4 The Vennel, Glenarm, Ballymena, Co Antrim, BT44 0AN

4 The Vennel is a very small, plain two-storey stuccoed terrace house of late 19th century construction, situated on the north side of The Vennel close to its western end. The building has been significantly altered in modern times, with contemporary window frames throughout and substantially modified interior spaces.

The front elevation, which faces roughly south, is asymmetrical in arrangement. A panelled timber door with rectangular fanlight containing recent patterned glazing is positioned to the right of the ground floor, with a modern-framed window to its left. The first floor contains two further windows with modern frames. The rear elevation mirrors the front treatment. A small lean-to structure extends from the left side of the ground floor, featuring a glazed door to its west face, with a modern-framed window to the right of the lean-to and two similar windows on the first floor above. The entire front and rear façades are finished in painted render.

The property is roofed in slate with a gabled profile. A polychrome brick chimneystack stands to the west, with a more recent brick example to the east. The rainwater goods comprise a mixture of cast iron and PVC.

The Vennel was historically known as the main road from Larne and the south to Glenarm prior to the construction of the Coast Road in the 1830s. Its name derives from an archaic Scots term meaning a narrow winding lane, and early leases from 1743 onwards referred to it as the 'Stinking Vennel', reflecting its unattractive status and reputation. John O'Hara's map of 1779 shows densely packed small dwellings along both sides of much of the street. During the following 150 years, most of this housing was replaced. The 1859 valuation map indicates a house stood on this site, though its recorded plan appears larger than the present structure. Photographic and map evidence confirms the present house was in place by around 1903, suggesting it likely dates from the latter decades of the 19th century, consistent with the pattern of rebuilding visible on the north side of The Vennel during this period.