Hill House, 53 Killyleagh Road, Cluntagh, Crossgar, Co Down, BT30 9NB

Hill House is a large, formal two-storey house with a hipped roof, dating to around 1850, situated on the south side of Killyleagh Road approximately one mile east of Crossgar.

The front façade faces east and is symmetrical. At the centre of the ground floor is a relatively large hipped-roof conservatory-like porch, probably added around 1900, with a doorway facing north and steps to either side. Flanking this doorway are two tall sash windows with Georgian panes in a 6-over-6 configuration. The first floor contains five similar but smaller sash windows, with the central window slightly broader than the rest. The front and north façades are finished in pebble dash render.

The south façade has been considerably altered. The ground floor contains a window as per the front, while the first floor has an enlarged modern window to the left, a modern partly-glazed door to its right, and another window to the far right. The first floor also has three evenly-spaced sash windows: one matching the first floor front pattern, and two with 2-over-2 panes. This façade and the rear are finished in rough cast.

The north façade has three largely evenly-spaced first-floor windows matching the front pattern. The ground floor contains a central window and one to the right, both as the first-floor front, whilst to the left is a window-sized recess now painted to resemble a window.

The rear façade features, from left to right: a plain sheeted door with a three-pane semicircular fanlight; a small sash window; a single-pane window; another plain sheeted door; and a large semicircular-headed stairwell window with various margin panes and coloured glass. To the left of the stairwell window is a small sash window. A single-storey shed abuts the far right, linking to the outbuilding complex beyond. Metal rainwater goods are present throughout. The hipped roof is covered in natural slate with four rendered chimney stacks featuring corbelling.

To the west stands a large U-shaped complex of two and single-storey outbuildings, largely rubble-built with a mixture of hipped and gabled roofs. The eastern side of this complex is two-storey and partly finished in rough cast. The block to the east has a central vehicle entrance, originally elliptical but now with a flat arch. Many openings throughout this complex and those attached further west have been altered in recent years, with many now sporting modern window frames.

Historical records show that the site was previously occupied by a U-shaped building recorded on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map. Valuation returns from that period identify this as a recently-built schoolhouse with two wings each measuring 44 feet by 20 feet by 14 feet high, and a central portion (possibly the master's quarters) measuring 25 feet by 23 feet by 14 feet high. This school appears to have had a short existence, as the 1859-1860 Ordnance Survey map shows the present building on the site, marked "Hill House", with the eastern section of the outbuilding complex already established. The internal detailing of the house suggests construction around 1850. The 1863 valuation returns list the resident as Robert McDowell, who appears to have remained until at least 1886. By 1900 the property was in the possession of a family named Orr, who retained it until at least 1945. The current owners acquired the property in 1986, after it had lain vacant and in poor repair for some time. The glazed porch was probably added around 1900.