83 Main Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey farmhouse set at the end of a farm track, off Main Road, on the NW side of the sprawling village of Portavogie.

Front S facade, has off centre PVC door with plain sidelights and three stone steps. Two pane PVC window to right of door with simulated horizontal and vertical ‘astragals’ to large top hung upper opener. Two windows to right of door as before, with four evenly spaced windows as before to first floor.

E gable has two windows to first floor similar to front but slightly smaller, with a much broader PVC kitchen window to right on ground floor.

W gable has two first floor windows as E gable, but with no ‘astragals’ to window to left. There is a very small flat roofed extension to far left on ground floor.

Rear has four windows to first floor as front with two PVC glazed back doors to ground floor, with a window as before between doors, with another window to far right. Small lean to ‘boiler house’ extension to left of centre at rear.

Entire facade finished in limestone chip render with smooth cement base and surrounds to windows and doors. Pitched roof with asbestos free slates and three brown brick chimney stacks. PVC gutters and down spouts, eaves course.

Historical information

A longer building is shown on this site on the OS Maps of 1834 and 1860. It is conceivable that this house was originally built in the early nineteenth century, however (as the maps suggest), it may have been part of a terrace of dwellings/farm buildings. When first surveyed in 1971 the house had some distinctly mid to late nineteenth century detailing to the windows etc., suggesting that the original house was either substantially renovated (or rebuilt) c.1870.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Edition, 1834, Co. Down 18.
2 PRONI VAL 1B/312 1st valuation, St. Andrews, c.1835.
3 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Revision, 1860, Co. Down 18.
4 PRONI 2nd valuation, St. Andrews, c.1863.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Recently renovated two storey farm house of possible mid to later nineteenth century origin. Neat and well maintained but ultimately sharp and clinical in appearance with little indication of its age.