'Long Cottage'

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, modern looking, single storey house, constructed around a much smaller dwelling(s) of probable pre 1834 origin. The property is set next to the junction of the Hilltown and Burrenreagh Roads, to the W end of Bryansford village.

The building is basically L shaped and appears to have more than doubled its size in recent years. The original portion lies W to E, but the entrance is now located to the E façade of a large rear return. This return is a modern extension and though the door is timber panelled, the windows to the return are of modern casement variety, with small lattice panes to one of the lights on each window.

The S façade of the original section has five similar windows, one of which is quite long and has obviously been enlarged in recent times. The E gable of the original section (which is almost flush with the E façade of the return), has two similar windows. The W gable is much larger than that to the E and has an uneven pitch, due to the fact that, to the W side, the main original portion has been extended northwards (i.e. the original rear wall to the W of the return has been demolished and the new wall set further back). The gable itself now has a modern flat roofed extension built against it. This extension is in brick and has large windows and a glazed door.

As hinted at above, the rear (i.e. the N façade of the original section as well as the return) is entirely modern with various sized windows and a large set of patio doors.

The entire façade (apart from the flat roofed extension to the W gable) is finished in rough cast render and unpainted. The roof is gabled though the pitch is largely uneven and has an overhang. It is covered in natural slate, with decorative barge boards and eaves. Four brick chimney stacks. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

The OS maps of 1834 and 1859 show a building on the site of the original portion of this property. Unfortunately the contemporary valuation records for the townland of Aghacullion were never received by PRONI, but the property is numbered on the accompanying valuation map, showing that it was probably above rateable value at that date. By 1863, when the second valuation survey was carried out, the house was in the hands of a Loughn [?Loughlin] Frazer and had the relatively low value of £4. Apparently the building was split into two properties at some point after this and remained as such until both were bought by the present owner in 1975 and amalgamated. In recent years the building has been greatly extended and modernised.

Many of the
references listed below refer to Bryansford village as a whole, and not necessarily this property in particular.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI MIC.147 Roden Papers
2 PRONI D.465 Roden Papers
3 PRONI D.2647 Roden Papers
4 PRONI T.2647 Roden Papers
5 PRONI T.3438 Roden Papers
6 ‘Taylor’s and Skinner’s Maps of the roads of Ireland’ (Dublin 1777), map 8 (Taylor and Skinner’s map shows a group of houses either side of the road running through Bryansford)
7 Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast News-Letter’ 26th April 1785 (Advertisement concerning lodgings in Bryansford)
8 R. Lewis, ‘The post chaise companion or traveller’s directory through Ireland’ (Dublin 1786)
9 PRONI OS/1/3/43 OS maps 1st ed. 1834, Co Down sheet 43
10 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland vol.3: Parishes of County Down I’, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1990)
11 PRONI VAL/1A/3/43 Valuation maps, Kilcoo (c.1836)
12 PRONI VAL/1B/362 First valuation records, Kilcoo (1836)
13 Samuel Lewis, ‘Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ (Dublin 1837)
14 ‘Parliamentary gazetteer of Ireland’ (Dublin 1843-44)
15 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), pp.429-31
16 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
17 Maps of Lord Roden’s Co. Down estate (c.1855) [Originals in possession of Lord Roden]
18 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), pp.491-93
19 W McComb, ‘Guide to Belfast and adjoining districts…’ (Belfast 1861), pp.160-162.
20 PRONI OS/6/3/43/3 OS maps 1st rev.1859, Co Down sheet 43
21 PRONI Second (Griffith’s) valuation records, Kilcoo (1863) [in print]
22 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), pp.491-93
23 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1870)
24 Alexander Knox, ‘History of Co. Down’ (Dublin 1875).
25 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), pp.137-139.
26 UFTM W.A. Green collection WAG 1, 564, 565 Photographs of Tollymore Park etc. c.1900

Secondary sources
1 EHS Records of the first survey of buildings of historical and architectural interest in Tollymore ward (1972-)
2 P.J. Rankin, ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in the Mourne area of South Down’, (Belfast UAHS 1975), p.8
3 F. Hamond and T. Porter, ‘A tour of the Mournes’ (Belfast ?1991)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large, modern looking, single storey house constructed around a much smaller dwelling of probable pre 1834 origin.