house

Detached five-bay single-storey thatched house, built c. 1860, with windbreak porch and modern single-bay thatched extension to rear. Round pitched flax roof with latticed restraining wire and timber pegs, iron pegs to extension, limewashed rendered chimneystacks. Limewashed render to walls. Square-headed window openings over painted cut stone sills with timber four-over-four horned sash windows. Square-headed door opening with timber panelled door with inset glazed oval panel. Set in own grounds bound by limewashed rubble stone walls, gate piers with decorative concrete ball finials. Detached two-bay two-storey outbuilding to north-east, external steps to first floor south-west gable, pitched artificial slate roof, concrete gable copings, replacement rainwater goods, remnant limewashed render to rubble stone walls. Square-headed window openings, timber two-over four sash and fixed frame windows. Square-headed door openings, timber half doors. Two-bay single-storey outbuilding to north, with pitched corrugated-metal roof, remnant limewashed render to rubble stone walls, square-headed door openings, timber half doors.

A good example of this type of vernacular thatched dwelling in good condition and incorporating a modern thatched extension to the rear. Retains features of interest including thatch with latticed restraint, sash windows and a windbreak porch together with an outbuilding incorporating external steps to the first floor that are features of vernacular architecture in this region. The rounded pitched roof, designed to minimise the impact of high winds, demonstrates a subtle adaptation of thatch roof construction, to accommodate local climatic conditions in exposed areas such as Inishowen. An increasingly rare type, its continued use, sympathetic maintenance and repairs have safeguarded its character.