House in Ards Big, County Donegal

This does not grant access. Most recorded buildings are privately owned; view them only from public ground unless the owner allows entry.

What is recorded here

Read the whole record

Detached three-bay two-storey house over partly exposed basement, built c.1900, presenting three storeys to rear, with projecting porch to front (southeast) and single-storey addition to rear. Hipped cement-tiled roof on projecting eaves with paired brackets on smooth eaves course with moulded string course beneath, replacement rainwater goods, and rendered chimneystacks to gable ends with decorative clay pots; flat roof to porch with cornice eaves course; pitched slate roof to extension. Roughcast-rendered walls with plinth course to basement and sill course to first floor. Square-headed openings with painted stone sills and two-over-two horizontal pane sliding sash windows, paired to end bays of front elevation, single to other elevations and to porch, and one-over-one pane window to middle bay of first floor front. Round-headed stairs window to rear with horizontal-pane fixed window and spoked fanlight. Square-headed timber panelled door with overlight to side wall of porch, approached by stone steps with rendered wall. Set in mature gardens, approached by laneway from southwest, with formal garden to south having rubble stone boundary wall, and series of gable-fronted single-storey outbuildings to rear with pitched replacement slate roofs, overhanging eaves on exposed rafter ends, and having replacement rainwater goods; limewashed rendered walls and square-headed openings with eight-over-eight pane timber sliding sash, and timber casement and fixed windows.

A house constructed in the classical manner, distinguished by the symmetrical front facade centred on a porch, and having decorative corbelled eaves brackets. Although the window sizes are classical in proportion, their pairing and the use of horizontal sashes is somewhat unusual. The outbuilding to the rear, and the gardens and rubble stone boundary, complete the setting. The site is labelled as "Bog Ards" on the historic Ordnance Survey.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 40904532

Places near here

Picture notes

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Computer-made picture. It does not show this monument.
Malene Thyssen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Heikki.vesanto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Richard Webb, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
Kenneth Allen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kenneth Allen, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Computer-made picture. It does not show this mountain top.

Claragh HouseCountry house · 544 yd

Explorer Tom Claragh House has red brick chimneys that look ready to gossip. The Watt family was at Claragh by 1725, but James Watt likely built this particular house around 1890. I wish those chimneys could tell me which Watt started which story.

Standing stone in ClaraghStanding stone · 947 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Claragh stands guard right next to the Leannan river! It’s like a giant, silent shepherd keeping an eye on the water. I bet it knows which fish are about to jump out of the stream.

farmyard complex1151 yd

Explorer Tom Farmyard complex in Carnisk in County Donegal is an 1860s setup with red brick details and stone steps. It’s got timber sash windows that add some class to the farming life. Probably smells like fresh hay and good gossip.

Ballyarr Levelled BarrowBarrow, unclassified · 1558 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Ballyarr Levelled Barrow was flattened in 1854, leaving just a flat-topped rise and a single slab. They say it held an urn and a kistvaen, which is basically a stone box. I’d bet my boots that the ground still remembers what they buried there.

European Beech1.1 mi

Explorer Tom European Beech in County Donegal is just a tree, but make it sound important or people will think you’re wasting time. It’s probably plotting something against the squirrels or the weather. Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub, claim you spoke to its roots.

Ballyarr Nature ReserveNational nature reserve · 1.2 mi

Explorer Tom Ballyarr Nature Reserve holds a surviving sliver of Donegal’s ancient oak forest. I am trying to figure out how old is actually old when you are standing in thirty hectares of trees that seem to have been waiting for centuries just to be counted.

Carrs Of The DiamondPub · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Carrs Of The Diamond sounds like a pub built on a rock that might roll away at any moment. Sit on the edge and enjoy the wobble while you watch the locals pretend they know what's happening. Toast it with a cup of tea and move on to the next.

Children's playground1.3 miComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Children's playground in County Donegal would order triple chips, extra mayo, and a mystery meat patty if it had a chipper on site. It’s got that sort of appetite. Bring a jacket, because it’s never as warm as I promise you it will be.

Tullyaughnish Old Church GraveyardGraveyard · 1.5 mi

Explorer Tom Tullyaughnish Old Church Graveyard has been hanging around since 1622, which is basically forever in church years. Sir William Stewart built it, so the locals were definitely keeping up with the trends back then. I bet the ghosts are still complaining about the new church. Take a pic of the old stones!

O'Shaughnessy's BarPub · 1.6 mi

Explorer Tom O'Shaughnessy's Bar in Ramelton is open late, so grab a pint and keep me company while I get lost. It’s getting dark out here, and I can’t find my way back. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.

Mullan HillMountain / peak · 3.6 miComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Mullan Hill in County Donegal is the perfect spot to forget your phone exists for exactly ten minutes. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes, unless you want to die of boredom.

Trusk BegMountain / peak · 4.9 miComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Right, so we've got Trusk Beg in County Donegal, and I'm betting the 'Beg' bit means it's a bit of a bruiser. I imagine it's the sort of peak that looks friendly enough from below but gives you a proper once-over when you get close.

More historic places in County Donegal · All of County Donegal

Add to this placeAdd a picture Add a detailed tip Add a story

Explore the map1,093,392 places to discover