The Howe, 16 Howe Road, Ballykeel, Dromore, County Down, BT25 1ET

The Howe is a two-storey house with a partial basement, pre-dating 1830, situated north of Howe Road in Ballykeel. It is constructed of roughcast-rendered rubble stone and forms part of a farm complex.

The main house is rectangular on plan with three asymmetrical bays. It has a pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and four replacement brick chimneys. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods serve the building. A projecting porch with smooth render projects from the front elevation, and a single-storey return extends to the rear under a catslide roof.

The southeast-facing principal elevation displays asymmetrical fenestration. To the right of centre stands a double-height projecting porch with windows to each cheek, a double-leaf timber panelled entrance door, and a 6/3 window above. The right section has a single ground-floor window, while the left section contains three first-floor windows and two ground-floor windows. The southwest elevation has a single first-floor window.

Windows throughout are primarily 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash with horns and exposed sash boxes at ground floor; first-floor windows are 6/3. All windows are recessed in stone surrounds with sills.

The northwest (rear) elevation has asymmetrical fenestration reflecting the sloping ground. A timber-sheeted door at ground level provides access to the partial basement, surmounted by a 6/6 window. A six-panelled door with a diminutive 2/2 window above stands to the right of centre at first floor. An 8/8 window at ground floor and offset 2/2 window at first floor sit to centre. A cement-rendered return under a slated catslide roof extends to the far left, with a timber-sheeted door to its centre; this section features a modern steel-framed window. A further window exists at ground and first-floor levels to the right.

The site contains galleted rubble stone outbuildings arranged in a U-shape to the rear. A stable block to the southwest has brick dressings to all openings, with segmental-headed carriage entrances at far left and right. Windows are timber-framed replacements with timber half-doors to these entrances. The rear elevation has a series of diminutive openings. A two-storey agricultural office to the north has three 3/3 timber-framed windows to the first floor, a stable door to the left, and a timber door to the right. Its north gable is abutted by a concrete block square tower set at a higher level, with two timber doors. The rear elevation of this block has two diminutive first-floor openings and a large timber-sheeted door to the far right. A single-storey block to the northeast has three timber doors; the far left has a segmental-headed opening with timber door leading to agricultural land beyond. Its south gable has three large window openings, and the north gable has a timber door to ground and attic levels.

The house sits on a large rural site accessed via a lane north of Howe Road. The outbuildings surround a central yard. More modern agricultural sheds stand further north. A small overgrown front garden is enclosed by roughcast-rendered walls with central squared gate piers capped with pointed masonry and a decorative cast-iron latch gate. The eastern boundary is marked by a low rubble stone wall with grass verge and mature trees.