31-33 Shipquay Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Early-Georgian eight-bay three-storey over basement red brick house, built 1741. Double-pile building, rectangular on plan with modern signage and finishes to basement accessed directly from street level. Principal elevation faces north west onto Shipquay Street, right side bays are set behind low rendered boundary wall concealing a flight of steps leading to main entrance with pedimented stone door case. Built as the Londonderry Custom House from 1741 until c. 1809.

Natural slate double-pile half-hipped roof concealed behind a brick parapet and gable-end; six rendered chimney stacks with circular and octagon-shaped buff and terracotta clay pots.

Principal elevation (NW) is laid in 'Flemish brick bond'; window bays are square-headed with rendered painted reveals and painted rendered heads, all windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes on painted masonry sills, windows on the first floor level are slightly more elongated; two window bays to ground floor, right of main entrance approached via a flight of stone steps with painted cast-iron railings above; segmental pediment to entrance door case with moulded lugged surround architrave on plinth blocks, flanked by scrolled console brackets with carved leaf detail supporting a projecting moulded and dentilled cornice above, seven-panel painted timber entrance door is recessed; stone cornice to brick parapet (evidence of parapet wall rebuilt, change in brick type and colour); two circular cast-iron downpipes to front elevation. Rendered and painted facade to basement level with modern windows, doors and signage. Modern awning installed to top of basement level.

North East elevation is three-storeys above basement laid in 'Flemish brick bond', abutted by adjoining property (No's 35-37 Shipquay Street HB01/19/035) up to second floor level; blind brick window to third floor level on right side, stone cornice to brick parapet above concealing half-hipped roof behind.

South East elevation to the rear was not accessible at time of survey. Mainly timber sliding sash windows to rear elevation (noted from interior survey).

South West elevation is cement rendered, topped by a stepped cement rendered unpainted chimney stack.

Double-pile half-hipped slate roof has black clay ridge tiles and lead detailing; six large rendered chimney stacks, two rising from each South facing gable-end; two rising from the mid-point of the elevation on half-hipped roof to the east and west, centred on ridge, one rising from the rear east side of double pile roof, centred on ridge, and a large chimney stack rising between each roof to the north end; chimney stacks have circular and octagon-shaped buff and terracotta clay pots. Two cast-iron circular downpipes to front elevation.

Materials:
Roof Natural Slate
RWG Cast Iron
Walling Brick
Windows Timber sliding sash

Setting:
Located on the East side of Shipquay Street, within a terraced row of former merchants' townhouses and commercial buildings, lining both sides of the street, stepping up the hill, within the Historic City Walls with Shipquay Gate directly to the north side situated within the northern quadrant of the Historic City Conservation Area.

Historical information

Nos 31-33 Shipquay Street, a three-storey-over-basement red brick double pile building located at the bottom of Shipquay Street, was originally constructed in 1741. Rowan states that the date for the early-Georgian building is found inscribed on ‘a Rococo string in the re-modelled double return staircase … in an acanthus wreath of carved wood.’ The building is the earliest example of Georgian architecture located within the historic city walls, having been constructed only 50 years after the Siege of Derry.

Raven’s 1622 plan of Londonderry shows that the layout of Shipquay Street has not been altered since the laying out of the walled city. The map records that Shipquay Street was originally known as ‘Silver Street,’ but the current name had been adopted by the early-18th century. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs (1837) described Shipquay Street’s appearance as ‘imposing but necessarily marred by the broken line of the roofs. This street contains … several respectable private residences’ (OSM, p. 101). Prior to the mid-19th century the character of Shipquay Street was predominantly domestic. However, between 1825 and c. 1850, many of the former merchant and professional residences were converted into commercial premises as new Georgian-style dwellings were constructed in the newly formed suburbs to the north in Edenballymore. In 1849 the Derry Standard recorded that ‘a wonderful transformation has taken place, the houses of private gentlemen having been changed into shops and private businesses’ (Hume). The Ordnance Survey Memoirs note that nos 31-33 Shipquay Street was originally constructed as the city’s Custom House. It appears on Porter’s 1799 map of Londonderry where it was depicted as a rectangular-shaped structure and highlighted as one of 16 building of interest in the city (Rowan).

Nos 31-33 Shipquay Street was utilised as Londonderry’s Custom House from 1741 until c. 1809 when a new Custom House was constructed on Shipquay Street. No longer utilised as a public building, the former Custom House was converted into a wine and spirit store by the merchant firm Andrew A. Watt & Co., which had been established in the city in 1762. Having acquired the building by at least 1832, Andrew A. Watt & Co. continued to operate from nos 31-33 Custom House Street until the 1970s. The Townland Valuations town plan (1834) depicted the building as a rectangular-shaped structure that possessed a large rear return (now demolished) that stretched back to Linenhall Street. The Townland Valuations (1832) described nos 31-33 Shipquay Street as a 1b class structures (that is a slated building of medium age that was slightly decayed, but still in good repair). The building was valued at £67 and 11 shillings whilst its measurements were recorded at 63ft in width, 26ft in depth and 30ft in height. The building was leased by the British Government and was partially utilised as King’s Stores in the 1830s (a yard for the provision of arms and gunpowder for the local barracks). The munitions, along with a cellar, the return and additional stores, increased the total rateable value of nos 31-33 Shipquay Street to £162.

