’The Rectory’

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

‘The Rectory’ lies a quarter of a mile E of Kircubbin amidst leafy surroundings on the N side of the Parsonage Road. It is a large, formal, hipped roof house, roughly square in plan, with an imposing front porch.

The SE front elevation is symmetrical with three bays the central of which projects forward roughly 10cm. The central single storey flat roofed porch has timber panelled double doors with a simple fanlight over. Pilasters support a simple ‘entablature’ which is decorated with garlands and friezes, above which is a decorative moulded balustrade. There is one round headed window on the SW and NE sides of the porch. The slightly recessed bays on each side of the porch each have one sashed window with ‘Georgian’ panes, to the ground floor, with similar windows to the first floor of the three bays. Above the gutter line of the central bay is a small gable/pediment within which there is a modern (but traditional looking) date plaque with the date ‘1843’. The SW elevation is also symmetrical, with two large timber tripartite sashed windows with heavy, slightly projecting, decorative surrounds, to the ground floor and three single sashed windows to the first floor, all of which have ‘Georgian’ panes. The NE elevation, which too is symmetrical, has three large sashed windows to the ground floor and three, smaller, to the first floor, all with ‘Georgian’ panes. The rear elevation has a single storey full width lean to extension with a central timber panelled door with two small sashed windows to either side. To the first floor (of the main house) there is a central multi pane round headed window which lights the stairwell. To the left of this is a small sashed window. There is a gabled ‘store’ extension attached to the N corner of the house. The facade is finished in lined render with moulded quoins to first floor below a plain thick ‘string course’. A large portion of the front elevation, and all of the SW elevation are covered in greenery. The roof is pitched and hipped, with Bangor blue slates and four rendered chimney stacks with matching decorative pots. The roof overhang is supported on exposed paired ‘joist’ ends. The enclosed yard to the rear has two storey outbuildings to the NW and a high wall to the SW. Entrance to site on Parsonage Road has square gate posts with carved ‘pineapple’ finials and decorative cast iron gates. ‘Mounting stone’ (used in the days of horse travel) in front garden.

Historical information

As its recently installed date plaque asserts, this house was built in 1843, and served as the rectory for the newly built Church of the Holy Trinity, in Main Street Kircubbin.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st revision, 1860, Co. Down 18.
2 PRONI 2nd valuation, Inishargy, c.1863.

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 but compact two storey, hipped roof, rectory house of 1843, with imposing entrance porch. This property appears to be largely intact.