Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
55 Old Ballygowan Road,
Ballynichol, Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Demolished
- Date of construction
- 1820 - 1839
- Address
- 55 Old Ballygowan Road,, Ballynichol,, Comber,, Co. Down, BT23 5NP
- Townland
- Ballynichol
- Council
- Ards and North Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.53507, -5.76450
- Date of survey
- 19 January 1999
- HB reference
- HB24/16/036
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1794 "Sheet 55. (Cary's England, Wales, and Scotland)." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Site, on the W side of the Old Ballygowan Road c.1.5 miles SW of the centre of Comber, of a former single storey vernacular block containing 2 dwellings, demolished c.1983/4 with new larger house now in place.
The original building was described in the 1st survey (20th Nov. 1973) as a ‘Single storey block of 2 houses. Roof slated, gable ends. Walls rendered and painted. Brick chimneys. 4 drop hung windows, horizontal astragals. 2 doorways between 3rd and 4th windows. Doors sheeted with half door. Condition fair. Front about 42 feet long’.
The block was demolished after a fire in 1983.
Historical information
A building is shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858, similar in plan to that which stood until recently. The building is not noted in the 1st valuation survey of 1834, probably because it was well below rateable value, however the immediate land around the property(ies) appears to have been in the hands of a Robert Patton, who must have leased them from Johnston of Fort Breda, the then proprietor of Ballynichol townland.
Due to the (apparent) absence of the map to accompany the 2nd valuation of c.1863, details of the building at this date are uncertain.
The block was badly damaged in a fire in 1983 and completely demolished shortly afterwards. The site is now occupied by a larger modern dwelling.
References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS map 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
2 PRONI VAL1B/316A, p.96 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), pp. 37, 40.
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.]
6 EHS HB24/16/36 1st survey notes and slide.
7 EHS OS map 148-14 (1:2500) 1973.
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
Site of former single storey vernacular block (apparently containing two dwellings) of probable pre 1834 construction, demolished c.1983/4 after a fire. A larger modern dwelling has been built in place.
Nearby in the register
- Ballywilliam House,Houseunder 1 mi
- Bridge,Bridgeunder 1 mi
- 41 Old Ballygowan Road,Houseunder 1 mi
- Bridge,Bridgeunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.