55 Hogstown Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long two storey, relatively plain, gabled farmhouse, built pre 1834 as a single storey dwelling and completely heightened possibly c.1880s +, with a return also added to the rear and the façade rendered in typical late Victorian / Edwardian fashion. The property is now unoccupied with only a much modernized section of the return occupied. The building is situated on a slight rise to the E of the Hogstown Road, c.1.5 miles W of Donaghadee.

The front (N) facade is asymmetrical. To right of centre is an ‘Ards’ doorway with Gibbsian pilasters a modern glazed door and ‘spoked’ fanlight. This doorway is surrounded by a gabled porch, added perhaps c.1960 and originally mainly glazed, but now minus its glass and in poor condition. To the immediate left of the porch are two sash windows, with a much larger (actually square) sash window (2/2) to the far left, set at a slightly lower level. To the right of the porch are two sash windows, as those to the immediate left of the porch, but slightly larger and set at a slightly lower level. All the ground floor windows are set on a sill course and all have a moulded surround with keystone. These mouldings have a late Victorian look, but such decoration was applied right up until c.1910 on many rural properties and may not be as old as it first looks. To the first floor are seven unevenly spaced windows, also set on a sill course and all with mouldings as ground floor.

The E gable has a single window to the right of centre on the first floor, much as first floor front. The W gable is blank, but merges (to the right) with the E face of a single storey lean-to, which sports a sash window (2/2). This lean-to is also attached to a two storey rear return (see below)

At the rear is a left of centre full height gabled return. Attached to the W side of this (and the main house) is the single storey lean to section. To the E of the return is a large, relatively modern looking, single storey flat roofed extension. All the projections to the rear appear to be of brick construction (some of the render has fallen away). The full height return and the lean to have various sash windows, the flat roofed section has large modern windows. There is a sash window to the E of the return on the first floor of the main house, whilst to the far right there is evidence of a ground floor window, now blocked.

The entire facade is finished in rough cast with bevelled in-out quoins and a plinth to the main house. Some of the render has come away at the rear. The main roof is gabled, slated and has rendered parapets. The lean-to roof is also slated, but the gabled roof of the return has asbestos ‘slates’. Mixture of metal and PVC rw. There are four symmetrically positioned rendered chimney stacks to the main roof. These have cornicing and simple clay pots. The W of centre stack appears to be a dummy.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834 and that of 1858-60 which matches the footprint of the present structure. The valuation returns of 1835 state that at this stage the property was relatively old, (grade B- probably late 18th century), and that over two thirds of the property was only 6½ feet tall with a small section, (17ft in length), slightly taller at 10½ft.

The two storey house we see today, therefore, is the result of a post 1835 heightening of the whole building, in somewhat typical vernacular fashion. When this work was carried out, and whether the whole property was raised at the same time or in stages, however, is difficult to ascertain. The mouldings to the façade and much of the internal detailing suggests that the work may have taken place c.1880s onwards, even in the early 1900s, but the lower floor level to the east end could suggest different stages of alteration. The return / lean-to may have been built in stages also, for though some kind of rear extension is indicated on the OS map of 1858-60, the brick construction of the present could point towards at later 19th / early 20th century enlargement or rebuild.

The occupant of the house in 1835 is listed as a Francis Bole, but later sources indicate that his name was not ‘Bole’ but ‘Boyle’. Boyle (or his son or other relative) remained there until c.1863 at least.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/2/1 OS Maps 1834, Co. Down sh 2.
2 PRONI VAL 1B/31 First valuation, Bangor parish, 1835
3 PRONI OS/6/3/2/2 OS Maps 1858-60, Co. Down sh 2.
4 PRONI 2nd (‘Griffith’s’) valuation, Bangor Parish, Ballyfotherly Td.
5 PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 OS map, c.1901, Co Down sh 2

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Long two storey, relatively plain, gabled farmhouse, built pre 1834 as a single storey vernacular dwelling and completely heightened possibly c.1880s +, with a return also added to the rear and façade rendered in typical late Victorian / Edwardian fashion.