Building Number 40, Near north west bastion, Ebrington Barracks, Limavady Road, BT47 6HH

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey four-bay rendered building facing parade ground of Ebrington Barracks with basement storey topped by a ground floor extension stepping down slope to river boundary of the original fort. A lower two storey return to the rear on the eastern side also utilsiing level changes with low modern metal profiled roof.

The main symetrucal elevation faces the parade ground with four bays of windows of sash proportion ( PVC when surveyed) on each floor flanking a wide hipped roof entrance porch. A single bay extension to the west flush with the elevation has a level underneath which links to the boundary wall. An arch in this lower level provides the only external access to north west bastion. The arch has a heavy sandstone architrave matching other early details on buildings from the first phase of construction of the base. One of the original heavy timber doors remain and cobbles under. The main part of building above appears to have been heavily renovated in recent years. Concrete coping, natural slate roof, concrete cills. Windows to eastern end slightly wide for traditional sashes (all now contain pvc). Central hip roofed porch with double doors in western side. Concrete steps in front descending to road to archway.

On the eastern elevation is a deep gable with moulded concrete barge copying neighbours, thin concrete cills to two windows. The single storey return extends to the rear.

The west gable facing the river and city is blank at second floor but the hipped roof of the extension over the archway has a single window below and an unusual 1.5 metre wide lean-to (toilets?) following the return of the bastion.

The arch underneath the extension is clearly part of the early construction of the base and is full of eroded sandstone character. The rubble walls inside the original timber doors (one of which remains) are not painted. A double door also original with heavy draw bolt is set in a deep arch headed stone opening and at the head of four carefully detailed granite steps with short steep ramp (for carts?) on each side. Opposite a modern door through the original boundary wall to the dog compound. The second arch into a small courtyard formed by the bastion is also original, through cement render has obscured this to the exterior.

To the rear north elevation, the building is five bays long with a drop down to the bay over the arch. The return is two stories high and three bays long and starts from the middle of the façade. At ground level it has a boiler house above accommodation.

The perimeter wall at this point is topped with a flat concrete coping. Vertical slits at 2m centres have been bricked up below. A door in the wall gives access to a sangar at the north west corner of the base. Beyond is a curved blast wall which dates from the Royal Naval occupation of the base (1943-1970). The earth is moulded in this area as part of the defences of the base.

Historical information

Building constructed as part of the original fort complex in 1841. Labelled on the 1854 Ordnance Map as ‘canteen’ it was a simple rectangular block without any return to the rear or porch to the front. The bastion behind was enclosed by a wall flush with the east gable containing the arch noted on site. On the larger scale 1873 map it is clear that though the arch into the bastion exists, the building had not at that point been extended west over it to the boundary wall. A photograph from this period taken from the city indicates the rear fenestration of the building as it is today with the central bay of windows dropped for a staircase. On the 1904 map, the building is shown extended to the boundary wall. On the 1933 map, a return is indicated and a porch appears to be added though this is not clear. A porch with steps in front as today is indicated on the 1955 map. Renovations have been carried out in the 1990’s upgrading the standard of accommodation in the building. The current porch form appears to date from this work though its under croft is Victorian.

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’
Photographs from Lawrence Collection.

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
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two-storey four-bay rendered building facing parade ground of Ebrington Barracks with basement storey topped by a ground floor extension stepping down slope to river boundary of the original fort

An important building in the architectural composition of Ebrington Barracks, as viewed from the city across the river and around the parade ground. Complimentary in style to the other main buildings, it is reasonably well proportioned and consistently detailed. Modern alterations and ‘improvements’ have reduced its historic appearance. Around its base there remain doors and fittings of much character.