# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( THE LOCAL VERNACULAR TRADITION )NDEED @BUNGALOW BLISS WAS COINED TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE MUSHROOMING DEVELOPMENT IN $ONEGAL ACROSS THE BORDER IN THE 2EPUBLIC AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF MANY SCENICALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF .ORTHERN )RELAND WHERE THE HACIENDA WITH TILE ROOF PICTURE WINDOWS AND SUBURBAN GARDEN HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE WHITEWASHED COTTAGE NESTLING INTO THE CONTOURS BEHIND ITS SHELTER BELT OF NATIVE TREES 4HE REPLACEMENT POLICY HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR -ANY PEOPLE SEE IT AS A WAY OF GETTING A NEW HOUSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE FREE OF 6!4 AND COMPLETE WITH ALL MOD CONS RATHER THAN TRYING TO PATCH UP A DARK DAMP COTTAGE AND PAY 6!4 AS WELL !NOTHER IMPORTANT REASON FOR LOSS IS LACK OF STATUTORY PROTECTION )N THE S AND S MANY VERNACULAR BUILDINGS WERE GIVEN A @# GRADE !LTHOUGH THIS DID NOT ACTUALLY OFFER MUCH PROTECTION IT GAVE THE BUILDINGS A STATUS IN THE EYES OF THE OWNERS .ORTHERN )RELAND IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A SECOND SURVEY A SLOW PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE OVER YEARS TO COMPLETE 3O FAR THE SURVEY HAS DECREASED THE NUMBER OF LISTED BUILDINGS IN THE PROVINCE TO AROUND THROUGH DELISTING /NE OF THE CASUALTIES OF THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN THE @# GRADE 4HE ABOLITION OF THIS GRADE HAS REMOVED THE PERCEIVED AURA OF SPECIALNESS THAT IT FORMALLY GAVE TO VERNACULAR BUILDINGS 4HERE ARE AT PRESENT LESS THAN VIABLE LISTED THATCHED DWELLINGS REMAINING IN .ORTHERN )RELAND A FEW OTHER " BUILDINGS WHICH DO NOT QUALIFY FOR GRANT AND A HANDFUL OF " S ! FURTHER PROBLEM IN .ORTHERN )RELAND IS THAT AS YET THERE ARE NO NATIONAL PARKS SO IMPORTANT VERNACULAR BUILDINGS IN AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY ARE NOT PROTECTED 4HEIR REPLACEMENTS HAVE DEGRADED THE VERY LANDSCAPE QUALITY THAT WAS DEEMED TO BE OUTSTANDING !S WITH THE REST OF THE 5+ WE ALSO HAVE A DEARTH OF 4HE ENORMOUS CHANGE THAT .ORTHERN )RELAND S COUNTRYSIDE IS UNDERGOING HAS LEFT ITS RURAL VERNACULAR BUILDINGS AT RISK 2ECENT SURVEYS DISCOVERED THAT PER CENT OF TRADITIONAL RURAL BUILDINGS PRESENT ON THE /RDNANCE 3URVEY MAPS HAVE DISAPPEARED ALTOGETHER PER CENT ARE SUBSTANTIALLY ALTERED AND ONLY PER CENT REMAIN INTACT 7HY IS THERE THIS COLOSSAL AND ACCELERATING LOSS OF TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS $OES IT MATTER !RE THERE WAYS OF SAVING THEM 4HE CAUSES OF LOSS ARE COMPLEX 3OME RELATE TO COMMON TRENDS THROUGHOUT 7ESTERN %UROPE OTHERS ARE PECULIAR TO .ORTHERN )RELAND )RELAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION LIVING IN DISPERSED SETTLEMENTS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE 6ILLAGES ARE LARGELY A PRODUCT OF THE TH AND TH CENTURIES 4HE &AMINE OF LEFT THOUSANDS OF DESERTED FARMS OVER THE WHOLE OF )RELAND THEIR INHABITANTS EITHER PERISHING OR EMIGRATING IN THE TRAGEDY !ND RURAL DEPOPULATION HAS NOT CEASED )NDEED MANY OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION DISILLUSIONED BY THE CRISIS IN AGRICULTURE ARE NOT KEEN TO CONTINUE ON THE LAND AND ARE MOVING INTO VILLAGES OR TOWN FRINGES &ROM THE END OF THE TH CENTURY THE )RISH ,AND !CTS n PARTICULARLY THE7YNDHAM !CT OF n CAUSED THE TRANSFER OF LAND TO THE TENANT FARMERS AND BROKE THE POWER OF THE LANDED ARISTOCRACY "UT FARM SIZES WERE VERY SMALL n ACRES WAS COMMON !S THE POPULATION MOVED AWAY DURING THE TH CENTURY FARMS WERE AMALGAMATED ! CURRENT LANDHOLDING MAY CONTAIN FIVE OR SIX REMOTE DERELICT FARMHOUSES OR COTTAGES )N THERE WERE OVER EMPTY DWELLINGS WITHIN THE -OURNE AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY ALONE BUT BY ONLY AROUND OF THEM REMAINED 4HE TRADITIONAL COTTAGE IN .ORTHERN )RELAND IS TYPICALLY ONE ROOM DEEP OF A FORM COMMON TO THE %UROPEAN !TLANTIC FRINGE RATHER THAN THE COMFORTABLE YEOMAN S TIMBER FRAME FARMHOUSE OF THE 7EALD OR 3HROPSHIRE 4HE DWELLINGS ARE SMALL ISOLATED AND INCREASING CLASSED AS @UNFIT AS THEIR VERY SHAPE MADE THE INSERTION OF BATHROOMS AND KITCHENS DIFFICULT 4HOUGH MUCH GOVERNMENT GRANT AID WAS GIVEN TO IMPROVE RURAL HOUSING EVENTUALLY THE RADICAL STEP WAS TAKEN BY THE .ORTHERN )RELAND (OUSING %XECUTIVE TO ADMINISTER @REPLACEMENT GRANT 7HILE THERE WAS AND STILL IS A GENUINE NEED TO IMPROVE HOUSING STANDARDS THIS GRANT WAS CONDITIONAL ON THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING DWELLING 4HE RESULT IS THAT IN .ORTHERN )RELAND HUNDREDS OF TRADITIONAL COTTAGES AND TWO STOREY DWELLINGS ARE BEING WIPED OFF THE MAP 4HEIR REPLACEMENTS THOUGH WARM DRY AND FULLY SERVICED RARELY REFLECT THE FORM OR MATERIALS OF (!22)%4 $%6,). 3AVING .ORTHERN )RELAND S VERNACULAR HOUSES !N ASSOCIATION WITH POVERTY AND HARD TIMES THREATENS THEIR SURVIVAL IN THE FACE OF THE FASHION FOR MODERN BUNGALOWS AND HACIENDA STYLE HOUSES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE ! DESERTED TWO STOREY FARM WITH INTEGRAL BARN AND BYRE
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