Lowry's Farm

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A one-and-a-half-storey three-bay gabled vernacular house with group of associated outbuildings; built c.1858 and earlier vernacular house built c.1800, located to the north side of Orlock Road, between Groomsport and Donaghadee. Rectangular on plan with projecting porch to front and small out-shot to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles; four regularly spaced rendered chimneystacks having tall terracotta pots. Decorative terracotta ridge tiles to porch; decorative barge-boards to gables and porch. Cast-iron half round rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is lime-rendered. Windows are obscured with strand board; one 6/6 timber sliding sash to attic of south gable.

The principal elevation faces east and is symmetrically arranged with single window to either side of projecting gabled porch. Porch has boarded window opening to gable; exposed section to left is original entrance; exposed section to right is blank.

The south elevation has window to centre at ground floor and first floor.

The west (rear) elevation is abutted by a small out-shot to left; to right are two window openings.

The north elevation has single window to first floor; abutted to right at ground floor by adjoining flat-roof extensions (of no interest).

Outbuildings

The former vernacular dwelling on the site dates from c.1800 and is a single-storey three-bay direct entry dwelling facing south with lime rendered walls and corrugated iron roof. House comprises central room with open hearth and rooms to either end; access to loft. The interior has open hearth, lime plastered walls and floor, wall plate built up with brick, and corrugated metal roof.

It is connected to the main house by a series of more recent outbuildings (of no interest). To the east of this is a series of slated outbuildings arranged in a u-shape, including barn with stepped ridges and partial Tullycavey slate roof, external steps, brick chimney and original timber-framed windows and doors; single-storey-with-attic rubble stone and lime rendered storage house; more recent brick and cement render two-storey store with external steps.

Setting

The house is set in almost four acres of land, located down a private lane, surrounded by farmland and looking out towards the Copeland Islands. Large paddock to north; outbuildings and former direct-entry vernacular house create u-shape to north-east of main house. Associated farmland enclosed by mature hedgerow and wire fence. Rubble stone and lime rendered wall with square gate piers having pyramidal caps to front of house. Decorative wrought-iron field gate directly opposite house and to north at entrance to outbuildings.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Lime render
Windows: Timber (boarded up)
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Farm buildings are shown on this site on the first edition OS map of 1833 and some outbuildings to the north of the property, one of which would have been the original farmhouse, have survived from this era. A new farmhouse was added to the plot c1850 but the old farmhouse, which would appear from visual inspection to date from the early nineteenth, was retained and may well have continued in use as a dwelling alongside the new house. The old farmhouse retains its hearth and soot remains are still visible.

The farm is not listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40), probably because the valuation was not deemed to be high enough, but it does appear in Griffith’s Valuation (1861). By this time, the farm, occupied by William Aird, was by far the most substantial in the relatively small Townland of Orlock, covering an area of over 130 acres. The house and outbuildings associated with the farm are valued at £15. The house is described as ‘new’ and is one storey, three bays and slated, the new dwelling first being shown on the second edition OS map of 1858. William Aird leased the farm from local landowner David S Ker. The old farmhouse is not mentioned as a separate dwelling, but may, nevertheless, have continued to be occupied by members of the Aird family. (Griffith’s Valuation)

The public record office holds two letters written by Robert Workman to his wife Sarah who was staying at Aird’s Cottage, Orlock in July 1876. Robert Workman was perhaps a relative of Thomas Workman who was later to be resident at Craigdarragh House (HB23/16/017) but it is not clear how his wife came to be staying at the Aird’s farm, if it is indeed the farmhouse that is referred to, although it seems that Sarah Workman may have been recuperating from an illness. It is possible that the farmhouse was on occasion let out, perhaps during the summer season, while the Aird family retired to the old house.

This group of farm buildings shows an interesting development in the positioning of the main house. The early farmhouse of c1800 forms part of the courtyard of farm buildings and has two doorways, one opening into the courtyard and the other facing the lane which approaches the house. This farmhouse is very much part of the day to day running of the farm. The later farmhouse is set apart from the farm courtyard and is positioned so as to maximise a spectacular view of the sea, perhaps reflecting changing priorities as the farm has become more prosperous, or indeed with an eye to the letting potential of the house.

After William Aird’s death in 1875 the farm passed on to Samuel Aird in 1876 and then John Aird in 1894, who became the owner of the property under land acquisition legislation in 1910 (Annual Revisions). The 1901 and 1911 censuses show that John Aird, farmer, lived with his wife and two daughters. In 1901 the household was quite large, with a general servant and three farm labourers also living at the house, together with a sister of John Aird’s. By 1911 this household had diminished somewhat to just two farm labourers. An index of exhibitors in Irish Art societies and sketching clubs indicates that a painting was made of the ‘Farm of John Aird Esq, Orlock’ at around this period which was for sale at £15.15s. (Will of William Aird; 1901, 1911 census; Stewart, p.259)

In 1910 a corrugated iron hayshed of 60ft x 30ft x 18ft was added to the site and, once valued in 1917, increased the valuation by £2.

At the time of first being surveyed in 1973 the cottage was still inhabited and had passed into the ownership of the Lowry family. (First Survey record) However, the farm has since fallen into disuse and is currently for sale.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/2/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
4. PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
5. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
6.PRONI VAL/1/A/3/2 – Townland Valuation Map (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/1/B/31 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/2 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
12. PRONI Will of William Aird, died 28th February 1875
13. PRONI D3335/1/313-4 – Letters from Robert Workman to his wife Sarah, 5/6 July 1876
14. 1901 census online
15. 1911 census online

Secondary Sources

1. Stewart, Ann M “Irish Art Societies and Sketching Clubs: index of exhibitors, 1870-1980” Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1997

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A one-and-a-half-storey three-bay gabled vernacular house built c.1850 with early 19th century direct-entry vernacular dwelling and outbuildings arranged in a traditional grouping. It is unusual to find an intact group such as this in this area and the buildings are of historic and architectural note. The fact that the earlier house remains on the site is of interest and illustrates the development in form and style of the vernacular dwelling during the 19th century. One of the outbuildings on the site has the remains of a Tullycavey slate roof. As a whole, the site is of note in the area and is a good example of an extended farm with all its adjuncts.