‘Marlfield’

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 1½ and 2-storey T-shaped roughcast house with yellow brick chimneys and slated gabled roofs. Main entrance, in 2-storey block, faces north-east.

North-east elevation of two-storey block: roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses between fireclay gable copings; three chimneys in yellow brick with two replacement pots each; pots of octagonal section and of 19th century appearance; walls roughcast and rendered, painted white; replacement cast iron rainwater goods. Off-centre main entrance containing a new rectangular timber panelled door replacing original sheeted door with fanlight. Four windows to first floor; ground floor has two windows to left of doorway and one to right. All windows are rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 2 over 2 with horns, with horizontal glazing bars.

North-west gable of 2-storey block: walling as previous; contains one small window to first floor, sashed as previous except 1 over 1; two lean-to projections to ground floor, slated as previous, with rectangular timber tongued and grooved sheeted doors to sides; small perspex glazed window opening to smaller lean-to store.

South-west (rear) elevation of 2-storey block: roof, walling, and rainwater goods all as previous to north-east elevation: 5-bay elevation contains a projecting lean-to porch at second bay from left. Windows to main wall are sashed as previous to north-east elevation, except those to first and third bay of ground floor, from left, and two windows in the porch, which are sashed 2 over 2 but with vertical glazing bars. Porch contains a new ledged timber ½-door. Returning forward to the right is the side wall of the 1½-storey block which contains a small window, sashed 1 over 1.

South-west gable of 1½-storey block: walling roughcast as previous, with chimney to apex, of yellow brick surmounted by two replacement pots. One window to ground floor, sashed as previous but 4 over 4. First floor has a central timber glazed and sheeted door, with sidelight, leading onto a small balcony which has wrought iron railings; to left of that is a small window sashed 2 over 2 as previous.

South-east elevation of 1½-storey block: walling has wet dash render, painted white, covering original brick dressings; central opening has original steel sliding door replaced by a pair of glazed and sheeted timber doors with small-paned timber sidelights, new fluted plain pilasters and a tongued and grooved sheeted frieze, leading onto a new stone paved ramp. Two windows to each side contain new timber sashes, 4 over 4 with horns.

North-east gable of 1½-storey block has similar openings, finishes, and chimney to south-west gable.

SETTING: the building stands in its own grounds in a rural area with the main entrance front facing onto a private lane. Crazy paving across main entrance front of house which is set back behind a small rockery garden, and low stone boundary wall with cement rendered coping; wrought iron pedestrian gate with square rubble stone piers.
South-east elevation faces the main road but set back slightly behind a small stone paved area bounded by a stone plinth wall with new decorative iron railings.
Rear elevation faces directly onto a small stone crazy paved court bounded by low rubble stone walls with cement rendered coping. Court leads to a gravelled driveway bordered by flower beds, with a small grassed area to the west.
South-east boundary is a new rubble stone wall with a pair of ironwork gates between new square piers. Mature trees to the north boundary, with hedges.
Along the north boundary to the rear side of the house is a small single storey shed with white painted roughcast walls, hipped slated roof, a timber fixed light window, and a timber sheeted door.

Historical information

A, seemingly locally important, house is shown within Marlfield townland on a 1767 map of the Ards, which may or may not have any connection with the building we see today. The present house, however, appears to be that shown on 1834 OS map. The valuation records of 1838 tell us that it contained two properties at that point, the two storey portion belonging to a Robert McCleery, with that to the roadside in the hands of a Robert McDonnell.

The second valuation returns of 1861 tell us that an Ellen Gordon occupied one of the houses at that date, with the other apparently listed as a 'caretaker's house'. Unfortunately these records do not clearly indicate which house was which. The two storey section of the property was still occupied when surveyed in 1974, with the single storey portion serving as a garage and store. The whole building is now vacant.

It should be pointed out that though the sources strongly indicate that this building originally contained two properties, local folk memory suggests different. Locally it is said that the single storey portion of this building was originally intended as extra living quarters (and perhaps a new front elevation for the house). Not long after its construction, however, (so the story goes), it was discovered that the new portion had been built on land belonging to the Nugent estate, and if occupied as a dwelling, would have been subject to a high rent. Because of this it is said that the extension was never completed nor lived in!

References- Primary sources
1 [?PRONI] 1767 map of the Ards, used as front cover for successive editions of the 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society' (1977-97)
2 PRONI OS/6/3/24/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 24
3 PRONI VAL/1B/36 First valuation, Parish of Ardquin, 1838
4 PRONI OS/6/3/24/2 OS maps, 1st rev, 1860, Down sheet 24
5 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1861 [In print.]
6 PRONI OS/6/3/24/3 OS maps, 2nd ed., 1899-1900, Down sheet 24

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Large 1½-storey farmhouse of probably 19th century date which despite the loss of some features still retains sufficient architectural character to merit listing.

General comments

For original survey by Paul Logan and Philip Smith done in 1997, see HB24/01/120X