Site of former 19 Hilltown Road, Aghacullion, Newcastle, Co Down

The site represents the location of a former one and a half-story, mildly picturesque Victorian house, likely dating from between 1840 and 1859. It was probably built as a residence for a steward of the Roden estate. The house was demolished around 1985.

The site is located off a farm lane north of Hilltown Road, west of Byransford village. A photograph of the building shows a planned, mildly picturesque appearance, characterized by a steeply pitched roof with overhangs and a projecting full-height gable on the front façade. The windows were largely sash windows, and a tall central chimney stack was topped with four diamond-shaped pots. The façade was finished in a rough cast, with evidence of ‘eyebrow’ moulding above the windows of the bay, although this had been removed when the photograph was taken. The design, especially the projecting front gable, is similar to other existing dwellings in the area, believed to have been built as houses for stewards of the Roden estate. A modern-style replacement dwelling now stands close to the site.

Although buildings are shown on Ordnance Survey maps of 1834 and 1859 on this general site, none precisely match the layout of the house that stood there until its demolition. Following years of dereliction, the house was demolished around 1985. Records referenced include Ordnance Survey maps from 1859 and Griffith’s Valuation records from 1863.