Survey Data
Reg No
40905339
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural
In Use As
House
Date
1840 - 1880
Coordinates
220576, 410946
Date Recorded
05/12/2008
Date Updated
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Description
Pair of semi-detached three-bay two-storey houses, built c. 1860, each having two-storey return to rear (east). Possibly originally associated with a ruinous mill to the north-west (see 40905390). Modern dwelling attached to return to house to south, single-bay single-storey lean-to addition to north gable end of house to the north. Pitched natural slate roof to house to the south having rendered chimneystacks to the gable ends with clay pots over; pitched natural slate roof to house to the north having yellow brick chimneystack to the north gable end with clay pots over. Smooth rendered walls to house to north and smooth rendered ruled-and-lined rendered walls to house to south. Square-headed window openings with mainly stone sills, and with mainly one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows with margin glazing bars and some replacement windows at ground floor level. Square-headed window openings to the south gable end at first floor level having two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed doorways with replacement fitting. Road-fronted along laneway in the rural countryside to the east of Letterkenny. Ruinous mill to the north-west (see 40905390) and various ruinous buildings to site. Section of rubble stone boundary wall to the south.
Appraisal
This appealing pair of vernacular houses, dating to c. 1860, retain much of their original form and character despite some alterations and modern additions. Their visual appeal and integrity is enhanced by the retention of salient fabric such as the natural slate roof and the surviving timber sash windows to the front elevations with distinctive and attractive timber sliding sash windows with margin glazing bars. The loss of some of the original fittings to the openings detracts somewhat from the appeal of these buildings though appropriate replacements could easily be installed, which would enhance their visual expression. It is unusual to find two vernacular houses of this type in semi-detached form, which adds some variety to the extensive vernacular heritage of County Donegal. According to local information, these two houses were built by the same family on their return to Ireland following emigration to Canada c. 1845. This family lived at a now ruinous house to the north prior to their emigration. The location of these houses and the layout of the site suggest that this family may have been the proprietors of the now ruinous mill (see 40905390) to the north-west, now also ruinous. This interesting pair of vernacular dwellings from part of a group of structures at Dromore Lower, and are an attractive features in the rural landscape to the east of Letterkenny. Sensitively restored, they would represent integral elements of the built heritage of the local area.