45 Backaderry Road, Leitrim, Castlewellan, Co Down, BT31 9SS

45 Backaderry Road is a detached asymmetrical three-bay two-storey rendered house built around 1800, located on the south side of Backaderry Road at a lower level than the road itself. The house is rectangular on plan and faces north, with a single-bay single-storey extension abutting the west gable, built around 1930.

The roof is pitched artificial slate with black clay ridge tiles and cement verges. Three rendered chimneystacks rise from the roof, but there are no rainwater goods. The main walling is ruled-and-lined cement render with rusticated rendered quoins to the front elevation, while the rear and side elevations are rough-cast cement rendered.

Windows are square-headed with concrete sills. The house retains largely original timber sash windows with exposed sash boxes: 6/3 lights to the first floor and 6/6 lights to the ground floor on the front elevation. The rear elevation has a single 2/2 timber sash window to the first floor, a 2/2 timber sash window to the left bay of the ground floor, and a replacement timber casement window to the right bay. The front north elevation is three windows wide and asymmetrically placed, with an off-centre square-headed door opening onto granite flagstones. The east side elevation is blank gabled with a chimney rising from the apex. The west side elevation is gabled and has a chimney to the apex.

The single-storey extension to the west has an artificial slate roof to the front elevation and a concrete tile roof to the rear elevation.

The house sits within enclosed front and rear gardens bounded by dry-stone walls. Access is via a winding bitumac lane enclosed by stone-faced walls. A wrought-iron field gate supported on large circular and rough-hewn stone piers opens into the front lawn with a gravel footpath.

The house pre-dates the first Ordnance Survey map of 1834, which shows a group of rectangular structures, one corresponding to the present dwelling. An extension is visible on the second edition map of 1859, appearing to correspond to an attached outbuilding. The property is not listed in the Townland Valuation of 1828–40 but appears in Griffith's Valuation of 1856–64 under tenant Patrick Campbell, who paid rent of 18 shillings to landlord Earl Annesley. The farmhouse, situated on over 5 acres, was valued at 15 shillings. In 1884 James Burns took over the house, followed by Thomas Burns in 1893. The 1901 census records Thomas Burns living in the two-room house with his wife and six daughters aged between three months and twelve. By 1911, two more daughters and a son had been born, though two children of the eleven had not survived. Margaret Burns took over in 1913. Valuation records of the 1930s show the accommodation comprised a room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. The dwelling remains in domestic use. Although much historic fabric survives, it is not one of the best examples of this house type.