Water Acre Cottages

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Recently ‘modernised’ two storey gabled house on the N side of the Drumfad Road c.2 miles S of Millisle.

Front S facade has left of centre gabled porch with panelled and glazed door. To the left of the porch is a recently enlarged window with modern frame. To the right of the porch are three smaller (original) windows with modern frames. To the first floor are two recently enlarged outer windows flanking two smaller centre windows. All have modern frames much as before.

Both gables are blank. The W gable has a rendered wall (with arched pedestrian entrance), attached to its right side.

The rear is dominated by a large single storey flat roofed extension with modern doors and windows to both it and the rear of the main house.

The entire facade is finished in rough cast.

The roof is pitched and covered in Bangor blue slates with three rendered chimney stacks. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS Maps of 1833/4 and 1858-60, but does not appear to be indicated on the Dunbar estate map of 1797. It is possible that this house dates from the early 1800s but could conceivably have began life as single storey. The gabled porch, large window openings and the rear extension are all post c.1973.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI T.1242 Map of the estate of George Dunbar Esq. by J.A. Williamson 1797. [This map shows the townlands of Ballyrolly and Drumfad. A copy was held by PRONI but is at present missing. A much reduced reproduction of the map is shown on p.35 of 'Christ Church Carrowdore' by Susan E. Pack Beresford (1994). This particular house does not appear to be indicated on the map.]
2 PRONI VAL 1B/32 Valuation records for the townland of Drumfad (Parish of Donaghadee) 1830s.
3 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps 1st Edition 1833/4, Down 7.
4 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps 1st Revision 1858-60, Down 7.
5 PRONI ‘Griffith’s’ valuation for the townland of Drumfad (Parish of Donaghadee) 1863.

Secondary sources
1 Grace Seymour 'Echoes of Millisle and District' (Rathfriland ?c.1980), p.138-139, 145-146 [Notes on the history of Drumfad Td.].

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey gabled house of probable early nineteenth century origin now modernised both internally and externally.