The Old House, [?60] Ballyrainey Road, Ballyrainey, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 5JT

The Old House is a two storey gabled farmhouse built in Scrabo stone, dating from approximately the 1840s–50s. It stands at the end of a short lane on the north-west side of Ballyrainey Road, approximately 1.5 miles north of Comber, County Down.

The principal south-facing facade features a centrally placed 'Ards' doorway with plain pilasters and keystone, a panelled timber door and 'spoked' semicircular fanlight. To the right of this entrance is a large opening now fitted with PVC French doors with simulated 'Georgian'-style panes, replacing two earlier windows. To the left of the main door are three windows with red brick dressings to the openings, where original stone has deteriorated. The first floor has six evenly spaced smaller windows; those to the left have red brick patched dressings, whilst those to the right are fully dressed in red brick, though their lintels are constructed in an earlier-looking brown brick. All windows throughout the house now have PVC frames.

The eastern gable is blank, with a former single storey rubble-built outbuilding now converted to a dwelling partially attached to its right side. The western gable is also blank but merges into the west facade of a rubble-built rear lean-to extension of considerable age. The lean-to west facade has two small red brick-dressed fixed light windows, one to the left on the ground floor and one to the right at upper level. A small single storey gabled outbuilding is attached to the left side of the lean-to's west facade.

The rear comprises the lean-to facade, which is single storey. At its left of centre is a timber stable door with small glazed panel in its upper half. To the right are two squat-looking kitchen windows with a narrower window to the left of the doorway. All rear openings have red brick dressings, though the rightmost window has recently replaced brickwork. At the far left rear, where the converted outbuilding attaches, there is an open porch or store. The entire facade is unrendered. The western gable stonework is semi-coursed and appears to have been reconstructed. The main roof has asbestos-free slates with two Velux windows to the rear; two recently reconstructed red brick chimney stacks serve the house. The rear extension has Bangor blue slates. PVC rainwater goods are fitted throughout. Large two storey rubble-built outbuildings stand to the rear and to the east, the latter attached to the recently converted dwelling house. Remains of a dry toilet survive to the rear.

The house was extended at the rear at an earlier date and has undergone recent renovation. PVC French doors have replaced two former windows on the front facade.

Ordnance Survey maps of 1833–34 show buildings at this general site, though it is impossible to determine if they occupy the exact location of the present house. Valuation records from this period identify a dwelling house on the site in the possession of Samuel Ferguson. By the 1858–60 Ordnance Survey revision, the building plan closely matches that of today. The presence of an 'Ards' doorway—a design particularly prevalent in the 1840s and 1850s—supports a dating to these decades.