50 Annaghmare Road Crossmaglen BT35 9BG

An enclosed vernacular farmyard complex containing a three-bay two-storey vernacular dwelling of hearth-lobby entry type, which though no longer in use, retains its historic farmyard setting and distinctive rural character.

The principal dwelling is accessed through a narrow gateway providing access to the courtyard complex, which is itself reached via a long winding laneway from Lough Road. The house is positioned on an eminence commanding views over the surrounding countryside. The complex comprises the main dwelling with attendant outbuildings arranged in an L-shape to the north and a further outbuilding to the northwest, all forming an enclosed farmyard approached by laneway.

The main dwelling is a two-storey, three-bay structure with pitched natural slate roof, flush verges, and terracotta ridge tiles with brick-built chimneys to the gables and a third chimney centrally located on the ridge line. The north elevation features a pitched natural slate roof over a projecting entrance porch with terracotta ridge tiles and remnants of painted timber bargeboard to the gabled entrance. The walls are lime-rendered local rubblestone with no evidence of rainwater goods. Vertically aligned pairs of square-headed window openings flank the porch, with painted stone sills. Windows are six-over-six single-glazed timber sliding sash with exposed box sashes. The porch entrance door has a timber frame with painted stone head and vertical timber sheeting.

The south elevation of the principal dwelling is partially rendered, retaining one square-headed window opening at first-floor level, with remains of a six-over-six sliding sash timber window frame to the right-hand side of the central chimney. Immediately beneath is the remains of a square-headed window opening infilled with concrete blockwork. The west gable elevation has remains of a two-over-two sliding sash window to the left at first-floor level. The east gable elevation is blank.

Outbuilding 1, to the left-hand side facing north, is a three-bay low single-storey construction with pitched corrugated tin cladding to the roof and concrete dash-rendered walls. Two vertically sheeted doors occupy the right-hand side, with a large garage-sized opening to the left. Outbuilding 2, directly opposite, is also a three-bay low single-storey construction. The right-hand side has a higher pitched corrugated tin roof with raised concrete verges and is open-fronted. The left portion is recessed with a lower pitch and two vertically sheeted painted timber doors. Concrete dash-rendered walls face the front, whilst the rear east elevation has a centrally located door opening with exposed rubblestone walling. Rubblestone remnants of a building to the north, oriented perpendicular to the main structure, define and enclose the gated access into the concrete forecourt.

The dwelling was built together with outbuildings to the front circa 1885, between the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1861 and the third edition of 1906–7. However, an original dwelling house on the site pre-dated the first edition of 1834–5, and an outbuilding to the north of the current dwelling appears to occupy part of the footprint of the earlier dwelling. This may be a rebuild, though it is possible the structure contains some fabric of the earlier house. The first and second editions show only the earlier dwelling, whilst the third edition (1906–7) shows the farmyard as it appears today. The earlier dwelling house and outbuildings are listed in Griffith's Valuation of 1862 as the residence of Patrick Quinn (senior), leased from local landlord Thomas P Ball and valued at 15 shillings.

Although the two-storey dwelling house and additional outbuildings were added circa 1885, there is no change in the valuation through the period of Annual Revisions from 1864 to 1929. John Quinn senior was resident at the time of the 1901 census, a 54-year-old farmer living with his wife, two unmarried sisters, and three adult children. The building return records the house as slated with four rooms, whilst the outbuildings comprised a stable, coach house, cow house, calf house, fowl house, and barn. At the time of the First General Revaluation of 1934, the house had passed to John Quinn's son Patrick, who was the outright owner under the Land Acts. The accommodation consisted of a kitchen and reception room downstairs, with two bedrooms upstairs. The house was noted to be in medium repair with dimensions recorded as 32 by 17½ feet. The Quinn family remained resident throughout the period of valuation records until at least 1957.

Large-scale maps of 1907, 1956, and 1984 show that the farmyard remains largely as it was in 1907, though two of the outbuildings on the northern side of the farmyard have become ruinous and roofless since 1956–1984.

The complex represents a good example of a relatively untouched vernacular complex with a distinct and well-proportioned principal dwelling and attendant outbuildings, providing insight into the way of life of farmers with small holdings in earlier times and the distinctive vernacular house types and farmyard layouts characteristic of rural Armagh.