Building Number 79

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

2 storey 13 bay barrack building in red brick. Hipped manmade slate roof red ridge tiles and finials. Granite cills and shallow segmental heads to six over six pvc windows. Windows at ground level equally spaced first floor extra windows interspersed into the rhythm. Central door with semicircular head single pane fanlight 10 pane raised and fielded double door. Two granite steps. More recent (1950s) door in south end bay in a former window opening. Classical concrete architrave surround to this single sheeted door with blocked rectangular fanlight. Plinth course of bricks (top brick blue) moulded cornice course at first floor. Simple entablature course at eaves. Timber overhanging fascia with ends of rafters exposed concrete drain with granite cobbles to road. Much repair of the bricks and replacement has been carried out along this façade over the years. Pilaster at northern and southern ends.

North gable – blank, two pilasters at each end and central thicker one probably a chimney now cut off at eaves level.

To the rear east elevation. Much more regular distribution of windows. Similar detail to front. Central toilet/block surmounted by ventilator with projecting central portion.

South gable – matches north. Footpath surrounds building with dished drain detail of note. Rear exit beside toilet projection.

Historical information

Building first indicated on the 1904 Ordnance Survey and forms part of the expansion of the base eastwards following the purchase of land in this area in 1891. Building partly built on the former north east bastion of the original star fort boundary. It is of a standard barrack type repeated elsewhere on the site (buildings 80/81 (HB01/09/002M) & and 104). It remains in use for its original function. Its original plan of a central circulation space flanked by two dormitories has been adapted with the insertion of individual bedrooms in the dormitory spaces.

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
Current site officer.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A well-sited and proportioned, brick built, two storey barrack building of a standard design. In relation to the similar buildings 80 and 81 to the rear, it makes a strong contribution to the military and townscape character of the road to the east of the original star fort, although its historical appearance has been diminished to some degree by the insertion of pvc windows. It also acts as a suitable low-key backdrop to the rendered earlier buildings around the parade square on views from the city. It is of local historic interest for its contribution to the history of the base.