Aghanloo House, Glebe, Aghanloo, Limavady, Co Londonderry, BT49 OHX

Aghanloo House is a pre-1830 building of Grade B1 interest, comprising a two-storey three-bay house in the Georgian manner with a double pile back return. The building survives in reasonably unaltered form, and is particularly interesting for the way an earlier alteration integrated a standard glebe-type extension with an existing double pile hunting lodge, with the junction well disguised through the strategic placement of bedroom fireplaces to create the standard pair of ridge chimneys.

The main south-west elevation features three equally spaced twelve-pane sash windows at first-floor level. At ground floor, two larger twelve-pane sashes with shallow arched heads flank a central flat-roofed porch, which itself contains an aligning window with a more pronounced arch and Victorian mullion spacing. A stone cornice runs to the head of the porch with no other decoration. The door, which is panelled, is set in a simple recess on the north-west side. The walls are finished in painted harling on brick, though this is breaking off around one window. Windows are set in sandstone cills. The roof is of large slate with two chimneys on the ridge. Rainwater goods are of PVC.

The north-west gable contains two windows, one to ground floor and one to first floor, of similar character to those on the front elevation. An attic window is side-hung casement type. The lower return at the back features two square-head nine-pane sash windows on each floor. A lean-to structure extends across the back, with brick piers defining a courtyard.

The north-east elevation reveals the double pile arrangement of the return. At first floor a small six-pane sash aligns with the valley gutter, flanked by two nine-pane sashes that sit slightly out of line with the ridges above. The ground floor is partially covered by a lean-to containing two square four-pane sashes and a simple door set in the south-east gable. The remains of a pump are built into the wall outside this door. The south-east elevation mirrors the north-west.

Internally, the house is intact as described. The setting is enhanced by a group of mature trees, and the building sits on rising ground above Aghanloo Church of Ireland Church. The approach avenue is split by a brick gate house into two roads, one leading to the front and one to the courtyards. The concrete courtyard is surrounded by farm buildings, some constructed in basalt with brick trim, though these are in poor condition. A two-storey building that formerly served as servants' quarters remains on the site.

The return element is the earliest part of the house, built by the Beresfords as a hunting lodge circa 1750. The main extension was added in 1789 following the transfer of the property to the Church as a rectory. By deed dated 17 April 1787 between the Bishop, the rector, and the 2nd Earl of Tyrone (G. Beresford), glebe lands were exchanged. According to the owner, the former rectory, located on the mountain behind, subsequently became the Beresfords' hunting lodge and now survives as an overgrown ruin.

The building remained in use as a rectory until 1880, when it was sold to Mr McLaughlin, a builders' merchant credited with building the chimney of Coleraine Distillery. He subsequently sold it to Mr Daniels in the 1890s, who rented the building to three sisters named Forsyth, who operated a small school there until the First World War. The Young family of Culdaff House purchased the house in 1915 and have retained ownership.