Rookmount

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large-ish, much extended, two storey gabled farm house, with a large single storey section, situated to the E of the Ballycastle Road, c.2 miles W of Carrowdore.

The two storey section is the E with the single storey section attached to the W gable.

The front N facade of the two storey section has a central timber sheeted door with fanlight, with a large window with modern frame to left and right. To the first floor are three evenly spaced windows, also with modern frames.

The N facade of the single storey section (which is flush with the front facade of the larger section) has two sash windows with horizontal glazing bars.

The E gable of the two storey section is blank but has a small ‘boiler house’ extension (with a metal [?]oil tank beside it.

The exposed section of the W gable is blank.

The W gable of the single storey section is blank.

The rear of the main house is now dominated by large modern, one and two storey extensions with modern windows and doors of various sizes. One of the extensions strays onto the rear of the single storey section.

The rear of the single storey extension also has a large modern timber sliding door to the left and a modern window to the right.

The two storey section and the extensions are finished in dry dash ‘salt & pepper’ render, with rough cast to the single storey section.

The roofs of the two original sections are pitched with Bangor blue slates with two yellow brick chimney stacks and rendered parapets to the two storey section and two rendered stacks to the one storey section. Mixture of cast iron and PVC rw goods.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS Maps of 1833/4 and 1858-60. The present two storey section began life as single storey, the roof (according to the owner) having been raised at some point in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The extensions are all of recent vintage.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL 1B/34 Valuation records for the townland of Ballyblack (Parish of Newtownards) 1830s.
2 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps 1st Edition 1833/4, Co. Down 6.
3 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps 1st Revision 1858-60, Co. Down 6.
4 PRONI ‘Griffith’s’ valuation for the townland of Ballyblack (Parish of Newtownards) 1863.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large, part single, part two storey farm house of probable early nineteenth century origin, but which has had much of its roof raised in the later nineteenth or early twentieth century, and large extensions added c.1970s-80s.