4-18 The Brae, Ballygowan, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 5TH

This is a terrace of eight small, two-storey houses located on a sloping site on the northeastern side of The Brae in the village of Ballygowan, County Down. The terrace was constructed around 1870, likely in response to the arrival of the Belfast & Co. Down Railway line in 1858, and is believed to have been built for railway workers.

The front (southeast) elevation of each house features a doorway to the right, with a window to the left of the doorway, and another window centrally positioned on the first floor of numbers 4 to 8. Numbers 4 and 6 have their first floor window to the left. The window frames are modern, comprising a mix of timber and PVC. All doors are relatively recent, and mostly part-glazed, with the exception of the panelled door at number 4. The facades are constructed from random rubble with brick dressings, but have been painted in a variety of cream, white, and dark brown colours, obscuring the original materials. The northeastern gable of number 10 is constructed from unpainted random rubble and has no openings.

The rear elevations of numbers 10 and 18 were accessible for inspection, revealing modern glazed doors and PVC windows on the ground floor. The first floor features smaller PVC windows, with the left-hand window at number 10 being notably larger than the right-hand one. A conservatory-like lean-to has been added to the ground floor of number 18. Numbers 12 to 16 mirror the first floor arrangement of numbers 10 and 18, while numbers 4 to 8 have single windows on the first floor. One first-floor window in number 8 retains a sash frame, whilst others are modern replacements. A modern window and door were observed on the ground floor of number 6. Ground floor facades of numbers 4 to 8 appear to be painted.

The roofs are Bangor blue slated, with a mix of brick and rendered chimney stacks, which appear recently rebuilt. Number 12 has a Velux roof window. Rainwater goods are primarily PVC, although number 10 has a cast iron downspout.