Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB01/02/038 B

Address :
House approx. 320m north of 513 Baranailt Road Gortilea Claudy County Londonderry BT47 4EF

Townland:
Gortilea

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
23/09/2015 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
Yes

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
50/5NW

IG Ref:
C5605 0999

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached four-bay single-storey with attic whitewashed rubblestone former thatched dwelling, built c.1830, with a partially collapsed south bay. Rectangular on plan facing east with wind-break entrance porch, attached byre to north and a single-storey rubblestone outbuilding to the east. Set on an elevated site on a steep hillside to the north of Baranailt Road accessed via a long laneway. Pitched corrugated metal roof with clipped eaves and two rooflights on the east slope. Two red brick chimneys, one located to the right of the third bay and one between the dwelling and the byre. Whitewashed rubblestone walling; square-headed window openings with painted concrete sills and timber sliding sash windows with exposed sash boxes. Front (east) elevation has a wind-break entrance porch with a catslide roof and a traditional vertically sheeted timber half-door with a vertically sheeted full height door directly behind. Porch is flanked to left and right by a 3/3 pane window; northern most bay has a single door opening with the remains of a vertically sheeted timber door. The south extended bay has partially collapsed exposing a blank rubblestone gable with collapsed gable peak from above eaves level. Rear (west) elevation has a 1/1 pane window to right bay, a paired 1/1 pane window to bay second from right, a 2/2 pane window to third bay from right and a window opening to the far left bay (not fully viewed at time of survey). All the windows are set at different heights and step down the hill to the south following the topography of the ground. The north gable is fully abutted by the byre which is on elevated ground. Byre comprises a pitched corrugated metal roof and rubblestone walls. South gable is abutted by the dwelling; exposed section is rendered and blank surmounted by a projecting red brick chimney. West face has a single door opening to far right and is built into the hillside to the left. North gable is mostly built into the hillside; exposed gable peak has collapsed. East face has a large square-headed opening to left Detached single-storey out-building to east comprises a corrugated metal pitched roof with clipped eaves and cement skews. Walls are a mixture of white-washed rubblestone and blockwork. West face has a vertically sheeted timber door to left, the remains of a vertically sheeted timber half-door to right and a central square window with timber grid infill. North gable is built into the hillside to eaves level; exposed gable peak has a large central opening blocked -up with corrugated sheeting; South gable is blank. East face not viewed at time of survey. Setting Set on a sloping elevated site on a steep hillside to the north of Baranailt Road with a single-storey rubblestone out-building to the east. It is accessed via a long laneway which also provides access to a near-by vernacular dwelling (HB01/02/038B) located approximately 120m to the south. A further vernacular dwelling (HB01/02/038C) is located approximately 240m to the south-west and is accessed separately off Baranailt Road. Roof Corrugated iron RWG None Walling Whitewashed rubblestone Windows Timber

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

This single-storey three-bay vernacular farmhouse, located in the townland of Gortilea, was constructed prior to 1830. The building appeared on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (1830) which depicted the farmhouse as a rectangular-shaped structure occupying the same position as the current building. The map also depicted a large outbuilding to the east side of the dwelling but this was demolished by the 1850s. The contemporary Townland Valuations (1831) did not include the farmhouse as its rateable value was lower than the £3 minimum required for inclusion. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs (1832-38) note that, following the Plantation of Ulster, the majority of land in the parishes of Cumber Upper and Lower was owned by the Church of Ireland with the remainder of the land being distributed out to the Goldsmith, Skinners and Fishmongers Companies. By the early-19th century the decline in local linen weaving had resulting in increased agriculture labour and by the 1830s most of the land in Cumber parish was occupied by farmers ‘of a low rank’ (Ordnance Survey Memoirs, pp 3-18). The eastern outbuilding had been demolished by the second edition Ordnance Survey map (1849-53). The contemporary Griffith’s Valuation (1857) records that the site was leased by the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers to Manus and James Carleton who both occupied the farmhouse. The valuer notes that the two occupants divided the farmhouse into two separate dwellings, each of which were valued at 10 shillings (the total rateable value of the building was £1.) The farmhouse passed to a Mr Edward Carleton in 1887. Carleton also purchased the farmhouse and its land from the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers in that year following the passing of the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act in 1885. This act, which was also known as the Ashbourne Act, made it easier for tenants in Ireland to buy land, providing them the facility to take out loans (worth 100% the value of the property) and to pay back the Government in monthly instalments (Oxford Companion to Irish History, p. 309). The third edition Ordnance Survey map records that an extension (abutting the south gable of the dwelling – now demolished) and the current outbuilding (located to the east side of the farmhouse) had been constructed by at least the turn of the 20th century. Edward Carleton (from the 1901 census the family name changed to Carlin) was a Roman Catholic farm labourer. The 1911 census building return described the property as a 3rd class dwelling that consisted of two main rooms and possessed a thatched roof. The farmhouse’s outbuildings housed a stable, two cow houses, a piggery and a barn. The Carlin family continued to reside at Gortilea until at least the 1970s. The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) lowered the total rateable value of Carlin’s farmhouse and outbuildings to seven shillings. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) this value had been slightly increased to £1. Field inspection of the site finds that the thatched roof has been replaced with corrugated metal. The southern extension has been demolished. References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/5/23/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1830) 2. PRONI OS/6/5/23/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1849-1853) 3. PRONI OS/6/5/23/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1905) 4. PRONI OS/6/5/23/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1925-26) 5. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/47B – Griffith’s Valuation (1857) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/31/12A-F – Annual Revisions (1860-1933) 7. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/6 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) 8. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/9 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 9. Ordnance Survey Memoirs: Co. Londonderry Vol. 28 (1832-38) 10. Ulster Town Directories (1852-1918) 11. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 12. Ordnance Survey Map – 50-5 (1970) Secondary Sources 1. Connolly, S. J., ‘Oxford companion to Irish history’ Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

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 K. Group value

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance X. Local Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Detached four-bay single-storey with attic whitewashed rubblestone former thatched dwelling, built c.1830 and located on an elevated site on a steep hillside to the north of Baranailt Road, Claudy, accessed via a long laneway. The dwelling was constructed on lands owned by the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers who obtained the land following the Plantation of Ulster. The vernacular grouping remains largely intact with good outbuildings and much of its detailing remaining. It has a very fine and relatively unaltered interior and the partial collapse of the south extension does not significantly detract from its interest. It is an example of an increasingly rare typology that once characterised the local area. Its interest is enhanced by its fine relatively unaltered setting, the attached byre to north and the single-storey rubblestone outbuilding to the east. The dwelling has group value with a vernacular dwelling (HB01/02/038A) located approximately 120m to the south.

General Comments

Additional listing criteria apply - R-Age, S-Authenticity & T-Historic Importance

Date of Survey

02 May 2014