"The Barn", Hanna’s Close, 87-89 Aughnahoory Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 4HF

The Barn, now a 1½-story, two-bay dwelling, was constructed between 1980 and 1999 and converted from former farm buildings. It forms part of an important vernacular grouping, referred to as a clachan, although it has undergone substantial alterations and restoration. The barn faces east-southeast. It has a pitched roof covered with natural slate, with blue clay ridge tiles and concrete verges. A large metal flue is visible on the rear roof slope. Half-round metal rainwater gutters and metal downpipes are present, with the downpipes turned onto the left-hand gable. There are no eaves corbels. The walls are wet-dashed and whitewashed, with new sections at the upper level. Large exposed granite foundation boulders are positioned at each corner. The principal elevation faces into a yard. The entrance is located slightly right of centre and features a sheeted and painted half door, accessed by a path of granite setts, with a modern bulkhead fitting above. To the left of the entrance is a 2/2 window with a granite cill, and to the right a narrower 1/1 sash window. All windows have exposed boxes and granite cills, except where noted. The left gable has 2/2 sash windows to both floors; the ground floor window is set to the right and the upper floor window is centrally placed. The rear elevation has a 2/2 window at ground floor level on the left, above which are a plastic extractor vent, a stainless steel balance flue, and a gas regulator box; a modern bulkhead light is situated to the right. A 1/1 window is off-centre on the upper floor. The right gable has a 2/2 sash window at the centre of the upper floor. The site is prominently situated overlooking the Kilkeel River and is enclosed by dry boulder granite walls. These walls are partly original, partly rebuilt, and partly new. A few perimeter trees contribute to the site’s character. Carriageways are paved with quarry dust/crushed shalestone and edged with granite kerbstones, while walkways are paved with granite setts. The remaining open space is grassed with small flower beds. Various gates are present; some are old, while the gates to the vehicular entrances are newly made to traditional designs. Each house has a specially designed cast metal plaque as part of the refurbishment. The clachan was shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map and subsequent editions.