43-45 Rathmore Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Relatively long, single-storey vernacular block said to have been built c.1804 as four dwellings but now containing two properties.

The building is set on the W side of Rathmore Road, roughly 1.5km N of Dunadry, 4km E of Antrim town centre, and fronts directly onto the roadside. To the rear is a small garden and yard with a single-storey shed to the W side.

The plan is basically a long, narrow rectangle with a small, S of centre rear projection (modern), and low lean-to which stretches across the whole of the N gable. The walls are largely rendered and painted, but with a substantial section to the front and rear whitewashed rubble, and the N gable and lean-to in bare rubble (probably basalt). The double-pitched roof is now covered in corrugated iron with concrete skews and four asymmetrically arranged chimneystacks (two early 1900s brick rebuilds, one later 20th century concrete brick rebuild, with the last rendered). PVC RW goods.

As the building originally contained four dwellings, there would appear to have been a certain amount of change to the arrangement of the openings (particularly to front). Presumably at least one doorway has been blocked - or perhaps partially blocked to become a window, whilst most of the window openings themselves have been slightly enlarged, regularized and have mid to later 20th century replacement frames and slim concrete sills. The doors are of a similar date. The informal sequence of openings to the front (W) elevation reads - door - three windows (two presently obscured by creeper) - door - door, then four windows, with another door to the lean-to. To the rear the sequence consists of two windows-the modern projection-two windows-door-window-door-window; several of the rear windows are small and probably unaltered The gables are both blank.

Historical information

A block matching the basic plan and positioning of the present is shown on the OS map of 1832 but not recorded in the near contemporary valuation book as it was undoubtedly below the rateable threshold. The owner (in February 2025) stated that he had seen documents which indicate that the building was constructed in 1804 as four dwellings which were collectively known as ‘Posey (or Posy) Row’. This name is attested to in various sources, but it has not been possible to verify the date.

In the second valuation of c.1860 four dwellings are indeed recorded, with the occupants listed as Jane Lewes, Samuel Wilson, John Wright and James Keenan, all holding leases from William Beck of nearby Islandreagh House. The variations in the rateable values of the houses, (two valued at 15/-, one at 10/- and the last at £1-10-0), suggests they were not of equal size and this would appear to be borne out if one looks at the positions of the chimneystacks.

After Mr. Beck’s death in 1863, the holding came into the possession of Thomas Gordon and from c.1882, John Boyd who seems to remained owner into the mid-20th century. The same tenants recorded in the valuation books from c.1860 until 1903-04. Some may have left some time before this, however, as none of the c.1860 names is listed in the 1901 census; consequently it is difficult to determine what the census noted about the buildings or their occupants at this time. Only one of the post-1904 tenants, Andrew Agnew, is identifiable in the 1911 census, and his particular abode (one of the two rated at 10/-) is recorded as a ‘3rd class’ two-roomed thatched house with one window in front.

In July 1938 the 'Four cottages known as "Posey Row", all held for ever free of rent' were advertised for sale by John Boyd. They do not appear to have been sold at this point as Boyd (or - perhaps more likely - a relative of the same name) is noted as the immediate lessor until 1965 when ownership passed to 'John Kirk Ltd.' of Antrim.

The valuation books show that the four separate dwellings were still occupied up until the early 1960s, but by 1965-66 the valuers record only two houses (seemingly those in the middle), with the others now reduced to outbuildings. The present owner’s family is noted as living in one of the houses by this time, and judging from the architectural detailing at least, it must have been shortly after this that the properties were combined to form the current arrangement.

The 1985 OS map shows today's division of nos.43 and 45, but with a small projection to the rear of no.45; the freestanding shed had also been constructed by this date. Since then the projection has been removed, but a similar-sized porch has been added to the back of no.43.

References – Primary sources
1 OS maps County Series, Antrim sheet 50, 1832, 1857, 1902, 1921; IG sheet 112-3 – 1961-62, 1985
2 PRONI VAL2B/1/9 Second valuation, Grange of Nilteen parish – c.1860
3 PRONI VAL12B/1/7A-E Annual valuation revision books, Donegore ED – 1864-1929
4 PRONI VAL3C/1/2 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Dunadry ED – 1936-57
5 'Belfast News-Letter' - 22 July 1938, p.1
6 PRONI VAL4B/1/6 Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Dunadry ED – 1956-72
7 'Ballymena Observer' - 12 June 1975, p.20

Secondary sources
8 Information from owner – February 2025

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Relatively long, single-storey, C-I roofed vernacular block said to have been built c.1804 as four dwellings but now containing two properties. At least part of the original roof structure remains in place, but otherwise there have been many changes in recent decades, including the arrangement / regularisation of most of the openings and the 'modernisation' of much of the internal layout and detailing.