The Grey House, 60 Station Road, Craigavad, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 0BP

A detached symmetrical two-storey three-bay classically-styled house with concealed basement and attic, built c. 1855, located on the south side of Station Road, Craigavad, east of Holywood and overlooking Belfast Lough. The house is square-on-plan, with single-storey classical porch; there is a single-storey pavilion to south-west linked to the house by a kitchen extension and replacement conservatory. Roof is hipped natural slate with rolled leaded ridges and hips; central rendered chimneystacks with stepped caps and multiple pots; leaded dormers. Gutters are concealed behind an eaves cornice and lead-capped blocking course. Downpipes are cast-iron. Walling is ruled-and-lined render (painted grey) with rusticated quoins, plinth, frieze with elongated panels and architrave. The windows are 1/1 timber sashes with horns in architrave surrounds with bracketed cills; those to ground floor have corniced hoods over a decorative panel. The porch is classically detailed with paired pilasters to front supporting an entablature with blocking course; side elevations each have a plain-glazed window flanked by single pilasters. Entrance door has four bolection-moulded raised-and-fielded panels, beaded muntin, lion’s head knocker and decorative brass knob, with moulded architrave surround and decorative transom, all accessed by four bull-nosed sandstone steps. Principal elevation faces south and is symmetrically arranged with three openings to each floor, arranged about central porch. West elevation is abutted by the kitchen extension, which is fronted by the conservatory. The exposed section comprises a mid-level round-headed stairwell window with replacement leaded glazing; there are glazed French doors to a fire escape at left and a window at right. The kitchen extension is single storey with flat roof concealed by a blocking course with decorative detailing. Walls are as main house; windows are replacement, some uPVC; there is a recent extension to north end. The pavilion is detailed as kitchen extension with round-headed Serliana/Palladian-style windows to north and south. The north elevation is symmetrical with four openings to first floor, and two wide canted bays to ground floor. Canted bays have entablature with decorative detailing corresponding to other openings, and are two windows wide to main face. The east elevation is three windows wide to each floor; that to ground floor right is has a pilaster surround and is set in a box bay. Setting The house is set back from the road in extensive grounds comprising lawns, shrubberies and tennis court, on an elevated side above the south shore of Belfast Lough. There is a tarmac forecourt accessed by a winding lane; no gate piers; the former gate lodge is now a separate residence, and retains few features of interest. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Stucco Windows: Timber RWG: ast-iron