The Howe

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey-over-partial-basement, three-bay asymmetrical house, pre-dating 1830, with galleted rubble stone farm buildings; located north of Howe Road, Ballykeel. Rectangular on plan with projecting porch to front and single-storey return under catslide roof to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and four replacement brick chimneystacks. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods. Walling is roughcast render (smooth render to porch). Windows are 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash with horns and exposed sash boxes to ground floor; 6/3 to first floor, all recessed in stone surrounds with sills.

The principal elevation faces southeast and has asymmetrical fenestration. To right of centre is projecting double-height porch with a window to each cheek; double-leaf timber panelled entrance door surmounted by 6/3 window. Right section has a window to ground floor. Left section has three windows to first floor and two to ground floor.

The southwest elevation has a window to right at first floor.

The northwest (rear) elevation has asymmetrical fenestration. The ground slopes to right, with a timber-sheeted door accessing a partial basement at ground level, surmounted by 6/6 window. To right of centre is a six-panelled door surmounted by diminutive 2/2 window to first floor. To centre is an 8/8 window to ground floor set in and 2/2 window offset to left at first floor. To far left is cement rendered return under slated catslide roof having timber-sheeted door to centre; northwest elevation has a modern steel-framed window.

The northwest elevation has a window to right at ground and first floor.

Galleted rubble stone and slated outbuildings arranged in U-shape to rear of dwelling. Stable block to southwest having brick dressings to all openings. Segmental-headed carriage entrances to far left and right; timber-framed replacement windows and timber half-doors. Rear elevation has series of diminutive openings.
Two-storey agricultural office to north, having three 3/3 timber-framed windows to first floor, stable door to left and timber door to right. North gable is abutted by concrete block square tower (at a higher level) with two timber doors. Rear elevation has two diminutive openings to first floor and large timber-sheeted door to far right.

Single-storey block to northeast has three timber doors; to far left is a segmental-headed opening with timber door which leads to agricultural land to rear. South gable has three large window openings. North gable has a timber door to ground floor and attic level.

Setting:
Situated on a large site in an unspoiled rural
setting accessed via a lane north of Howe Road. Galleted rubble stone outbuildings to rear of dwelling around a central yard. More modern agricultural sheds to far north. Small over-grown garden to front of house enclosed by roughcast rendered walls; central squared gate piers having pointed masonry caps and decorative cast-iron latch gate. Site is bounded to road to east by low rubble stone boundary wall with grass verge and mature trees.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Rubble stone
Windows: Variety of sliding sash with horns
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This single-storey farmhouse now known as ‘The Howe’ can first be seen on the 1833 Ordnance Survey map for the townland of Ballykeel where it is depicted as an oblong building; the current stable block and northwest outbuilding had also been constructed by this date. The Townland Valuation of c.1830 records that the house was until then recently occupied by a Mr. James Smyth who passed the farm to a Mr. David Smyth (an unknown relation). The valuer describes the farm house as a 1b- class dwelling which possessed five out offices; the entire site valued at £10 2s.

Between 1833 and 1859 David Smyth built a third major office building; this is seen on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps as an L-shaped building built on the northeast side of the farmyard. As a result of the construction of this extra office the value of the farm was increased in 1861 to £12 when Griffith’s Valuation described the site as ‘a large and respectable farm house with extensive and good offices.’ At that time the two-storey farmhouse, which was let to Smyth by the Rev. Edward Smith (the Bishop of Down and Connor), measured 19ft by 6.5ft and possessed five one-storey offices and one two-storey office (the latter corresponds to the current northwest outbuilding).

In 1876 a note in the Annual Revisions records that a ‘new house’ was added, however it is likely that this referred to the construction of a new outbuilding or perhaps the small rear extension to the house. David Smyth lived at ‘The Howe’ (as it was recorded in the Ordnance Survey maps from 1859) until his death in 1897 when he left the farm and effects of £840 to his relative James Cathcart Smyth who worked as a railway official and farmer (PRONI Wills Catalogue – 05/05/1897). James C. Smyth occupied the farm with his wife Margaret and their adopted daughter Sarah Smyth. In 1911 the census building return described the farmhouse as a 1st class dwelling which possessed a slated roof and contained six rooms; at that time the extensive out offices were used to house a stable, cow house, piggery, fowl house and barn. In 1917 the farm came into the possession of a Mr. John Young who passed the property to his son Francis Young in 1925.

The farm has remained in the possession of the Young family and continues to be occupied. The house and outbuildings however have fallen into a dilapidated state; the roof of the north-west outbuilding has fallen down whilst the roofing of the stable block is in a similar state of disrepair.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI VAL/1/A/3/21 – Field Map c.1830
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/342 – Townland Valuation
3. PRONI OS/6/3/21/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
4. PRONI OS/6/3/21/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1859
5. PRONI OS/6/3/21/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1903
6. PRONI OS/6/3/21/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-1920
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/38 E – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/2 A – Annual Revisions 1866-1881
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/2 B – Annual Revisions 1882-1889
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/2 C – Annual Revisions 1890-1908
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/2 D – Annual Revisions 1909-1929
12. PRONI Wills Catalogue (1897)
13. Census 1901 / 1911

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-storey three-bay asymmetrical house with stone farm buildings, pre-dating 1830 and located north of Howe Road, Ballykeel. Retaining its architectural detailing externally and its original plan form internally, 'The Howe' is a good example of an early nineteenth century farmhouse, developed from a single storey. Situated within its original rural setting, with a substantial range of galleted rubble stone outbuildings arranged around a central yard, it is a rare survivor in the area and is of local interest. Directly east of the farmhouse at no. 15 Howe Road (HB19/07/039) is a small vernacular hearth-lobby house, originally let by the occupiers of ‘the Howe’ to a tenant during 19th century, which also adds group value to this farm development.