There was no significant change to the layout of the building by the 1850s. The Corporation map of Londonderry (1857) continued to depict the building with its long rear return, however the contemporary Griffith’s Valuation (1856) records that the building was no longer utilised as a King’s Stores but continued to be used as wine and spirit stores, whilst also serving as two private dwellings. The total rateable value of nos 31-33 Shipquay Street was slightly lowered to £160 under Griffith’s Valuation. Due to Andrew A. Watt’s lengthy occupation of the site, there was little change to the site over the following decade. The Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910) records that there was no change to the layout of the site at the turn of the 20th century. Contemporary photographs of the building shows that the doorcase with segmental pediment was installed by the 1890s (at very least) whilst the Derry Almanac notes that the building was no longer utilised as a dwelling by the 1880s when the building was solely used as stores and offices (the building was utilised by The Londonderry Literary Association in the 1870s and as the Sheriff’s Office from the 1870s until the 1950s). Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the value of A. A. Watt & Co.’s spirit stores (renamed Iriscot in 1939) was increased to £492. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) Iriscot continued to occupy the building, the value of which was further increased to £738.

In 1970 the UAHS guide for Londonderry described nos 31-33 Shipquay Street as ‘a large brick-faced building, three-storeys high and four at the lower end because of the steepness of the street. Simple Georgian fenestration, relieved only by a decorated doorway over which on the architrave is depicted a bishop’s mitre, which has no further significance than as the distinguishing mark of an insurance company. Access to the entrance is by steps and balcony with simple railing.’ The First Survey image records that Nos 31-33 Shipquay Street remained in use as wine and spirit store in 1977 (having continuously remained in this use for approximately 150 years). In the same year the building was included in the Historic City Conservation Area and in 1979 nos 31-33 Shipquay Street was listed. The NIEA HB Records note that nos 31-33 Shipquay Street underwent an extensive renovation in 1991-92 that included the reslating of its roof in 2nd hand slate, the repointing of its brickwork, the replacement of its timber sliding sash windows as required and the installation of cast aluminium rainwater goods. By c. 1999 the former warehouse, retail and office blocks at nos 31-33 Shipquay Street were converted into a nightclub and restaurant (NIEA HB Records). During the Second Survey nos 31-33 Shipquay Street remained in use as a nightclub (to basement level) and office accommodation to floors above.

References

Primary Sources
1. Thomas Raven’s Plan of Londonderry (1622)
2. Porter’s Plan of Londonderry (1799)
3. PRONI OS/6/5/20/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1830)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/20/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1853)
5. PRONI VAL/12/E/157/1/11 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910)
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/547E – Townland Valuation (1832)
7. PRONI VAL/1/D/5/9B – Townland Valuation Town Plan (1834)
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/16C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/11A-11ZD – Annual Revisions (1860-1897)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/1A-1B – Annual Revisions (1897-1929)
11. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
12. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/14 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
13. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Londonderry (1837)
14. Ulster Town Directories (1843-1943)
15. Derry Almanac (1878-1953)
16. First Survey Record – HB01/19/034 (1970)
17. First Survey Image – HB01/19/034 (1977)
18. NIEA Pink Files – HB01/19/034
19. Foyle Civic Trust Living City Project – Shipquay Street

Secondary Sources
1. Calley, D., ‘City of Derry: An historical gazetteer to the buildings of Londonderry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013 – including Corporation Map of Londonderry (1857).
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.
3. Hume, J., ‘Derry beyond the walls: Social and economic aspects of the growth of Derry 1825-1850’ Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002.
4. Rowan, A. J., ‘The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster’ London: Yale University Press, 2003.
5. ‘A design guide for the Historic City Conservation Area Londonderry’ Belfast: Department of the Environment, 2012.

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
R. Age
U. Historic Associations
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Early-Georgian eight-bay three-storey double-pile over-basement red brick former Custom House built 1741, located on the east side of Shipquay Street, a steep hill which runs between The Diamond and Shipquay Gate within the historic city walls. It continued its function as a Custom House until c.1809 and was subsequently converted into a wine and spirit store. The present building is the earliest to be built of three red brick Georgian houses of similar scale within the City Walls, including the former Convent of Mercy on Pump Street (HB01/19/067A-C) and the Deanery on Bishop Street (HB01/19/004); No’s.31-33 Shipquay Street is of great importance, built just 50 years after the Siege of 1689. It is the finest example of Georgian architecture remaining within the Historic City Walls. The front facade exhibits great rhythm and symmetry, typical characteristics of fine unadorned Georgian architecture. Of particular note is the fine decorative door case with moulded lugged surround and a segmental pediment above. The Historic City Conservation Area is much enhanced by its authenticity, rarity and its history as a former Custom House.