It is often difficult to find out when your house was built. A good place to start is by visiting your local library or the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland; contacting the local historical society is another way of accessing information.
In this section we have tried to explain the key architectural styles used in Ireland in the past 400 years. It is important to remember that many styles arrived in Ireland some twenty to thirty years later than Britain and some styles are hardly represented at all. This is because history shapes our architecture as it did in every other country in the world.

We hope that this section will encourage you to research your building, particularly if you are embarking on a restoration project. If you want to learn more about your own house, or if you are curious about other buildings in your locality, the list of architectural styles on the left is a starting point.The types of houses which were being built during the last 400 years in Ireland are described,very simply, along with the details and materials being used during each period.