Commons Farm

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Attached two-bay two-storey outbuilding, built c.1880, located to the north side of Councillors Road, Carrickfergus. Rectangular-on-plan with single-storey extension to east gable.

Roof is pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles; single roof light to south pitch; overhanging timber eaves with exposed rafter ends; plain timber bargeboards supported on exposed purlin ends. Half-round cast-iron rainwater goods; walls are painted roughly coursed rubble unless otherwise stated. Windows are round-headed 8-pane timber pivot casements with flush masonry cills and stepped brick surrounds; (also painted) unless otherwise stated.

Principal elevation faces north and contains segmental-headed coach arch with timber sheeted doors to left surmounted by two windows; to right are two timber sheeted doors, each with square-headed windows to left. First floor contains timber sheeted loft door with window to left.

Left gable is sheeted asbestos and is abutted by a single-storey converted outbuilding with pitched slated roof; exposed section is blank.

Rear elevation contains three windows at first floor.

Right gable is blank.

Left gable extension has been converted into a dwelling and contains replacement materials throughout. Roof is pitched, hipped to east, replacement roof tiles; uPVC rainwater goods; velux rooflights and uPVC windows; red brick chimneystack with decorative octagonal clay pots.
North elevation contains double doors with three windows to right. South elevation contains double doors; single window to left; two windows to right. Entire south elevation is surmounted by lean-to slated canopy with rooflights, supported on cast-iron columns.

Forming the south side of a traditional quadrangular farm courtyard the building faces onto other similarly detailed outbuildings with farm house to east. Courtyard enclosed to east by coursed random rubble wall and piers; accessed from east by lane from Councillors Road accessed through alcoved entrance with smooth rendered walls and cast-iron gates supported on square piers with pyramidal caps.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Roughly coursed random rubble with brick window surrounds and visible
traces of lime render
Windows: Square-headed 2/2 timber sliding sashes
RWG: Half-round cast-iron

Historical information

The building first appears on the third edition OS map of 1902 and is thought to have been built c.1880. The Valuation Revisions of 1880 record a ‘house, offices and land’ occupied by Charles Stewart and leased from W. Duncan Wilson. The buildings are valued at £10, and a note states that the farm was ‘built with loan from board of works and to be exempt for 7 years from 13th Jan 1873’. In 1903 the occupier is revised to the representatives of Charles Stewart.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1902)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/6 A-D Valuation Revisions (1894-1929)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/5A-F - Valuation Revisions (1864-1894)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A charming attached nineteenth century two-bay two-storey outbuilding, located to the north side of Councillors Road, Carrickfergus. A timber floor hatch and traces of mill machinery suggest that this was originally a corn threshing barn. The building remains largely unaltered externally and set within its original farm courtyard it is a good example of an early nineteenth century farm plan. The buildings are too altered to consider listing.

A charming attached nineteenth century two-bay two-storey outbuilding, located to the north side of Councillors Road, Carrickfergus. A timber floor hatch and traces of mill machinery suggest that this was originally a corn threshing barn. The building remains largely unaltered externally and set within its original farm courtyard it is a good example of a late-nineteenth century farm plan which contributes significantly to the rural landscape.

General comments

Building is not visible from a public place.