114-116 Comber Road, Toy, Rathcunningham (Td.), Killyleagh, Co. Down, BT30 9PG

114-116 Comber Road, Toy, Rathcunningham, Killyleagh

A long single storey vernacular building of pre-1834 origin containing two dwellings and a former forge, situated in the small hamlet of Toye on the west side of Comber Road at its junction with Clay Road, approximately 2 miles north of Killyleagh.

No. 114, at the south end, is a former post office greatly extended at the rear around 1996-97. Its front eastern façade is finished in rough cast with smooth render surrounds to openings. The façade now has a timber sheeted door at the far right and two pairs of windows with PVC frames to its left; these are recent insertions, as the original section originally contained only two very small windows. A built-in King George VI post box sits between the door and the window immediately to its left. The south gable is blank. The rear, now functioning as the de facto front, has received a large single storey extension with a part hipped, part gabled roof, PVC windows of various sizes, and a gabled entrance porch. The original section has a roof covered in natural slate with two rendered chimneys. The extension has one rendered chimney. Cast iron and PVC rainwater goods serve both sections.

No. 116, much longer than its neighbour, incorporates the former forge, now used as a store room. The front façade is finished in rough cast with smooth render surrounds to most openings. To the left of centre is a sheeted door, with sash windows with horizontal glazing bars to its left and right. Further right is a small six-pane fixed light window and immediately to its right is a large timber sheeted double door. The north gable, blank and positioned at a Y junction, has a chamfered west corner as a consequence. At the rear is a single storey gabled return, with sash windows on its south and north faces. To the right of this return is a flat roofed extension with two squat modern windows flanking a recent partly glazed door. The gabled roof is covered in natural slate except for the very north end of the rear section, which has asbestos slates. A rendered chimney stack stands north of centre, with two small cast iron skylights on the north side of the rear roof. Cast iron and PVC rainwater goods serve the property.

A building is recorded on this site on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map, likely corresponding to what survives today. The building was not of sufficient value to appear in the valuation of circa 1837, but appears in that of 1861 under the names Hamil McQuiney and William Woodrow as occupants, with a John Anderson working the forge. At that time all properties in the row were leased from James Moore and the Misses Moore. Local tradition holds that the Moore family was responsible for constructing the block originally. No. 114 served as a post office until 1996, while the forge continued operating until at least the 1950s.