Hertford

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Late-Victorian/early Edwardian Arts-and-Crafts style large rendered detached villa, built c.1900 to the design of Alfred Arthur Forman. Irregularly shaped plan facing north-west and set within mature landscaped grounds overlooking the River Foyle and Foyle Bridge, located to the south side of Clooney Road, accessed via a long tree-lined avenue.

Pitched natural slate roofs with terracotta two-toothed quatrefoil cogged crested ridge tiles with terracotta roll top tiles to hips, lead valleys and cast iron rainwater goods, guttering supported on moulded eaves cornice, and exposed rafter tails. Rendered chimneystacks with decorative clay pots. Rough-cast painted walling (Half-timber detailing to first floor) with square-headed window openings and timber casement windows.

Principal (north-west) elevation comprises a large gable to right with canted bay window to ground floor supporting squared timberwork jettied bay under projecting eaves. Canted bay window contains timber casement windows with leaded lights to top panes; large timber brackets either side support floor above; first floor window style matches ground floor with leaded lights to top panes. Recessed entrance doorway with timber panelled door and half-height side-light to left side and tripartite window further to left, all set within a decorative painted timber veranda, one step up from ground level. Square columns to veranda have partly fluted shafts and moulded capitals surmounted by large timber brackets supporting the roof above. Timber beams with Moorish arched detailed fretwork span between columns. Roof dormer with timber casement window, moulded fascia and half-timber detailing to pediment.

North-east elevation of rough-cast render painted finish with central gable bay in the same style as the front elevation with canted bay window to ground floor level supporting squared timberwork jettied bay with canted bay to first floor level under projecting eaves. Recessed ground floor to right side within decorative painted timber veranda detailed as per front elevation, with roof dormer above containing timber casement window. Single timber casement window at ground floor level with wall-head dormer above and painted timber sheeted door to left side. Small timber casement window above door below eaves. Two tall rough-cast rendered painted finish chimney stacks to roof with decorative clay pots. Modern flat roof extension to far left with modern metal framed glazed sliding doors.

South-east elevation of rough-cast render painted finish with modern flat roofed extension to right side and modern glazed sunroom extension to left side, both of little interest. Large first floor timber casement window with timberwork to gable on left hand side of elevation.

South-west elevation of rough-cast render painted finish with random fenestration pattern. Timber casement windows to ground and first floor of varying sizes with central gabled section containing dormer at second floor level, canted bay window to first floor, square-headed wall-head dormer to right side, and large rough-cast render painted finish chimney stack to left side with two clay pots. Two modern rooflights to central section of roof with single cast iron rooflight to right side next to smaller chimney stack.

Setting:
Facing north-west and situated on an elevated site set within mature landscaped grounds overlooking the River Foyle and Foyle Bridge, located to the south side of Clooney Road, accessed via a long tree-lined avenue. A single-storey with attic garage and lean-to outbuilding is located to the south.

Materials:
Roof Natural Slate
RWG Cast Iron
Walling Roughcast Render (half timber to first floor)
Windows Timber casements

Historical information

Hertford is one of a number of houses from the Victorian and Edwardian periods on Clooney Road. This house appears in the Valuation Revision Books as a new entry in 1903. The property, referenced 4B in the townland of Caw, comprised a house, yard and land, and was occupied by Charles Caldwell who was leasing it from John Alexander. The buildings were given the valuation of £67, soon reduced to £63 and then to £50.

This house is marked on the Valuation map based on the Ordnance Survey map published in 1907 where it is named Greenleas. It was afterwards renamed Elstow. The house’s design was the work of Alfred Arthur Forman and comparisons have been made to another house he designed in Clooney Park East.

The 1911 census lists Charles Sproule Caldwell, a Donegal-born solicitor living with his family at what was listed as 21 Caw townland. The House and Building Return indicates that there were four windows in the front of the house and 12 rooms in occupation.

The house passed through a number of owners in the period 1916-29. It was briefly in the possession of William John Tillie, the shirt manufacturer, who died in 1921. At the end of the 1920s it was possessed by Robert P. Hogg. By 1945 it was owned by Hunter Ltd. By this time the name of the house had been changed to Hertford. Various repairs were carried out to the house in the 1980s and 1990s.

Primary sources

1. PRONI, Valuation map, c. 1908–c.1918, VAL/12/D/5/14D (based on Ordnance Survey map published in 1907)
2. PRONI, Valuation index map, [c.1873]-1910, VAL/12/E/157/2
3. PRONI, Valuation Revision Books, 1860-1930, VAL/12/B/32/14A-K
4. PRONI, First Northern Ireland General Revaluation Books: Annual Revision Lists, 1936-57 – VAL/3/C/6/9
5. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1933, OS/6/5/14/4
6. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1954, OS/6/5/14/5
7. PRONI, Ordnance Survey map, 1964, OS/6/5/14/6
8. NIEA, First Survey Card
9. NIEA, HB Records

Secondary sources
1. Daniel Calley, City of Derry: An Historical Gazetteer to the Buildings of Londonderry (Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013)

Online sources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects: www.dia.ie
2. 1901 and 1911 census returns: www.census.nationalarchives.ie
3. PRONI, Will Calendars: www.proni.gov.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Late-Victorian/early Edwardian Arts-and-Crafts style large rendered detached villa, built c.1900 to the design of Alfred Arthur Forman. Irregularly shaped plan facing north-west and set within mature landscaped grounds overlooking the River Foyle, located to the south side of Clooney Road, accessed via a long tree-lined avenue. It retains most of its distinctive features and character with fine detailing consistent for its time and style. It is a good and distinctive example of a suburban villa designed by a notable architect.