156 Ballygowan Road, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 3QS

156 Ballygowan Road, Banbridge, is a symmetrical three-bay two-storey detached farmhouse dating to the early nineteenth century, predating 1834. Located south of Ballygowan Road on the outskirts of Loughbrickland, it represents a good example of Georgian farmhouse architecture, though much historic fabric and detailing survives alongside changes that detract from its original character. No original outbuildings remain.

The house is L-shaped in plan with a two-storey rear return incorporating a modern conservatory in the re-entrant angle and a single-storey flat-roof extension to the southwest. The pitched natural slate roof features blue and black angled ridge tiles, masonry verges, and rendered chimneystacks with terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods are mounted on drive-in brackets.

The external walls are pebble-dashed with cement-rendered quoins and plinth. The principal northeast elevation, facing the road, is three openings wide to each floor. Windows throughout are timber sliding sashes: 3/6 to the first floor and 6/6 to the ground floor, set in rendered reveals with slightly projecting sills. The ground floor centrepiece is a six-panel raised-and-fielded entrance door with a square-headed overlight, accessed by two bull-nosed stone steps and fronted by a modern stone portico dating to around 1990. The southeast gable is blank. The southwest rear elevation contains 6/6 windows at first floor to the right and left of the two-storey return. This return has a gable with chimney stack at its apex and features a modern natural slate roofed curved sunroom with fully glazed multi-pane walls on a low plinth incorporating a glazed door to the southwest. The return's left cheek has two casement windows at first floor and one at ground floor, while the right cheek displays a large multi-pane timber casement window at first floor and two narrow casements to its right. A modern bay window occupies the right cheek at ground floor, where a flat-roof extension with a modern timber half-door opens to the southwest. The northwest gable is blank.

According to the Townland Valuation of 1828–40, the house and offices were valued at £10 6 shillings, with the occupier listed as Andrew McClelland. The record notes dimensions for the two-storey house and return as well as three single-storey outbuildings, one identified as a stable. The house was described as being in a good situation. By Griffith's Valuation (1856–64), the occupier was James McClelland, who had recently died, leaving the property in the hands of his representatives. Shortly afterwards, the house, offices, and over 37 acres passed to James McClelland (junior). The buildings were revalued at £10 10 shillings. The property remained in McClelland family hands until the death of James in 1930, likely passing between father and son of the same name. The 1901 census shows the farm operated by James McClelland, with his brother Andrew, a grain merchant, also resident along with domestic and farm servants. The 1911 census records no change in these arrangements. Following James's death in 1930, his brother Andrew took over; after Andrew's death the farm passed to Thomas Mathers in 1937 and Isaac Mathers in 1938.

The First General Revaluation of the 1930s reassessed the house at £8 10 shillings with agricultural buildings at £3 10 shillings, describing the farmhouse as being in medium condition with poor finish. By this period, outbuildings had been extended largely using temporary materials such as corrugated iron, and additions to the house itself were constructed from concrete block and asbestos tile. The accommodation at this time comprised four bedrooms, two reception rooms, a kitchen, pantry, and scullery.

The building occupies a large elevated site south of Ballygowan Road, bounded to the north by mature trees and a timber fence. A large farmyard with modern agricultural buildings stands to the northwest, accessed via modern timber-sheeted gates mounted on roughcast gate piers with pointed caps. Garages stand to the southwest. The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834 shows the house uncaptioned and rectangular in plan with a small return, with farm outbuildings forming a yard to the rear and a field edged with coniferous trees to the front. By the third edition of 1903, the rear return had been extended and further additions made to the farm outbuildings. The farm has expanded considerably westwards in recent times. The property lies in a rural setting that has increasingly experienced encroachment from communications infrastructure and suburban growth from Banbridge, though it retains an agricultural character.