Ashville, 49 Killyleagh Road, Carrigullian, Killinchy, Co Down, BT23 6TD

Ashville is a fine, compact and sturdy-looking two-storey gentleman's residence of approximately 1845, located on the south-west side of Killyleagh Road, roughly one mile south-west of Killinchy village in County Down. The building is set within its own grounds and is a Grade B1 listed building.

The house displays the character of mid-19th-century residential architecture, with a hipped roof, rusticated render to the lower sections, and a prominent entrance portico as its principal features. The north-east front facade is dominated by a central entrance portico with twin square columns supporting a simple entablature with cornice and shallow pitched pediment above. The portico encloses a panelled door with three-pane fanlight and two-pane sidelights. Narrow multi-paned windows flank the outer columns on either side. To the left of the entrance are two sash windows with Georgian panes and simple moulded surrounds, with two similar windows to the right. The first floor contains five comparable windows, the centre of which sits within a slightly projecting bay, all set on a cill course. The lower section of the front facade is finished in rusticated render with simple pilasters serving as quoins and a tall chamfered plinth. The portico retains a Tyrolean finish which does not diminish its overall impact.

The north-west and south-east facades have similar rusticated render to the front, each with two windows per floor in matching style. The rear facade is notably different in character, featuring a large full-height projecting stairwell section with a flat roof and single-storey lean-to sections on either side. The south-west facade of the stairwell section has a timber-sheeted door on the ground floor with a sash window featuring Georgian panes to the right. At landing level is a large sash window with segmental arch head, Georgian panes and margins, flanked by two small sash windows with Georgian panes. The single-storey lean-to sections each have a sash window to their south-west facades, while the rear of the main house has a further matching window. The rear is finished in plain render with Tyrolean finish applied to the projections, with no surrounds to the windows. The hipped roof is covered in Bangor blue slates with shallow parapet and features two central rendered chimney stacks with corbelling set side-on.

The house is largely intact both internally and externally. To the rear of the main building is an extensive collection of original rubble-built outbuildings surrounding a farm yard, forming an important part of the listing. At the main road are two separate curved gate screens with square gate piers that add considerably to the property's architectural importance.

Ashville was built by Reverend David Anderson, who became minister of Killinchy Presbyterian Church in December 1835. The exact date of construction is uncertain, ranging between approximately 1835 and 1859, though the style of the windows suggests it may have been constructed closer to 1840-1845. The land was leased from Lord Dufferin to the family of Anderson's wife, a Miss Harper of Killyleagh. Following Anderson's death in 1871, Ashville passed to his nephew, Dr. Dickson, who sold it to the grandmother of the present owner in 1905. In 1914, the house was rented to Captain Hamilton, who drilled Ulster Volunteer Force members in the rear yard and stored arms in the outbuildings. Captain Hamilton and many of the volunteers subsequently served in the First World War, and Captain Hamilton did not return. His wife remained in the house until the war ended.

The listing encompasses the house, outbuildings, two gate screens and gate piers.