The Rock, 10 Realtons Road, Trillick, Omagh, BT78 3SB

The Rock is a detached, symmetrical two-storey, two-bay farmhouse built in the early twentieth century, located on the north side of Realtons Road, Trillick. The house is simply detailed and neatly proportioned, representing the introduction of more formal elements of design to otherwise modest rural dwellings. Though of a relatively late date, it is executed in an older style and retains much of interest, including its original layout and detailing that reflect an earlier house. It remains in occupation and is an uncommon survival in its original setting, accompanied by various traditionally constructed outbuildings.

The rectangular-plan house faces south with a central single-storey entrance porch on both north and south elevations. It is abutted at the east by a series of single-storey random rubble outbuildings, and an early nineteenth-century house at the east is adjoined to the main house by a random rubble extension. The roof is pitched natural slate with blue and black clay ridge tiles and two red brick corbelled chimneys. Timber bargeboards are supported on corbelled brackets. Original half-round cast-iron rainwater goods are retained. Walls are ruled-and-lined rendered. Windows are 1/1 timber sliding sashes with projecting stone cills.

The principal elevation faces south and is abutted at its centre by the single-storey entrance porch with pitched roof, flanked by a window on each side at each floor. The porch's south gable contains a vertically sheeted timber door with transom light over, accessed by three masonry steps, with blank cheeks to left and right. The left (west) gable contains a single first-floor window. The rear (north) elevation is abutted off-centre at left by a single-storey porch with flat roof. The exposed section at left contains two windows, with a single window at right and two windows at first floor. The right (east) elevation is abutted by the series of single-storey random rubble outbuildings with pitched metal-sheeted roofs; the exposed section is blank.

The house is accessed by a lane from the south. Metal-sheeted outbuildings stand to the east and east of the lane. Attached outbuildings at the east are traditionally constructed with random rubble walling and bed outshot to the south, metal-sheeted roofs, stone verges, and rubble chimney stacks. A three-bay outbuilding at the east may have been the original dwelling on the site, dating from the early nineteenth century, and is now adjoined to the main house by a random rubble extension. A further two-storey random rubble outbuilding to the east is now largely ruined.

Buildings are shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833. The present house appears to have been constructed on the site of a previous dwelling, though it is difficult to date from field inspection. Outbuildings to the north-east of the current house appear to have survived from at least 1833. An outbuilding to the west appears for the first time on the second edition map. The buildings are not recorded in the Townland Valuation of 1828 to 1840. Griffith's Valuation of 1856 to 1864 shows a further dwelling adjoining the current house on the east side which appears to have survived and is now an outbuilding. Both houses are valued at £1 and are leased from John Grey Porter. The house to the east is occupied by the Doyle family throughout the period of Annual Revisions from 1864 to 1929 and they become owners in fee around 1880. The house to the west is initially occupied by Charles Patterson. Robert Armstrong becomes the occupier after 1880 (undated change) and the valuation is increased to £1 2 shillings (undated change). This may mark the rebuilding of the property, though it is not a particularly large increase in value. In 1933 the house sited to the west is occupied by Charles Armstrong, who is the owner in fee and is valued at £2 10 shillings. This increase in value could indicate rebuilding or remodelling. The current owner advises that the house was rebuilt in the early twentieth century, though the detailing appears to contradict this view and relates more to the undated change noted above, while the further increase in valuation in 1933 supports the owner's view. It is possible that materials and elements, such as fireplaces, were reused.