Building 104

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

17 window long, two storey brick barrack block aligned east west at the northern boundary of Ebrington Barracks. One of three buildings of the same type in the barracks (see HB01/02/009M&O). Central door with semicircular head and 3 pane fanlight with 5 granite steps to the entrance. Plinth course with dark blue chamfered top rising to 1.6m from the ground as the road slopes to the west across the façade. Hipped man-made slate roof, cast iron rainwater goods, and pilaster at each end of the façade. Granite cills to (six over six pane) uPVC windows. Moulded brick cornice course at first floor. Segmental arched openings to most windows though 3 to the west side of the entrance have flat openings. One window to the west of the entrance is blank and directly above the window has been dropped to the cornice line ( There is a stair behind).

West Gable facing the entrance to the base is blank apart from the pilasters to each side and the central thicker truncated chimney noted on the other buildings of this type.

To rear of building similar window spacing to the front but a central and larger return than the other barracks of this type. The return has a succession of small high level windows (6 No) and soil vent pipes. The plinth course, window spacing, cornice line, and eaves details are all the same to the rear of the main block as to the front. A number of metal ventilators are located at the cornice line and between the ground level windows. Paving to the rear is painted granite kerbs with and edge drainage channel.

The East Gable has 4 windows inserted but is otherwise similar to the west.

Historical information

Building first indicated on the 1904 Ordnance Survey Map and forms part of the expansion of the base eastwards after new land was purchased in 1891. A purpose built barrack block of a standard military type, there are two other buildings of similar design (79 and 80-81 HB01/09/002M&O) on the base. The original plan of a long dormitory to either side of a central circulation core has been adapted to provide separate bedrooms without significantly altering the building’s construction or altering the central core. Large return to the rear with toilets, which is different from the other buildings of the type constructed between 1933 and 1955.

References-
Primary sources

Ordnance Survey Maps 1831, 1854, 1873, 1904, 1933, 1955
O’Hagan’s Map of Londonderry 1847
Derry Journal 6th April 1841 ‘Notice to Builders’

Secondary sources
History of Ebrington Barracks (Anonymous, circa 1970’s) EHS files
Site Officer 2003.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

17 window long, two storey brick barrack block aligned east west at the northern boundary of Ebrington Barracks. One of three buildings of the same type in the barracks (see HB01/02/009M&O).

This is a well-proportioned barrack building of a standard type which makes a strong contribution to the townscape character of Ebrington Barracks on views along the northern boundary road. Complimentary interior character of the building survives. Of interest historically as a part of the late nineteenth century development of the site. Replacement windows and roof detract from its detailed historic appearance. Surviving interior detail, particularly stairs, are of note.