104 Carrickmannon Road, Carrickmannan, Ballygowan, Co. Down, BT23 6JJ

This is a substantial, one and a half-storey gabled house of likely pre-1834 origin, possibly built around 1807 as the residence for the sexton of the nearby Carrickmannan Roman Catholic church. The property is situated on a slope to the east of Carrickmannon Road, approximately two miles south of Ballygowan. It has been abandoned in recent times and most of the openings have been blocked.

The western facade, originally the front of the house, has all its openings blocked. When surveyed in 1973, it featured five sash windows with Georgian panes and a doorway located between the third and fourth windows. Each gable has two windows; these openings appear to have been slightly enlarged and now have modern frames. All rear openings, including one set near the eaves, have also been blocked. A relatively large, single-story lean-to projection extends from the rear on the left side. The facade is covered in lined render. The roof is covered with Bangor blue slates and topped by three brick chimney stacks (formerly rendered) that lack pots. A small cast iron skylight is present at the rear, along with cast iron and aluminium rainwater goods. A long, gabled outbuilding is located to the north of the house. The Carrickmannan church is situated to the north of the main house.

A building is depicted on Ordnance Survey maps of 1834 and 1858, likely corresponding to the present house. Its proximity to Carrickmannan Roman Catholic church suggests a possible connection, with the house perhaps serving as the sexton’s residence, a function it reportedly served in recent years. Around 1863, the house was occupied by Arthur McGrady, who leased it from Lord Dufferin, whose ancestor had granted the land for the church’s construction in 1807. The property was abandoned sometime after 1973.