Moss Bank,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Moss Bank is a substantial two storey, hipped roof gentleman farmer’s residence of c.1850. It is set on a slight rise to the W of the Ballycreelly Road, c.2 miles N of Ballygowan and has a large complex of outbuildings attached at the rear.

In the centre of the symmetrical front (E) façade is a flat-roofed porch. The front face of the porch has a narrow double door with plain fanlight. The timber door has semicircular arch-headed panels with fan-like spandrels. The door is encased with a simple moulded architrave with keystone. The porch has pilaster ‘quoins’, and a moulded cornice and parapet, and to the N and S faces is a narrow semicircular arch headed sash window with simple architrave. There are two steps to the doorway.

To either side of the porch is a large four pane window with a frame which looks like sash but is actually fixed. To the first floor are three windows similar in size to those on the ground floor. The two outer windows have sash frames with vertical glazing bars, whilst that to the centre has a double sash frame with semicircular arch heads to the upper panes (but not to the window opening which is flat). The centre window is set within bay which projects marginally. All the upper floor windows are set on a cill course.

The front façade has plain pilaster ‘quoins’ and rusticated render at ground floor level (excluding the porch) but plain render to the first floor.

The N façade has a window (as outer windows to first floor front) to the left on the ground floor. There is a similar window to the right on the ground floor of the S façade, with a sash window with Georgian panes to the left on the first floor. To the left on the ground floor a single storey conservatory/greenhouse house been attached, now in poor condition and partly obscured by greenery.

To the left at the rear is a small sash window, with Georgian panes, to the ground floor and a similar, but taller, window to the first floor. To the right of these windows is a two storey gabled return. To the N face of this return is a sash window to the ground floor and a much smaller [?fixed light] single pane window to the first floor. To the rear (W) gable of the return there is a small window, with modern frame, to the right on the first floor.

To the S side the return is attached to a long two storey gabled wing which has a series of large modern picture windows to its W and E faces. This wing is in turn attached (to the S) to a large two storey gabled outbuilding. The wing itself may once have been servants/farm hands quarters (see Historical Information), but it now appears modernised as bedrooms etc. [The writers were unable to gain access to this wing and are unsure what the rooms are used for- it may be a self-contained apartment.]

The N, S & W facades of the main house are finished in plain render. The roof of the main house is hipped (with a ‘flattened’ centre) and it, the return and the S wing are covered in Bangor blue slates. The main roof has two central chimney stacks, plain rendered and corbelled and with original octagonal pots. Cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

On the 1834 OS map this general site is occupied by an earlier dwelling, set slightly to the south of the current house. The 1858 map, however, shows the present building with its outbuildings marked as ‘Mossbank’. This property therefore dates from some time between these two years, possibly (judging from its appearance) from c.1850. It was probably built by a John Montgomery, who held the earlier house at the time of the 1st valuation survey (1834) and whose ‘representatives’ were in possession of Mossbank in c.1863. Interestingly, the latter valuation of Mossbank mentions ‘labourers’ houses’-could these have been contained within the long south wing?

Primary sources
1 PRONI OS map 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
2 PRONI VAL1B/316BA, p.103 1st valuation Comber parish 1834.
3 PRONI OS map 1st rev. 1858-60, Down 10.
4 PRONI 2nd valuation Comber parish c.1863.
5 George Henry Basset ‘Co. Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), p.282.

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
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Substantial two storey early Victorian gentleman farmer’s residence of c.1850, with a large collection of outbuildings. The main hipped roof portion of this house appears largely intact both inside and out. The long rear wing which joins to the outbuildings may once have contained farm labourers’ dwellings.