22 Brookside Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical three-bay, two-storey early nineteenth-century farmhouse with attached outbuildings, located south of Brookside Road, Dromore. Rectangular on plan with attached byre and two-storey barn to west.

Pitched natural slate roof having yellow brick chimneystacks with clay pots. Walling is rubble stone with lime wash and cement rendered gable. Windows are timber-framed sliding sash 8/8 to ground floor and 4/8 to first floor with exposed box sashes, unless otherwise stated.

The principal elevation faces north, set on a gently sloping site, and is asymmetrically arranged. Four windows to first floor; ground floor has, from left, a margin-paned window and an early timber-sheeted double-leaf door with multi-paned transom light; two windows (that to left is 6/6) and a timber-sheeted door accessed by three stone steps.

The east gable is blank.

The south (rear) elevation was not viewed.

The west elevation is abutted to ground floor by single-storey byre.

Variety of slated rubble stone outbuildings; attached linear range to west and to front of house arranged around a sloping central yard. Roughcast rendered stable block to northwest is later. Linear range to west comprises single cell byre and two-storey barn. Byre has early timber-sheeted door to right of centre and diminutive window to left having early timber boarding to opening. The barn has a multi-paned timber-framed casement window to first floor left and an 8/4 timber-framed sliding sash window to first floor right; to centre is a timber-sheeted door: ground floor has four irregularly spaced early timber-sheeted doors: west gable with diminutive 2/2 window.

Rear elevation has three irregularly spaced window openings. Two and single-storey rubble stone barns to northeast set on a slope; two-storey barn has a timber-sheeted door to right of centre at south gable; west elevation has replacement timber–sheeted door to left and segmental-headed carriage entrance with replacement timber-sheeted doors to left; first floor has window opening with timber boarding to opening. Split-level block (at a lower level) has timber-sheeted door to left accessed by two masonry steps; timber-framed window over ¾ timber stable door to left. Single-storey block (at a lower level) has ¾ timber-sheeted door to right.

The rendered stable block to northwest has two replacement stable doors; abutted to left by lean-to having replacement stable door.

Setting:

Located on an elevated site with laned access from a narrow country road. A modern one-and-a-half storey dwelling is located to east, having shared access. To southwest is an over-grown lane lined by mature trees, accessed via a rubble stone gate pier with rendered cap supporting modern tubular metal farm gate. To northwest is a decorative wrought-iron farm gate with roughcast rendered wall having coping stones and gate piers with pointed caps. To far north are more modern ruled-and-lined rendered gate piers having pointed caps and wrought-iron farm gate. Tubular metal farm gate attached to front of house at east. Extensive farmland to north is bounded to road by hedgerow.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Rubble stone and lime wash
Windows: Variety of timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast iron

Historical information

This farmhouse and its accompanying farmbuildings first appear on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps for the Townland of Clontanaguillian in 1833. The map shows that the current two-storey farmhouse and its western outbuilding (now connected by a single-storey byre) and the north-eastern range of outbuildings were constructed by this time; although the Townland Valuation of c. 1830 records that the farmhouse was originally single-storied as were its outbuildings. Robert Campbell occupied the farm in c. 1830 when it was described as a 1b+ class dwelling which possessed a number of farmbuildings; the entire site was valued at £3 19s. and had incurred a deduction due to poor access from the main road.

By 1861 the farm and its outbuildings were still occupied by Robert Campbell, however in Griffith’s Valuation the site was split between himself and Joseph Campbell (an unknown relative) who resided in separate dwellings. Robert occupied the currently two-storey farmhouse while letting the western outbuilding to Joseph Campbell; both dwellings remained single-storied in 1861. The valuer records that Robert Campbell let the farm from David S. Kerr at rent of £28 per annum; the larger of the two houses was valued at £3 10s. whilst Joseph Campbell’s dwelling was worth £1 10s.

From 1877 Joseph Campbell was recorded as the sole occupant of the farm although his property continued to be valued as two separate records. In 1870 the total value of the farm was increased to £9 (£3 10s. and £5 10s.). This increase in value was likely due to either the construction of the north-west stable block, a single-storey byre situated between the two dwellings, or the addition of an extra storey to the farmhouse and its western outbuilding; all of these additions were constructed by c. 1901 when they were recorded on the census of that year and the 1903 Ordnance Survey map. In 1900 Joseph’s son Robert John Campbell took control of the farm. The 1901 Census tells us that Campbell (42) was a Presbyterian farmer who occupied the farmhouse with his widowed mother Mary (64) and employed two farm labourers. The farmhouse had been raised a storey by 1901 as the house was described as a 1st class dwelling which possessed 10 rooms and was roofed with slate. Aside from the erection of the north-west stable block the farm possessed a cow house, dairy, piggery, a barn and a store amongst its out offices. The farm changed hands in 1913 when it came into possession of a Mr. John Hart who resided at the site until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1929.

The farmhouse and its outbuildings have lain vacant for some time and have fallen into a state of disrepair; a replacement dwelling has been constructed to the north-east of the farm.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI VAL/1/B/384 – Townland Valuation
2. PRONI OS/6/3/29/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1834
3. PRONI OS/6/3/29/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1859
4. PRONI OS/6/3/29/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1902
5. PRONI OS/6/3/29/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1919-1920
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/68 – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/9A – Annual Revisions 1865 - 1879
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/9B – Annual Revisions 1880 - 1892
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/9C – Annual Revisions 1893 - 1908
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/9D – Annual Revisions 1909 - 1929
11. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
12. PRONI Wills Catalogue (1872)
13. Ordnance Survey Map 204 (1976)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An early nineteenth-century rural farmstead comprising an asymmetric three-bay, two-storey farmhouse with contiguous outbuildings. This is located in a largely unspoiled setting, south of Brookside Road, Dromore, despite the addition of a modern dwelling house to the east. This is a good example of an early nineteenth-century farmhouse in a relatively unaltered state, characterized by thick rubble stone walls, pitched slate roof and lime render. More than likely starting life as a single-storey vernacular dwelling, the house is of interest due to its historic development, also representing a wealth of traditional materials and techniques. The fenestration and early entrance doors are intact, along with the early floor-plan and some interior detailing. The outbuildings are of similar quality and contribute significantly to the integrity of the buildings, which, as a group, make a valuble contribution to the heritage of the Lisburn area.