Survey Data
Reg No
30412507
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Social
Original Use
RIC barracks
In Use As
House
Date
1780 - 1820
Coordinates
169090, 204490
Date Recorded
25/08/2009
Date Updated
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Description
Detached five-bay two-storey former police barracks, built c.1800, with lower mutiple-bay two-storey return to rear (south) elevation. Now in use as house. Pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystacks having stepped dressed limestone capping. Painted rendered walls with weather-hung slating to gables and to return. Square-headed widnow openings having tooled limestone sills and replacement timber windows. Square-headed door opening having timber panelled door, and overlight. Elliptical-headed carriage arch to east long wall of return, now converted to window. Two-bay single-storey outbuilding with attic storey to south-east of courtyard, having pitched slate roof and cement rendered chimneystack, painted rendered walls and square-headed openings with stone sills.
Appraisal
The historic use of this building as a police barracks lends it social interest. Although the original windows have been replaced the house retains its architectural character, as evident in the panelled timber door and overlight. Weather-hung slating such as that on the west gable and return was applied to external walls to protect them from prevailing winds. A number of houses in South Galway, in the general vicinity of Portumna, have weather-hung slating and its use may represent a regional characteristic. The associated outbuidlings provide context to the house.