Springbrook

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Compact and relatively plain two storey gabled farm house of c.1870s, with painted rubble front façade. The property is set at the end of a long lane to the S of Ballykeel Road, c.4 miles W of Downpatrick.

The symmetrical front façade faces E. To the centre of the ground floor is a panelled timber door with large sidelights with panelled aprons, and large three pane fanlight. The whole doorway is encased with simple pilasters which support an entablature with cornice.. To the left of the doorway is a sash window with vertical glazing bars (2/2). To the right is a similar window, with three more to the first floor. The front façade is in random rubble with brick dressings to the windows and is now painted.

The south gable has no openings and is finished in plain unpainted render. The N gable is finished in similar fashion and has a small attic window with modern frame.

To the centre of the rear elevation is a two storey hipped roof projection with small windows with modern frames to all faces of the first floor. To ground floor S face is a partly glazed door, with a large modern window to ground N face. To the W is a single storey gabled extension, with windows with modern frames to W and N faces. To the rear façade of the main house to left of projection, there is a sash window to first floor and a larger modern window to the ground floor. To the right is a sash window to both floors. The entire rear elevation is finished in plain render and partly painted.

The roof of the main portion of the house has a slight overhang with plain barges. It is covered in natural slate (as are the roofs of the projection and extension). Two brick chimney stacks (to main gables). Mixture of cast iron and PVC rw goods. Outbuildings to rear.

Historical information

This house was apparently built in the 1870s, and replaced an earlier dwelling which is shown on this general site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858.

References- Primary sources

1 PRONI OS/6/3/37/1 OS map, Down sh 37, 1834
2 PRONI OS/6/3/37/2 OS map, Down sh 37, 1858
3 PRONI OS/6/3/37/3 OS map, Down sh 37, 1901

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Compact and relatively plain two storey gabled farm house of c.1870s, with painted rubble front façade of limited architectural interest..