2 Butcher Street and

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Tall, three-storey red brick building located on the West of The Diamond marking the entrance to Butcher Street, built 1899 with square headed windows, wet dash render within timber framing to dormers on slated pyramid roof with lead capping to The Diamond elevation and dormer to overhanging slated pitched roof with slight exposed rafter ends at Butcher Street elevation. Canted corner bay to first and second floor with curved slated cupola roof with lead finial.

Principal entrance at NE corner, recessed below canted bay, elliptical arched opening with square-headed timber door and plain fanlight above. Two further entrances to Butcher Street, one with six-panel timber door, flanked by large scale scrolled corbel brackets either side supporting entablature with broken scrolled pediment above with crest plaque at the centre, second entrance to West-end of the North elevation has a replacement timber panelled door will tall plain fanlight above, flanked by plain pilasters to either side supporting entablature with scrolled frieze and rendered letters spelling 'Central Chambers' with curved pediment above.

Windows are multiple pane casements with flanked by plain pilasters with entablature to first floor windows. Sill courses on upper level windows, canted corner bay has columns of the Doric order between window bays with pierced quatrefoil timber detailing to coarse rendered surface above first floor windows.

West elevation abuts No.4 Butchers Street with projecting kneeler stone resting on corbel bracket.

South elevation abuts No.19 The Diamond.

Setting:
Located on the North West face of The Diamond turning the south side corner into Butcher Street, rectangular in plan with short face to The Diamond and long face to Butcher Street with overhanging corner bay.

Materials:
Roof: Natural Slate
Rainwater goods: Cast-iron.
Walling; Brick & render
Windows: Timber and uPVC Casements

Historical information

No. 2 Butcher Street, a three-storey red brick building located at the corner of The Diamond and Butcher Street, was constructed in 1899. The corner building also extends into the three-storey three-bay building on Butcher Street. Since its construction the ground floor has consisted of two retail units, whilst the upper floors were utilised as offices accessed by two entrances located on Butcher Street. The building is also known as ‘Central Chambers.’

No. 2 Butcher Street was designed by Forman & Aston, an architectural partnership formed between Alfred Arthur Forman and Aston in 1897. Almost nothing is known of Aston (including his first name) but Forman was an Australian architect who travelled to Ireland in 1897 and moved to Derry in 1899. Forman remained in the city for five years and was responsible for the design of the Northern Counties Hotel (HB01/21/016), Carlisle Road Methodist Church (HB01/19/063) and the Northern Counties Club (HB01/19/008). According to UAHS guide for Londonderry, ‘Forman indulged in a variety of delightful shapes that did not express any function but were purely visual’ (UAHS, p. 30; DIA).

Upon its completion, the Annual Revisions set the total rateable value of Central Chambers at £110. The valuer notes that during the buildings early history, the corner shop was occupied by James Hegarty, a pharmaceutical Chemist. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935) the total value of No. 2 Butcher Street was increased to £116 15s. In 1940 the corner shop was converted into a laundry called ‘Lilliput Laundry & Dyeworks Ltd., which continued to occupy the site until at least the 1970s. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the total value of No. 2 Butcher Street stood at £256.

In 1970 the UAHS guide for Londonderry described No. 2 Butcher Street as ‘a three-storey red brick building of character with elaborately shaped roof in the style of [English architect] Ernest Newton. It is of interest that the designer made a conscious attempt at resolving a corner building, and has been successful’ (UAHS guide, p. 24). No. 2 Butcher Street was included within the Historic City Conservation Area in 1977 and subsequently listed in 1979. The NIEA HB Records note that the windows and the façade of the building was significantly damaged by a bomb explosion in 1976. A restoration aimed at repairing the woodwork and glazing was carried out in 1979. A further external and internal renovation of Central Chambers was undertaken between 1999 and 2003 (NIEA HB Records).

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/157/1/15 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/5B-5C- Annual Revisions (1898-1929)
5. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935)
6. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/13 – Second General Revaluatio of Property in Nortehrn Ireland (1956-72)
7. Ulster Town Directories (1901-1918)
8. First Survey Record – HB01/19/016 (1970)
9. First Survey Image – HB01/19/016 (1978)
10. NIEA HB Records – HB01/19/016
11. Foyle Civic Trust: Living City Project (The Diamond – Butcher Street)

Secondary Sources
1. Calley, D., ‘City of Derry: An historical gazetteer to the buildings of Londonderry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013.
2. Ferguson, W. S; Rowan, A. J; Tracey, J. J., ‘List of historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in and near the city of Derry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1970.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie/

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Tall, three-storey red brick building located on the West of The Diamond marking the entrance to Butcher Street, built 1899 to designs of Forman & Aston, No.2 Butcher Street is a distinctive Edwardian style building inside the Historic City Walls. Despite the loss of the original interior layout, the exterior is well proportioned with details consistent with their time and style. The building is designed in a flamboyant Free Style with a contrast between the red clay brick walling and the plaster window surrounds, painted gables and projecting faceted corner tower. It makes a significant architectural contribution to both The Diamond area within the City Walls, and to the Conservation Area.

General comments

Additional listing criteria apply - R-Age & S-Authenticity