Lynch’s Public House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two storey public house with hipped slate roof, two back returns and deep recess along a third of the main facade. Two chimneys aligning with the recess at the apex of the roof, with a third over the return to the left of the main elevation. The main facade faces south onto Learmount Road. The recess has an applied timber shop front proclaiming ‘Tony Lynch’s established 1762’ Wooden corinthian columns frame two double sashed windows to either side of a glazed entrance door. Two twelve pane horned sash windows light the rooms above. The section of facade to the right of the recess has a large door also framed in timber corinthian columns with a forward leaning entablature proclaiming ‘bar’. A single sashed window is above this. These areas are painted on smooth render with painted decorative woodwork and plaster quoins at the corner. The section to the left of the recess is a separate house. See HB01/01/013B. It is finished in grey sand cement roughcast.

The west facade is an elevation exactly as long as the south. It is part of the Quigley house HB01/01/013B. All in roughcast.
To the north modern extensions of little note stick out from the bar. To the east elevation there are three windows. Two are at first floor with one to the left at ground level. All have 12 panes though the ground floor window is squat.

A range of barns forms a courtyard to the east side of the building. They are white washed with a curved tar and felt roof on the single storey wing and a slate roof to double storey wing completing yard at end. The composition of windows and doors to this barn is of note. Two large openings ,one on top of the other are to the right. There are two doors with small square windows to each side. One square window aligning at first floor and an exterior stair ascending to another door are at the extreme right end of the facade. The building is at the north east end of Park Main Street.

Historical information

Indicated on 1831 map without returns and remarked upon by the Memoirs as ‘ a public house termed an inn.’. Occupier of neighbouring building informed us that originally a street passed between his house and the bar on the line of the recess. (Like the Queen’s house at Greenwich )This may have been an enttrance to the mill. ? There is no indication of this by the Ordnance Survey or on site. Date: 1762 according to sign on facade.

References:

Primary Sources:
1. OS Map 1st Edition 1831 Co Londonderry 29
2. 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.28. Parishes of County Londonderry IX', ed Angelique Day & Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1995) p.7

Seconday Sources:
Occupier of adjacent building.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A delightful village pub which raises the whole character of Park Village. The combined facades of 13A and 13 (west and south) seen approaching on Main Street give the impression of a square which adds to its formal architectural character. An intact pub front of such quality and preservation is rare in Northern Ireland and deserves special attention. The building is also interesting for its connection in style to other structures in the village e.g. Laurelhill (HB01/01/019), the School (HB01/01/012), the Church of Ireland (HB01/01/011), a pub on Altinure Road (not recorded ) and thus to the Beresfords. It is a fine piece of architecture.