Inside the Hezlett House

I was surprised to know that we had another site to explore as part of our ticket for the Downhill Demesne. It was just a short drive down the road and we managed to find it. It was an attractive thatched roof house and I have always wanted to visit something like this. I was surprised to know that this is actually one of Northern Ireland’s oldest buildings. The exterior of the house might not really show its age since it is very well maintained. We were told that the roof is replaced every few years since the material rots away. Anyway, we look at the inside of the house for now. It is surprisingly cramped inside. This probably gives visitors an idea of how life was back in the 17th century.

There was the requisite fireplace which you can actually peek from underneath to see the sky. I don’t think they design chimneys this way anymore. Going up the second floor you can see the sleeping quarters of the residents. There was a decent sized bedroom here but you can already tell that the roof is here from the shape of the room. People need to be careful not to knock their head on the ceiling. In the next room, is another sleeping area but this is much less fancy. It looks like a room strewn with pillows. I suspect this is where the servants sleep. Here parts of the roof are falling apart. It probably needs a bit of repair. I thought it was incredibly interesting to see all this in what I assume to be its original condition.

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