40 Killowen Road, Killowen, Rostrevor, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4AF

This vernacular farmhouse, prominently situated beside the main Newry-Kilkeel road, is an important survivor of its type, although it is currently in poor condition. The house dates to around the mid-19th century, first appearing on the 1859 Ordnance Survey map, and its dimensions (11 yards by 7 yards, with two storeys) match those recorded in the 1861 Valuation. It was later used for a time as a post office.

The two-storey, three-bay house is positioned on the north side of Killowen Road. It has a pitched natural slate roof, with the upper half of the rear pitch using artificial slates, terracotta ridge tiles, and verges. Semicircular metal rainwater goods are present. Two coped, painted, cement-rendered chimneys are visible, one on each gable. The principal, south-facing elevation is constructed of Silurian rubble brought to courses, with granite quoins, lintels, and window surrounds. A deep cement basecourse and a cement path run around the house. The main entrance, slightly left of centre, features a four-panelled, painted timber door with a narrow, plain transom above. A granite threshold step and narrow, smooth, cement-rendered architrave complete the entrance. Flanking the door are two 6/6 sliding sash windows, without horns. All ground floor windows have granite cills and cement-rendered architraves. Three 6/6 windows are located on the first floor, aligned with the ground floor openings. A course of red bricks is situated directly below the cill of the central first-floor window. The left and right gables are wet-dashed and blank. The rear elevation is finished with wet-dashed render. A t+g painted timber door is located on the first floor, slightly right of centre, with a render surround, and leads down twelve steps to the right; the bottom nine steps are granite, whilst the top three are rendered and painted. The side of the steps is clad in wet-dashed and painted render. The ground floor rear elevation originally contained three openings, now rendered over, although they remain visible from the interior. One window opening is present in the rear left bay and one door opening with a window opening is on the right bay.