4 Kearney Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Description on 17.02.2006.
As on 12.08.1997 except for the following. Two single storey pitched roof extensions have been added to each side. Both rendered and with natural slate to match the main buildng. Also to the right is a double garage extension. To the rear the previous flat roof extension has had a pitched roof added in natural slate. There is also a large painted timber conservatory added at the rear of this extension. Garden wall directly in front of house is original but has been added to at each side in similar detailing. Windows to the front and sides of the main house are all timber sliding sash double glazed. All others are top hung . Sills have been increased in depth to match original. All rainwater goods are powder coated cast aluminium. The single storey former dwelling to the west has now been replaced with a two storey pitched roof studio attached to the main house via the single storey extension to the front.

Description on 12.08.1997.
Large, formal, two storey house of c.1820s, with two storey flat roofed rear return. The building is set on the N side of Ballyblack Road, overlooking the SE Ards coastline, c.3 miles SE of Portaferry.

The front façade faces roughly S and is (generally) symmetrical. To the centre of the ground floor is has a PVC door framed with simple pilasters, entablature and cornice, with plain projecting block above cornice. Two four pane timber windows to each side of doorway, with five similar windows to first floor.

W gable has single window to right on ground and first floors, both as front. E gable has remains of wall of former adjoining small single storey store, with small roundel window to left on first floor.

Rear has large two storey flat roofed return with off centre timber sheeted door to N face with small modern timber bathroom window to right on first floor. W face of return has modern timber square fixed light window to centre ground floor with similar taller but narrower window to right first floor. Similar arrangement to E face of return, but with ground window to the right.

Rear of main building to left of extension has timber casement window to first floor with similar window to right on ground floor with taller fixed light timber window to left. Right side of rear of main building has timber casement window as before to first floor and square fixed light timber window to ground floor.

The front façade and gables are lined render and painted. V-jointed pilaster-like quoins to front. The rear is finished in rough cast render and painted, front and gables finished in lined render with chamfered quoins, and painted.

The gabled roof is covered with Bangor blue slates with stone parapets. Eaves course. Mixture of cast iron and PVC gutters with cast iron down spouts. Three rendered chimney stacks with assortment of pots. The middle stack is set off centre.

Small out buildings to rear. Informed by owner of underground chamber [?once used by smugglers or shipwreck looters] to west at rear.

Historical information

A house is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834 and all other maps thereafter. The dimensions supplied by the valuation returns of 1838 match those of today's building (minus the extension), so it is likely that the the house we now see was present at that stage. At that point (according to the valuers) the building was relatively new (grade 'A'), perhaps dating from c.1810-30, and was the home of one Ellen Curran*. It was still in the Curran family when the second valuation was carried out in 1861.

The rear return does not appear to be original, however it is shown on the revised OS map of 1860. The interior has witnessed some alteration in recent times with rooms amalgamated and an old doorway in the kitchen reopened.

*In their final calculations relating to the rateable value of the property, the 1838 valuers decided to deduct 2/- for every pound in the overall total, to compensate for the 'nearness of road and exposure to sea breeze'.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
2 PRONI VAL/1B/37 First valuation, Parish of Ballytrustan, 1838
3 PRONI OS/6/3/32/2 Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st rev., 1860, Down sheet 32
4 PRONI Second valuation, Parish of Ballytrustan, 1861 (in print)
5 PRONI OS/6/3/32/3 Ordnance Survey maps, 2nd ed., 1899-1900, Down sheet 32

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

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Large and well proportioned, formal, two storey house of c.1820s.