2 Purdysburn Village

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid-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, shared 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 is two bays wide with two large wall-head dormers having timber bargeboards and a window to each (as above). Square-headed door opening to the centre with chamfered brick surround and original vertically-sheeted timber door.

East elevation abutted by adjoining house No.3 (HB19/23/025C).

Rear elevation has a central catslide roof with replacement timber casement windows.

West elevation abutted by adjoining house No.1 (HB19/23/025A).

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. 2 Purdysburn Village is depicted on the first Ordnance Survey of 1834 at the end of a small terrace consisting of houses 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 records that in 1861 a Mr. Samuel Johnston let the house from Robert Batt, owner of Purdysburn House; the house was valued at £1 15s. Samuel Thompson occupied the house until 1883 when the house passed to a Mr. G. Walker (no biographical information could be found regarding these individuals). By 1896 William Gregg, who worked as a weaver, occupied the house and resided there until 1901 (Ulster Towns Directory – 1901). Later occupants included William Moreland (1901) and Alexander Boyd (1908) who both worked as labourers (UTD – 1901); and James Graves who came into possession of the house in 1912 and resided there until 1929 when the Annual Revisions ended. By 1935 the First Northern Ireland General Revaluation (1935-1957) records that James Grimes let the house at 2/9 weekly rent from a Mr. John S. [Brain]. In 1935 the value of the house was increased from £1 15s. to £4 10s; the valuer recorded it measured 25ft by 16.5ft and two-storeys in height. The final recorded occupant of the house was a Mr. Richard Skates who had been recorded as a weaver in 1908 and had previously occupied No. 1 Purdysburn Village (HB 19/23/022A).

The Purdysburn estate was occupied by the Batt family in 1812 and was later sold by Robert Batt who was the last occupant of Purdysburn House (Lowry; Wallace). The First Survey Records for this length 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. Ulster Towns Directory (1901)

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

Mid- terrace 1 1/2-storey redbrick former Purdysburn 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. Although the interior appears to have been altered the exterior retains much of its original 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 HB19.23.025A 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