, but which evidence suggests has been extended at the rear and largely restored in the year 2000. The building is set on the W side of Spa Road, less than a mile S of Ballynahinch.

The right of centre of the asymmetric front (E) façade is a shallow flat roofed porch projection with a modern ‘period’ panelled door with a plain fanlight over. The door is at the head of a flight of four stone steps. To the right is an 8/8 Georgian paned sash window. To the left of the porch are two further 8/8 windows.

The N elevation is two storey to left and single storey to right. The two storey section may have been added recently. To the long single storey section with three evenly spaced 6/6 sash windows. To the far left (on the two storey section) there are two 6/6 sash windows to the ground floor and two similar but shorter windows to first floor. The ground floor windows to the left are set much lower that those to the right which would suggest a change of internal floor level.

The rear façade is two storey. To the left side of the façade is a projecting gabled portion which has a 6/6 sash window to the left of first floor while to the right of ground floor is a half glazed door. To the remainder of the E face (right side) are two evenly spaced 6/6 top hung windows to ground and two similar ones to first floor.

The S elevation is single storey to the left and two storey to the right. The two storey section has with a modern 6 pane window to the far right. To the left of this is a half glazed door, as before. To the left side of the first floor is a 6/6 sash window To the far left is single storey and there are two 6/6 windows .

The rear (E) face of the front section has a modern multi pane window to the right and a sheeted timber door to the right.

The right side of the S face of the front section has a recessed panel with a 6/6 sash window.

Walls are finished in painted rough cast and roofs are mainly hipped and all are covered with natural slate. Rw goods are in cast iron

To the S is a large two storey barn which is part roughcast and part plain render.

Historical information

A house is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834, whose plan is largely similar to that described above. The contemporary valuation records state that this house was (like the present), part single storey and part two storey, and that a new two storey portion was being added at that time. It is possible that in part at least, this is the same house we see today.

During the 1830s, and possibly for the remainder of the 19th century, the house was in possession of a family named Graham. At some point prior to the 1970s, the property was split into two dwellings, but by c.1999-2000 (at least) had reverted to a single dwelling once again.

At the time of writing (September 2000) the house is undergoing a major renovation, and appears to have been recently extended at the rear.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/29/1 OS map, Down sh 29, 1834
2 PRONI VAL/1B/388A-B Valuation records, Magherdrool, 1834-1838
3 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
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

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large, part single, part two storey ‘formalised vernacular’ house which may assumed much of its present form in the 1830s, and which appears largely original, but which evidence suggests has been extended at the rear and largely restored [?and rebuilt] in the year 2000.