160 & 162 Ballygowan Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached 1½-storey lime-washed former farmhouse, built c.1700, now divided into two dwellings. Rectangular on plan, facing east located on the north side of Ballygowan Road, with single-storey converted byre to south gable and single-storey return to rear (No.160). Extensively renovated c.1985, with the upper floor not in use.

Pitched natural slate roofs with black clay ridge tiles and three rendered chimneystacks with black pots. Cast-iron guttering on iron brackets to projecting eaves course and cast-iron downpipes. Lime-washed uneven render over rubblestone walling. Square-headed diminutive window openings to the upper floor, camber-headed window openings to the ground floor, all having replacement concrete sills and replacement timber windows with exposed sash boxes, 6-pane side-hung timber casements to the upper floor, 6/6 timber sash windows to the ground floor.

Front east elevation, six windows wide, with the cast-iron downpipe corresponding to the division of the house. Camber-headed door openings; No.160 to the northernmost bay, No.162 to the centre of the southern half, both having replacement vertically-sheeted timber doors opening onto concrete steps to the front gravel area.

South gable abutted by slightly lower single-storey converted byre with no window openings.

Rear elevation abutted by gable-ended single-storey return, covering much of the northern end of the structure (No.160). No windows to the upper storey on this elevation with replacement 6/6 timber sash windows to the ground floor. Some uPVC windows to the return. Vertically-sheeted timber glazed door to the south converted byre. Recessed porch to the rear entrance of return.

North gable is blank.

Setting
Facing east and located on the north side of Ballygowan Road with gravel driveway running south to the road. Some corrugated iron structures to the front with mature trees.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Lime-washed render
Windows Replacement timber sash / casement

Historical information

The houses appear on the first edition of the OS maps 1834, where they are shown as an oblong building. The Townland Valuation 1828-40 records a single occupier, John Carvil, however the side notes record 2 houses along with outbuildings valued at £2 8s 6d. Griffiths Valuation 1861 is increased slightly to £2 15s and the occupier as James Gooly lessor to the Marquis of Downshire.

Brett states that the buildings seem to be the last surviving of the farmer’s-and-weaver’s cottages on the Downshire’s Kilwarlin Estate, possible originating from the 17th century. (p.149) Brett identifies the owners in 1913 to have been the Gilliland family, tenants of the Downshire Estate for many years, followed by the Cantley family in 1915.

Primary References:

1. PRONI OS/6/3/20/1 – OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/20/2 – OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/20/3 – OS Map 1903
4. PRONI OS/6/3/20/4 – OS Map 1903-16
5. PRONI VAL/1B/347 – Townland Valuation 1828-40
6. PRONI VAL1A/3/20 – Townland Valuation Field Map c.1830
7. PRONI VAL/2B/3/47A – Griffiths Valuation 1861
8. PRONI VAL/2A/3/20 – Griffiths Valuation Field Map 1861
9. PRONI VAL/12B/20/10A-F – Annual Revisions 1862-1923

Secondary References:

1. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of North County Down” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached 1½-storey white-washed former farmhouse, built c.1700, now divided into two dwellings, located on the north side of Ballygowan Road and facing east. , Despite the interior having lost much of ts historic detailing the external appearance of the house remains largely intact. The retention of natural slate, cast-iron rainwater goods, render and timber sash windows, make this a good example of what may be the last surviving farmer’s-and-weaver’s cottages on the Downshire’s Kilwarlin Estate.