20 Ballymacreelly Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long single storey farm house, partly thatched, set at the end of a lane to the E of the Ballymacreelly Road c.2 miles W of the village of Killinchy. Large line of (mainly) two storey outbuildings to SE of house.

Front SE facade has a timber panelled door with three pane sidelights and stone step. To the right of this is a window now with PVC frame. To the immediate left of the doorway is a similar window. To the left of this window are two sash windows with Georgian panes.

The SW gable has a central window with PVC frame [opening inserted in recent times?]. There is a similar window to the right on the NE gable.

To the left at the rear is a small lean to toilet section with small PVC window. To the immediate right of this is a larger flat roofed kitchen extension with two large modern windows to the rear and a timber sheeted door to the SW face. To the immediate right of this door (on the rear facade of the main house) is a PVC window.

The facade is mainly finished in rough cast, but the SW (right) side of the rear facade is unrendered and whitewashed. The roof is gabled with thatch to the SW half and Bangor blue slates to the NE. Four rendered chimney stacks to the thatched half with a brick stack to the NE gable. Metal rw goods.

Large collection of mainly two storey, rubble built outbuildings to the immediate SE of house. Unattractive waste ground to rear.

Though there have been some noticable alterations to this property, it has retained much of its original vernacular character.

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858 which probably corresponds with that we see today. The house is not noted in the first valuation returns of c.1835, but in those of c.1861 it is listed as being in the possession of a Robert Auld, an ancestor of the present owners. The building appears to have been altered during the twentieth century with the extensions added to the rear, and again recently when some PVC windows were installed

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.2005/2/1-25 Lowry Family Estate Papers- Title deeds to lands in Ballymacreelly 1743-1910.
2 PRONI T.2277 Title deeds to properties in Balloo and Ballymacreelly 1790-1850.
3 PRONI OS maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 16.
4 PRONI VAL 1B/335 p.32 (77) 1st valuation Killinchy parish, Ballymacashen td., c.1835.
5 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 16.
6 PRONI 2nd valuation, Killinchy parish, Ballymacashen td., c.1861.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Partly thatched, long single storey vernacular farm house of probable pre 1834 origin, which despite a small, unattractive flat roofed kitchen extension and some PVC window frames, has retained much of its original character. The internal layout still boasts much of its original layout, though some detailing has been altered.