Former lock keeper's house, Gortnacarrow, Newtownbutler, BT92 8GW

This is a one-storey, three-bay former lock keeper’s house situated on the route of the Ulster Canal, which no longer exists in this area. The house was constructed between 1820 and 1839, likely later in the 1820s or 1830s, as this particular section of the canal is not shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map. The Ulster Canal itself ran between Charlemont in County Armagh and Wattle Bridge in County Fermanagh, built between 1825 and 1842 with William Cubitt as consulting engineer and William Dargan as principal contractor. The canal closed in 1931.

The house is aligned north-west to south-east, with a canted bay projecting to the south-west façade, which would have faced the canal. The roof is now artificial slate, with boxed eaves and plastic ogee gutters. A modern brick chimney rises from the ridge of the projecting bay. The walls are constructed of squared limestone rubble, laid irregularly over a chamfered base course, with stepped, finely-dressed quoins. The stonework is covered with a thin cement wash. All window openings contain modern, top-hung timber casements with single panes of glass and concrete cills.

The principal, south-west-facing elevation is symmetrical, featuring a hipped projecting central bay. This bay has windows on each of its three front faces, and a modern six-panel timber door on its right side. A window is present on each side of the central bay. The left gable is blank. A central heating flue is visible rising to just below the eaves on the right-hand side. The north-east-facing rear elevation is abutted on the left and centre by a modern, one-storey kitchen addition with a flat roof and pebbledash finish. The right-hand bay of the original block is exposed and contains a window; the pebbledash from the extension continues onto this face. The right gable is blank. Originally the roof was natural slate, with bracketed eaves, and the windows were 2/4 sliding sashes (paired in the projecting bay) with stone cills.