Holly Park, 37 Holly Park Road, Ballymacreelly, Killinchy, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 6SN

Holly Park is a large two storey gentleman's residence of probable mid 18th century origin, set overlooking a slight rise within its own grounds to the west of Holly Park Road, roughly one mile south-west of the village of Killinchy.

The front south facade is distinguished by a central projecting full height bay with a vaguely Scottish character, featuring a hipped roof with chamfered edges giving a canted appearance. The entrance is located on the east face of this bay, consisting of a panelled door with a semicircular 'spider's web' fanlight, enclosed by plain sandstone pilasters and archivolt with keystone, approached by four stone steps. The south face of the projecting bay has double sash windows with Georgian panes to both ground and first floors. To the ground floor on the west face of the bay is a narrow sash window without glazing bars. On either side of the bay on the main front facade are two sash windows to ground and first floor with Georgian panes, the upper floor windows being slightly smaller.

The main west gable is blank. The east gable contains a sash window matching the front to the left on both ground and first floors, with two small PVC windows at basement level. This gable merges with a rear two storey lean-to section, with the rear roof merging into the lean-to roof. The east facade of this lean-to has a first floor sash window. The north (rear) facade of the lean-to has two modern four pane windows to the first floor designed to resemble sash windows, with a narrow sash window to the ground floor. To the immediate right of these windows is a large two storey gabled return. The east facade of this return has a sash window to the first floor and a four pane window to the right on the first floor, with a tiny fixed light window to the far left on the first floor following the roof line of the main house where it intersects with the return. The gable of the return is blank. The west facade of the return has three sash windows to the first floor, with French doors to the left on the ground floor and a broad sash window to the right. To the right of this is a small single storey lean-to section attached to the rear of the main house, with a timber sheeted door to the north face and a six light window to the west face, plus a Velux window to its roof.

The entire facade is finished in lined render and painted. The main roofs are gabled and covered in Bangor blue slates. Two rendered gable chimney stacks rise from the main house and two more from the return roof, with metal rainwater goods. A narrow chimney breast rises at the rear left to a narrow stack. Tall early Victorian octagonal chimney pots are a notable feature. Single storey outbuildings to the rear have been partly converted to a 'den'. A dry closet stands a short distance to the north of the house.

Holly Park House appears to have been built by the Traill family, though the exact date of construction is uncertain. Reverend Hamilton Traill, rector of Killinchy parish church between 1757 and 1788 (and builder of Rockmount in Killinchy), is said to have been 'of Holly Park', suggesting construction in the mid 18th century. The house does not appear on Taylor's and Skinner's 1777 road map of the area, though Rockmount is marked, but this should not be taken as conclusive evidence. On the 1834 and 1859 Ordnance Survey maps the house is shown much as today, though the front bay is not clearly indicated on these maps, despite there being no physical evidence to suggest it was a later addition. Valuation returns from circa 1835 note that the property, then in the hands of Reverend Archibald Traill, consisted of 'dwelling, cellar as store, carhouse, offices at a distance, barn store and stables', with 'additions' also noted, which in the terminology of the valuation can be taken to refer to the return and possibly the front bay. By the second valuation of 1861 the property had passed out of the Traill family or into relatives' hands, being noted as in the possession of Hamilton T. Johnston. Johnston is mentioned in leases within the Lowry Family Papers at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland dating from 1865 as being 'of Holly Park', though William Chambers is also mentioned in the same documents as being 'of Holly Park'. Johnston died prior to 1875 and by 1886 the house was home to Reverend D.R. Moore. Local tradition suggests that one of the Traills, a local magistrate, used the cellars to hold prisoners in transit from Belfast to Downpatrick gaol, possibly after the 1798 Rising.