1 Purdysburn Village

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

End of terrace 1 1/2-storey redbrick former estate cottage, built c.1830 as part of a group of three similar houses. Located on a cul-de-sac on the north side of Ballycoan Road in Purdysburn Village.

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles, single redbrick chimneystack with terracotta pots and exposed timber rafter feet supporting replacement plastic rainwater goods. Square-headed window openings with chamfered brick surrounds, masonry sills and timber frames with latticed iron bipartite casement windows.

Front elevation has a ground floor window to the left with a dormer to the right with timber bargeboard. Square-headed door opening to the right with chamfered brick surround and original vertically-sheeted timber door.

East elevation abutted by adjoining house No.2 (HB19/23/025B).

Rear elevation has a catslide roof to the west half and replacement timber casement windows.

West gable has a single window opening to the upper level with original windows as above and a square-headed door opening to the rear projection having replacement timber glazed door.

Setting:
Forming part of a terrace of three similar houses located on a cul-de-sac parallel to Ballycoan Road in the village of Purdysburn with the rear gardens set at a lower level than Ballycoan Road.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Plastic
Walling Redbrick
Windows Generally Original iron latticed casement

Historical information

No. 1 Purdysburn Village is shown on the first Ordnance Survey map of 1834 at the end of a small terrace consisting of houses Nos. 1 to 3. It is depicted as an oblong structure at the entrance to the cul-de-sac.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs (1833-38) tell us that Purdysburn Village was built some time before the 1830s; however no documentary evidence concerning the origin of the village has been found (Ordnance Survey Memoirs Down II, Vol. 7, p. 54).

Griffiths Valuation (1861) records the occupant of No. 1 as a Ms. Jane Gardner who let the house from Robert Batt, a Justice of the Peace for Co. Down. At that time the house was valued at £1 10s. Gardner occupied the house until 1896 when John Martin, a local grocer came into possession (Ulster Towns Directory – 1880). In 1901 Martin was replaced by Mary H. McAlesse, who worked as a post mistress in Purdysburn Post Office (UTD – 1901). Mrs McAlesse occupied the house until 1908 when the house came into the possession of William Gregg who worked as a weaver. By 1915 the house again passed hands when it came into the possession of Richard Skates who also worked as a weaver (UTD – 1908). Skates occupied the house until at least 1935; the First Northern Ireland General Revaluation (1935-57) records that Richard Skates let the house from Robert Batt at rent of 2/- per week. At some stage between 1935 and 1957 a Mr. John S. [Brain] came into ownership of the house and the house was let to a Mr. William Spence who was recorded as the occupant until 1957. During this period the value of the house increased from £1 10s. to £4; the valuer recorded that the two-storey house measured 14 ft by 16.5 ft.

The Purdysburn estate was occupied by the Batt family in 1812 and was later sold (c.1860) by Robert Batt, the last member of the Batt family to reside at Purdysburn House (Lowry; Wallace). The First Survey Record for this small terrace describes Nos. 1-3 Purdysburn Village as a group of estate houses which were part of the Purdysburn Estate, becoming private residences after the sale of Purdysburn House c. 1860.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/9/1 – First edition OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/9/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/9/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901-1902
4. PRONI OS/6/3/9/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/29 – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7A – Annual Revisions 1864-1875
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7B – Annual Revisions 1876-1888
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7C – Annual Revisions 1888-1895
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7D – Annual Revisions 1896-1908
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7E – Annual Revisions 1909-1919
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/7F – Annual Revisions 1920-1929
12. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/9/L/2-3 – First Northern Ireland General Revaluation 1935-1957
13. Ordnance Survey Memoirs Down II, Vol. 7.
14. Ulster Towns Directory (1880; 1901; 1908)

Secondary Sources
1. Lowry, M., ‘Some old country houses’ Belfast: c.1913.
2. Wallace, J. B., ‘Drumbo Presbyterian Church: A Short History’ Pamphlet: 1956.
3. First Survey Record – HB19/23/22.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

End of terrace 1 1/2-storey redbrick former Purdysburn estate house, built c.1830 as part of a group of three similar houses. Located on a cul-de-sac on the north side of Ballycoan Road in Purdysburn Village. Although the interior appears to have been altered the exterior retains most of its original Victorian fabric and detailing. In particular the presence of lattice cast iron windows is now a rarity. This house has historic interest and group value with the adjoining two houses HB19.23.025B and C.

General comments

Recorded as 16-18 Purdysburn Village during the 1st Survey. Now recorded as 1-3 Purdysburn Village and numbered HB19/23/025 A-C