House to north of Magherabrack Road, Plumbridge BT79 8EP

Detached three-bay two-storey house over basement, built around 1820, located on the north side of Magherabrack Road, Plumbridge. The building once displayed fine Georgian proportions but has since lost most of its essential character through extensive alterations and decay.

The house is rectangular on plan with a return to the south. Walls are lime rendered over rubble construction with red brick dressings. The roof is hipped corrugated metal. All original windows have been removed from the building.

The principal elevation faces north and consists of an opening to each bay at each floor, centred around a large square-headed entrance opening supported by a timber lintel with segmental-arched voussoirs. Access is via stone steps, now overgrown and derelict. The east elevation contains a single window opening at ground floor with a camber-headed opening with bars to the basement, and a single window to each upper floor surmounted by a round-arched opening to the attic. The south elevation, partially collapsed, contains two window openings to each floor where exposed. The west elevation contains a single window to each floor with two windows to the basement.

Attached to the south are rubble outbuildings. A lower rubble outbuilding, with collapsed roof, is further abutted by a one-and-a-half-storey stable block. The stable block has a pitched natural slate roof and lime-rendered rubble walls with red brick dressings. Window openings are segmental-arched-headed, with some timber frames remaining. Remains of a rubble boundary wall lie to the east. The house is set within mature grounds, now overgrown.

Historical records show the building was originally known as Glebe House on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1832, becoming "Glenelly Glebe House" by 1853 and "Glenelly Rectory" by 1905-06. It served as the rectory for the parish of Badoney Upper. According to Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of 1837, the glebe house was described as "a handsome residence, built in 1821 by aid of a loan of £225 from the late Board of First Fruits."

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) lists the property as a house and offices occupied by Reverend W. Conan, initially valued at £24 19 shillings, then reduced to £20. Griffith's Valuation (1856-64) records Reverend Thomas Stack as the occupier, leasing the house from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, valued at £18 10 shillings, later reduced to £18. Subsequent occupants included various clergy: Reverend Edward M. Clarke (1860), Reverend J. Houston (1878), Reverend Thom Reddy (1868), Reverend George Joseph Lovett (1876), Reverend Thomas Clarke Houston (1879), and Reverend Charles Monteith (1886). By 1860 the valuation had risen to £25, reduced to £22 in 1880 when the offices were noted as down. In 1912 the valuation fell to £14 and the house was recorded as vacant. Valuers' notes recorded an application for reduction and noted that "This house was the old Rectory. Vestry are now trying to sell house and land. Two auctions have been held but not yet sold." The valuers' plan recorded a half basement. From 1914, John McFarland became the leaseholder, with Bernard Carolan leasing from McFarland after 1933. By this time the house had been deleted from the valuation list and was valued as outbuildings at £3.

The building has been recorded as derelict. As most of the original windows, internal structure, and roof fabric have been removed, the house does not meet the criteria for listing.