41 Old Ballygowan Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Much extended one and a half storey house of possibly dating from c.1840, set on the NW side of the Old Ballygowan Road just over a mile S of Comber.

The front (E) façade has a central ‘Ards’ doorway with plain pilasters and archivolt, surrounding a panelled and glazed door with semicircular fanlight. The door surround is covered in a ‘Tyrolean’-like render. To the left and to the right of the doorway is a window with smooth render surround. Both windows now have modern frames, made to resemble sash with Georgian panes.

The S gable slopes into a lean to section at the left. To the ground floor left on this gable is a window as front. At attic level are two smaller windows with six pane frames.

There is another small window at attic level on the N gable. At ground floor on this gable is a small lean to ‘coal bunker’. To the rear is a full height return with a window to the N and S faces as front façade. The gable of this return merges with a long gabled single storey extension which is modern (added c.1980).

The main house and return are finished in rough cast render and painted. The front of the roof is covered in Bangor blue slates, the rear and return in asbestos free slates. Two rendered chimney stacks. Velux windows to return roof. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

A building is shown on the site of the present return/extension on the OS map of 1834. On that of 1858 a building is shown similar in shape to today. Thus the current property appears to date from the mid 19th century, perhaps (judging by the presence of an Ards doorway) c.1840s. The large extension to the rear was added c.1980.

Primary sources
1 PRONI OS map 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
2 PRONI VAL1B/316A 1st valuation Comber parish 1834.
3 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II’, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991), p.37. [Description of Ballymagaughey townland.]
4 PRONI OS map 1st rev. 1858-60, Down 10.
5 PRONI 2nd valuation Comber parish c.1863. [The accompanying map appears to be missing.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Small single storey house (with attic) , possibly of c.1840s, with ‘Ards’ doorway. The property now has modern window frames throughout and a large extension has been added to the original rear return.