19 Lisleen Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical single-storey two-bay direct-entry vernacular dwelling built c.1850 and located east of Lisleen Road in Castlereagh. Rectangular on plan. The dwelling is of pitched roof construction with natural slate and blue/black angled ridge tiles. A raised cement verge is abuted on each end by two replacement chimney stacks. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods and down pipes provide rain water run-off. Walling is lime-washed rubble stone. Windows are 2/2 (horizontally divided) timber-framed sliding sash with horns and exposed sash boxes.

The principal elevation faces south; window to either side are replacement timber with a sheeted entrance door. The west gable is blank. The north elevation has a 2/1 window to right. The east gable is also blank.

Setting:

Situated in a rural location east of the Lisleen Road, a modern bungalow (1980s) now occupies the site to west, accessed via a gravelled driveway. A rubble stone cottage is situated directly to the rear of the dwelling, likely to be of a similar date, although much altered. Lawned to front with some surviving mature trees to west.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Painted rubble stone
Windows: 2/2 timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The current dwelling house dates from c1850 and is of a vernacular type that would once have been common in the area. It is situated in a rural area that has changed little since the time the cottage was built, with the exception of recent housing developments to the west at Crossnacreevy.

A dwelling is shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1833 but the plan form differs considerably from the building that is present today, and this early structure is no longer present. The second edition of 1858 shows two rectangular structures which have survived as the present dwelling and an outbuilding to the rear. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) the house was occupied by John Beattie and leased from W Mussenden Esq. It is a house, offices and over 15 acres of land, with buildings valued at £2.

The farm changed hands several times over the years. From 1872 the Watson family were in residence, first Alexander, then William. In 1894 the occupier was Samuel Ferris, listed in the 1901 census as a married man living apart from his wife whose household was composed of a female cook from Fermanagh and an eighteen-year-old farm servant from county Limerick. The house had one window to the front façade and three rooms and was roofed with non-perishable material. Outbuildings included a stable, cow house, piggery, fowl house and barn.

David J Wilson took over the house in 1909 and is listed in the 1911 census as a farmer living with his wife. The couple had ten children of whom six had survived but none were living at home. The couple’s ten-year-old grand-daughter who had been born in Belfast, was resident, together with a female domestic servant, also from Belfast. Shortly afterwards in 1913 the house was taken over by John Hanna, and after his death in 1923, by his widow Isabella Hanna. In recent years the building was used as a holiday cottage but currently lies vacant.

References:

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/10/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/10/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901-2
4. PRONI OS/6/3/10/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-21
5. PRONI OS/6/3/10/7 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1948-50
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/16B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/5A-F – Annual Revisions (1866-1929)
8. PRONI Will of John Hanna, died 18th December 1923

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A single-storey two-bay direct-entry vernacular dwelling built c.1850 and located in a rural position east of the Lisleen Road in Castlereagh. The external architectural character is largely intact and the original floor-plan has been retained. In the 1980's a single-storey bungalow was built to the west of the dwelling, detracting from the overall setting. This is a rare survivor of a once common type in the area.