Slaughter House, SE of 35 Main Street, Bessbrook, Co.Armagh, BT35 7DJ

Southwest facing, asymmetrically fronted, two bay, single storey outbuilding, constructed between 1861 (2nd edition OS map) and 1895 (large-scale OS map) on lands that formed part of the “model village”, Bessbrook, founded and owned by John G Richardson. Pitched natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles having flush verge and flush mounted wooden soffit board, affixed to which is metal half round gutter with no evidence of down pipes. Lime washed rubble stone walls with large window aperture to left hand side, defined with lime washed brick quoins to sides, soldier course to top and having stone cill. Aperture sheeted with vertical corrugated sheet fronted with vertical grills, painted black. To right hand side full height arched opening with horizontal, painted “I” beam at base of arch and below which are hung a pair of hinged, vertically sheeted painted timber doors. Arch contains open fanlight style painted wrought iron ensemble recessed to align with doors below. Outer corners of front elevation defined with intermittent sections of limewashed brick quoins, interspersed with rubble cornerstones. No evidence of defined plinth base to wall. Rear elevation consists of roof as described above with limewashed blank rubblestone wall and flush bleached timber soffit. No evidence of rainwater goods. Both gables having flush verges, limewashed rubble walls with each having single high level open ventilation slit near apex of roof, defined with flush stone heads and cill and with evidence of limewashed brick quoins to either side of opening. Setting: Having a plain but distinctive style, the slaughterhouse is positioned northwest of the Bessbrook River, in an isolated mature site within a network of fields, interspersed with stands of trees. Its remote location, devoid of both vehicular or pedestrian access, helps define and enhance the appeal of its rural agrarian setting. External Finishes Roofing: Natural slate, Walling: Limewashed rubble stone Windows: Painted timber sheet doors and frame, wrought iron grilles RWG: Metal, half round guttering to front elevation only. No downpipes.