Mosestown

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Terrace of four single-bay single-storey former labourers’ houses, built c.1800, located to the east side of Carnlea Road. Rectangular-on-plan; single-storey lean-to returns to north; attached outbuilding to east is one-and-a-half storey due the topography of the site.

Roof is pitched natural slate; corrugated tin to left cottage and attached outbuilding; corbelled red brick chimneys to party walls. Walls are random rubble with fieldstone quoins. Windows are square-headed timber framed 1/1 sliding sash with red brick voussoirs; sandstone sills.

Principal elevation faces south; each cottage bay consists of central square-headed vertically sheeted timber entrance door with brick voussoirs flanked by single window to either side. At right, attached outbuilding contains vertically-sheeted timber half-door at left and right; central square-headed loading door at first floor; all openings have brick repairs.

West elevation is blank.

North elevation is five bays wide; abutted at left by two-storey outbuilding; bay two is abutted at left by return (single window at west); exposed section contains single window (blocked); bay three and four each abutted at centre by rendered return (single window at west); exposed section to left and right contains single window; bay five contains central vertically-sheeted timber entrance door flanked at left and right by single window.

East elevation is abutted by attached outbuilding; central opening at first floor with brick surround; abutted by remains of rubble walling.

Outbuildings

Multi-bay two-storey rubble outbuilding to north-east; roof is pitched corrugated tin; principal elevation faces west and consists of corrugated tin walling at right; rubble walling at left abutted by single-storey outbuilding. North and south gables blank. East elevation contains three window openings with brick surrounds at first floor.

Two-bay single-storey rubble outbuilding to north; principal elevation faces south; each bay consists of central square-headed vertically-sheeted timber half-door with replacement lintel flanked to left and right by small window opening (now blocked); abutted at left by double-height rubble shelter with recent mono-pitched corrugated tin roof; abutted at right by two-storey outbuilding.

Single-cell single-storey rubble outbuilding to south-east; single square-headed vertically-sheeted timber half-door to north gable; abutted at left by rubble boundary walling enclosing remains of return.

Setting

Set on sloping site with outbuildings to north, east and south. Farmyard to north bounded to west by rubble walling. Boundary wall to south across lane contains four openings accessed by stone steps; rubble piers support vertically-sheeted timber doors enclosing small corrugated tin former outhouses (now in ruins); stone stile to east of outbuilding. Rubble walling continues to east; circular rubble piers support field gates.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling:Random rubble with fieldstone quoins
Windows: Square-headed timber framed 1/1 sliding sash; sandstone sills (in poor repair)
RWG: Cast-iron half-round gutters with round downpipes (partially missing)

Historical information

The first edition OS map of 1832 shows buildings on the site. On the second edition OS map of 1857 the building is captioned ‘Mosestown’ and shows two rectangular buildings facing each other The north elevation of the lower building has three projections.

Griffith’s Valuation of 1859 records a ‘house, offices and land’, occupied by Robert Adrian and leased from Robert Walker. The building valuation is £2. Also on the site is a ‘house’ occupied by John Mc Connell and leased from William Galt. This is originally valued at £1, and revised to £1.5s. Also recorded are two ‘house and offices’ with the words ‘herds house’ having been crossed out. Both are valued at £1.5s and revised to £1.10s. The first of these properties is occupied by Jane McKillop, and leased from Pat McLelland. The second is occupied by James Ramsay and leased from Thomas McLelland.

Valuation Revisions from the 1860’s record the upper section as a ‘house, office, forge and land’, occupied by William Galt.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/45/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/45/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI VAL/1/B/17B -Townland Valuation (1836)
4. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/45B-Griffith’s Valuation Map (1857)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/10-Griffith’s Valuation (1859)
6. PRONI VAL/12B/1/25A-E Valuation Revisions (1864-1894)

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

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A terrace of four single-bay single-storey former labourers’ cottages, built c.1800, located to the east side of Carnlea Road. These dwellings, although currently in a poor state of repair, retain many original features and much of the original character of the place is preserved. This rural farm complex survival is very unusual and representative of a rural social structure, now gone.