36 Tullynagardy Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small-ish two storey gabled house of 1794 set right on the side of the somewhat ‘sleepy’ Tullynagardy Road roughly 1 mile N of Newtownards.

Front S facade has recent panelled and glazed timber door. To the left are two windows, with one to the right and three, evenly spaced, but slightly smaller windows to the first floor. The window frames all match the look of the original sash frames and have ‘Georgian’ panes, but are in fact modern with top hung upper openers.

Attached to the E gable is a single storey lean to with small modern window.

The left hand (E) side of the rear (N facade) is taken up with a single storey ‘L’ shaped lean to with a timber sheeted door and window opening with modern frame, to the left on the N facade of the lean to, a timber and glazed door to the E facing facade of the ‘L’ shape. To the far right side of the N facade of the lean to is a window as front, with an modern looking window to the W facade. Above the lean to (to the first floor of the main house) is a broad window with six ‘Georgian’-like panes. To the right of this (at an intermediate level) is a window, as front, which lights the stairwell. To the right of this is a window, again as front, to the first floor, with a similar, but narrower, window to the ground floor.

The W gable is blank but closely adjoins a gabled outbuilding with a small single storey flat roofed shed, built in the gap between both.

The entire facade is finished in lined render.

The roof is pitched with Bangor blue slates, decorative clay ridge tiles, stone parapets and two rendered chimney stacks. Part of the roof of the rear lean to has asbestos slates. Small chimney stack attached to roof of rear lean to and N side of E gable. PVC rainwater goods.

The E sides of the gable and rear lean tos are flush and face directly into the very narrow Tullynagardy Road. .

There is a curving rendered wall which continues from the rear lean to along the road side. The rounded gate posts to the S (on either side of the pedestrian gate) may be older. Gabled outbuildings to the W and N, which are undoubtedly as old as the house itself.

There is a small ‘plaque’ above the door on the front facade stating that this house was built by ‘John Colville, Wheelwright, 1794’. This plaque was added c.1900, but may have replaced an earlier one.

Historical information

This house was built in 1794 by John Colville, the wheelwright to the Mount Stewart estate. The present owner, who is a direct descendant of Colville (through his mother) stated that family tradition asserts that Colville was granted this land by the then owner of Mount Stewart (Robert Stewart, Lord Londonderry) on condition that he would build a habitable dwelling on it within six months. This Colville achieved, constructing the house we see today. The lean to sections to the east and rear are not original, but do appear to be quite old, probably dating from the mid to later 1800s. The original sash windows were replaced recently. The outbuildings to the north and west are shown on the OS Map of 1834 and may be as old as the house.
There is a small ‘plaque’ above the door on the front facade stating that this house was built by ‘John Colville, Wheelwright, 1794’. This plaque was added c.1900, but may have replaced an earlier one.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Edition, 1834, Co. Down 5.
2 PRONI VAL 1B/322 1st valuation, Newtownards, c.1835.
3 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Revision, 1860, Co. Down 5.
4 PRONI 2nd valuation, Newtownards, c.1863.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Still charming two storey house built in 1794, with some nineteenth century additions and recent window frames. This house is a good example of a modest two storey vernacular dwelling of the late eighteenth century. The interior layout is altered slightly and the detailling is partly modern and plain.