Borgue Old House

Borgue Old House is an important 17th century house that is now roofless but mostly complete to the wall-head. It features an unusual plan and is not all of one build. The structure consists of a rectangular central block with long walls to the north and south, gables to the east and west, and projecting wings at the end bays with gable heads to the south, the western wing being shorter. There is also a projecting wing, possibly a stair tower, in the center of the north wall. To the south, a single storey outbuilding adjoins the southeast tower, which likely originally formed part of a courtyard wall enclosing the southern side of the house.

The house has two storeys and attics, constructed with rubble walling and squared quoins. According to the RCAHMS Inventory, the main block and southeast wing are original, while the southwest tower and north wing are later additions.

The main entrance is centrally located on the south elevation and is flanked by generously sized windows, all of which are roll-moulded with thick section mouldings. Most other openings are either roll-moulded or chamfered, with a good number of the roll-mouldings being reused. Inside, there is a roll-moulded chimneypiece on the ground floor with corbel stones supporting the lintel, but few internal features survive. The house has stacks at the gable heads and gables that show remains of kneeler skewputts.

The single storey rubble outbuilding, which abuts the southeast tower, features a rubble voussoired round-arched fireplace on the south wall, possibly an earlier cooking hearth. This fireplace was converted in the 19th century to house a brick-lined two-oven kiln with a fireproof roof, which is partly fallen, supported by metal angle-irons and large slates. The purpose of the small kiln is not known.