Barn at Rubane House, Rubane House, 62 Gransha Road, Echlinville, Portavogie, Co. Down, BT22 1AJ

Barn at Rubane House

A large rubble-built barn with a hipped roof, situated to the north of Rubane House in Echlinville. The building is of probable 18th century origin, dating from around 1780-1799 based on its appearance on an Echlin estate map of 1799 held at PRONI, though it may have been constructed somewhat earlier in the mid to later 18th century.

The barn measures approximately 17.3 metres by 6.8 metres internally and is constructed of split-stone rubble with a slated roof. The longer sides each feature a shallow central projection containing a large cart opening with an elliptical head and key block. Above this opening is an oval window, now blocked, with an architrave surround broken into four segments by key blocks. The quoins of these projections and the wall face to the height of the springing of the openings are of V-channelled wrought sandstone. The longer walls contain four large semicircular-headed windows with wrought sandstone architraves and sills, whilst pairs of similar but smaller lights appear in the end walls. Most of these windows are now blocked but were probably originally covered with louver boards; one retains a sash window. The roof structure comprises king post trusses with half and angle trusses at the hipped ends.

A smaller hipped roof rubble-built projection is attached to the north-west gable, and a lean-to extension extends from the south-east. The north-west projection was evidently present by 1966, although it is not mentioned in the Archaeological Survey of County Down description of that year, despite being visible in photographs from the period.

The barn is currently used for hay storage and is undergoing renovation, with the roof being re-slated. The walls are substantially obscured by stacked hay bales.

To the north-west of the barn stands a boarded-up two-storey gabled house with decorated door and window surrounds, dating from the later 19th century. Above the doorway is a balcony with decorative wrought iron railings. Additional farm buildings of varying ages are present on the site, including a large barn to the south-east with exposed king post trusses, likely dating from the mid-19th century.