House in Dundonagh

Detached five-bay single-storey vernacular farmhouse, built c.1790, with attic and having lean-to extension to rear (south-west) elevation. Pitched slate roof with timber bargeboards, cast-iron rainwater goods, terracotta ridge tiles, clamp-kiln brick chimneystacks and square three-pan roof-lights to rear. Roughcast rendered walls, coursed limestone and sandstone rubble visible in areas and having peck-dressed limestone block-and-start quoins to east corner. Square-headed window openings throughout with exposed timber boxes, painted masonry sills, and timber sliding sash windows to openings with exposed sash boxes, six-over-six pane to front (north-east) and rear, two-over-two pane to rear and at attic level to west elevation. Timber casement window to rear of lean-to. Square-headed door opening to front having timber surround, timber panelled door and over-light. Square-headed door opening to west elevation of lean-to with timber panelled door. Two-storey multiple-bay outbuilding to rear having corrugated-iron roof, cast-iron rainwater goods, coursed rubble stone walls, gauged-brick square-headed openings with timber fittings, timber-framed windows and timber battened doors. Flight of stone steps having stone parapet wall to front (south-east) elevation of outbuilding. Single-storey outbuilding with corrugated-iron roof, coursed rubble stone walls and square-headed openings. Cobbled yard to rear of house. Square-plan stone piers to west, flanking double-leaf cast-iron gate. Rendered masonry wall enclosing lawn to front of house having pair of square-plan painted tooled stone piers flanking single-leaf wrought-iron gate to north-west of house, and with double-leaf cast-iron gate to north of house.

This simple house retains much of its early form and fabric, most notably a variety of timber sash windows, which enhance its architectural heritage value and are complemented by the unusual over-light to the front door. Exposed sash boxes were rarely seen in nineteenth-century buildings because of an associated fire risk, so their presence here suggests an early date for the window fittings. The outbuildings and cobbled yard to the rear serve to place it within its context as a vernacular farmhouse, of a type which was once prevalent but now increasingly rare in the Irish countryside. Set back from the road, it forms an interesting and pleasing part of the built landscape.