18 BOND'S HILL

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid-terrace two-bay two-storey with attic, ruled and lined rendered late-Victorian house, built c.1890 (Architect unknown) as a terrace of three similar dwellings (Nos18-20 (HB01/09/006 L-N)) which filled a gap in the overall terrace of sixteen buildings at Bond's Hill between Nos 9-17 (constructed in c.1839-49) and Nos 21-24 (c.1865). Rectangular plan form facing west with two-storey rear return.

Pitched fibre cement roof with brick stretcher bond chimney (appears to be rebuilt) to left (north) on party wall with No.19 (HB01/09/006M) which has buff clay pots. Projecting eaves with timber fascia on projecting modillions (three to each side of dormer) and supporting ogee cast iron gutter discharging to cast iron rainwater pipes. Ground and first floor openings are segmental-arched with fluted stucco architrave detail and projecting keystone to centre of arch all painted in a contrasting colour along with the stone sills (continuous sill course to first floor windows). Windows are 2/2 timber sliding sash with chamfered horns unless otherwise noted.

Front (west) elevation is ruled and lined render with painted finish. The main entrance to far right has a pair of two-panelled doors with opening half leaves with single-pane overlight with gilded lettering ‘RYLEIGH HOUSE’. Front door is three steps up from the street, opening terminates at base in square blocks at plinth which is slightly projecting and in contrasting colour. Door is flanked to left by a single window. Two windows to first floor (not aligned with ground floor openings and narrower proportion). Centrally positioned pitched roof wall-head dormer with replacement 2/2 timber sliding sash window with fixed light above set within a round arched opening with no surround. The apex of the dormer gable is dressed with barge boards with stopped chamfer detail and collar tie.

The north side is abutted by No.19 Bond’s Hill (HB01/09/006M).

Rear (east) elevation is painted cement render finish with irregularly placed windows which are all casements with top hug openings (some with horns). Two-storey pitched roof return to left and modern single-storey lean-to conservatory to right (of little interest). Exposed section has a window to left at half-landing level above rear return and a window to first floor right surmounted by a pitch roofed wall-head dormer with casement window to attic level. The rear return is further abutted by a single-storey lean-to extension (of little interest).

The south side is abutted by No.17 adjacent (HB01/09/006K).

Setting:
Part of a terrace of sixteen buildings of varying styles which line the east side of Bond’s Hill stepping up the hill. (HB01/09/006 B-R).

Materials:
Roof : Fibre cement slates
RWGs : Cast Iron to front / uPVC to rear
Walling: Ruled &Lined Painted Render (W) / Painted Render (E)
Windows: Timber sliding sash (W) / Timber casements (E)
Doors : Half leaf timber

Historical information

Bond’s Hill was laid out in c.1839 in order to provide access to Ebrington Barracks (which had been constructed between 1839 and 1841) and was one of the first streets to be developed on the Waterside District of Londonderry during the 19th century. The current site of Bond’s Hill remained undeveloped in the 1830s with no buildings depicted on the first edition Ordnance Survey map. Hume states that prior to 1841 the Waterside consisted of a single street and possessed 105 houses. The area was slow to develop due to the steepness of its hills and as a result of expensive tolls that were imposed on carts and pedestrians crossing the city’s wooden bridge. Hume states that the construction of the barracks and the setting up of industrial establishments initiated the rapid development of the Waterside and drew people into the city from the rural hinterland east of the Foyle. In 1849 the Londonderry Standard described the change in the area in the following terms: ‘The Waterside, which from being some 20 years since, little more than a small street, has now become a place of considerable importance having a distillery, two large mills for the manufacture of oatmeal and a third about to be erected’ (Hume, pp 32-34).

Calley states that Bond’s Hill was named after the owners of Clooney House, a late-18th century house which stood at the top of the hill (now demolished and replaced with terraced housing). The street was first depicted on the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1848-49 which records that a number of houses (including a church on the current site of the Former Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter’s) Church – see HB01/09/010) had already been constructed along the route by that time. Nos 9-24 Bond’s Hill, a terrace of two and three-storey Victorian houses also known as Melrose Terrace, was constructed in stages between c. 1840 and 1891.

Nos 18-20 Bond’s Hill, a terrace of two-and-a-half-storey two-bay dwellings, were built in 1890-91 filling a gap between nos 9-17 (constructed in c.1839-49) and nos 21-24 (c.1865). The Annual Revisions note that the three buildings were leased by William Drysdale, a local shipping clerk and musician who resided at the adjoining No. 21. Drysdale initially leased No. 18 Bond’s Hill, which was valued at £13, to a Mr. John Miley but Robert Perry, a fertiliser agent, had taken possession of the house by 1901. In that year the Census of Ireland described the house as a second class dwelling that consisted of seven rooms and possessed a shed as its sole outbuildings. The contemporary Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1904-05) depicted the house along its current layout and recorded that the single-storey rear return is an original feature. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland the value of No. 18 Bond’s Hill was increased to £18. The Perry family continued to reside at the address until 1956 when a Mr. William Plews took possession of the site (PRONI Wills). Drysdale was still recorded as owner of the house by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) at which time the value of the property stood at £23.

Nos 9-24 Bond’s Hill were listed in 1979. The NIEA HB Records note that No. 18 Bond’s Hill underwent an extensive renovation in 1994 which included the reconstruction of its chimney, the installation of cast iron rainwater goods, the replacement of its windows and the addition of a new entrance door (NIEA HB Records). Field inspection of No.18 Bond’s Hill, carried out as part of the Second Survey, has found that the building continues to be utilised as a private dwelling.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/5/20/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1830)
2. PRONI OS/6/5/20/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1853)
3. PRONI VAL/12/E/157/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/14A-14G – Annual Revisions (1860-1897)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/4C-4D – Annual Revisions (1898-1930)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/13 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57))
7. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/18 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
8. Londonderry Standard (5 Jul 1849)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1843-1918)
10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (3 Apr 1956)
12. First Survey Record – HB01/09/006B (No Date)
13. NIEA HB Records – HB01/09/006L

Secondary Sources
1. Calley, D., ‘City of Derry: An historical gazetteer to the buildings of Londonderry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013.
2. Hume, J., ‘Derry beyond the walls: Social and economic aspects of the growth of Derry 1825-1850’ Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002.
3. Thomas, A., ‘Irish Historic Town Atlas, No. 15: Derry – Londonderry’ Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 2005 - includes Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1904-05).

Online Resources
1. Digital Atlas of Derry - http://www.ria.ie/digitalatlasderry - including Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1848-49)

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
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A mid-terrace two-bay two-storey with attic, ruled and lined rendered late-Victorian house, built c.1890 as a terrace of three similar dwellings (Nos18-20 (HB01/09/006 L-N)) which filled a gap in the overall terrace of sixteen buildings at Bond's Hill between Nos 9-17 (constructed in c.1839-49) and Nos 21-24 (c.1865).
Bond’s Hill was laid out in c.1839 to provide access to Ebrington Barracks (HB01/09/002A-II) which was constructed between 1839 and 1841. The terrace properties were constructed along the east side of the street over a fifty year period resulting in a terrace which displays the progression of design and detailing through the Victorian period.
Its original character and robust detailing survive. Part of an overall terrace of sixteen buildings of varying styles, it has group value with Nos 9-17 & 19-21 Bond’s Hill (HB01/09/006B-K & M-O) and it is a good example of its type.