St. Columba's Church Parish Offices

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Asymmetrical multi-bay four-storey over concealed basement stucco-fronted former convent, dated 1900, with a full-height pedimented bay window. Rectangular on plan, facing west, lining the east side of Pump Street with balustraded front area. Extensively refurbished c.1995.

Roof not visible from the street with plastic rainwater goods visible to the rear. Painted stuccoed walling with deep moulded crown cornice, diamond-faced and paneled soldier quoins and channel-rusticated ground floor topped by a continuous cornice. Square-headed window openings with decorative moulded surrounds, painted masonry sills and original single-pane timber sash windows.

Front elevation is three windows wide abutted by a full-height three-sided canted bay window surmounted by a pedimented oriel window. Lugged-and-kneed architrave surrounds to the third floor with keystones. Kneed architrave surrounds with pediments to the first and second floor windows. The bay window is surmounted by a pediment embellished with a Celtic cross with paired windows to the third floor. The second floor has an elaborate swan-neck pediment framing a shield with digits “1900”. The first floor has a simple triangular pediment and framed by Ionic pilasters with a bipartite timber sash window. A round-headed door opening houses a diamone-panelled timber door and plain fanlight with decorative archivolt, keystone, spandrels and flanked by fluted pilasters supporting an advanced cornice. The door opens onto paved front area enclosed by balustraded wall and an iron gate to the street.

North side elevation abutted by adjoining building No.16 (HB01/19/067B).

Cement rendered rear elevation abutted by a full-height stairhall projection. Largely replacement single-pane timber sash windows with a round-headed window at first half-landing level and a Venetian window opening at second half-landing level, glazed with leaded coloured windows and storm glazing.

Roof Not visible
RWG Plastic
Walling Painted stucco
Windows Original timber sash

Setting:
Prominent amongst a terrace of Georgian townhouses facing North West on Pump Street, this stucco-fronted building dominates this stretch of the street.

Historical information

The former Convent of Mercy on Pump Street consists of three buildings. The three-storey seven-bay block at nos 10-14 (HB01/19/067A) was constructed in 1780 as a hotel. No. 16 Pump Street, a four-storey-over-basement four-bay structure (HB01/19/067B), was erected in the early-19th century whilst No. 18, a four-storey three-bay building was constructed in 1900. All three buildings were acquired by the Convent of Mercy between 1848 and 1927 and continued to be occupied by the religious institute until 2005. The street was first known as Pump Street in c. 1630 due to the presence of the town’s pump in the immediate vicinity. Calley states that ‘it is a fine street [which] was the haunt of doctors, dentists, nuns, newspapers, lady tailors and others.’ Nos 10-14 Pump Street is the earliest surviving building along the street (Calley, p. 311).

The valuation sources and a datestone at No. 18 Pump Street record that the four-storey building was constructed in 1900. The valuation maps of 1873 and 1899 show that the plot had originally been occupied by two smaller structures in the late-19th century. It is not known if No. 18 Pump Street replaced, or was substantially remodelled from, these two buildings. The Annual Revisions notes that one of the earlier houses was owned and occupied by Dr Joseph E. Miller and valued at £25. Dr Miller carried out the 1900 reconstruction of the houses which raised the value of the site to £71. The 1911 Census described the newly refurbished No. 18 Pump Street as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 10 rooms. Dr Miller continued to reside at the property until his death in 1923 (PRONI Wills). In 1927 the former house was acquired by the adjoining Sisters of Mercy who expanded their school and convent into the building. The total rateable value of the Convent of Mercy at nos 10-18 Pump Street was raised to £440 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935). The convent school continued to operate from the premises on Pump Street until 1929 when new premises were acquired at Thornhill House. The school was transferred to Thornhill in 1932 whilst Nos 10-18 Pump Street were retained by the Sisters of Mercy as a convent. The value of the convent was slightly increased to £528 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72).

The Convent of Mercy became part of the Historic City Conservation Area in 1977 and was listed category B in 1979. The NIEA HB Records note that the Inner City Trust acquired the building in 1993 and subsequently carried out renovations. The three-storey annex to the rear of the convent was demolished in 1994 whilst alterations were undertaken in 1995 in order to provide additional accommodation space for the order. The total cost of the renovation was estimated at £1.7 million. The Sisters of Mercy finally vacated the convent on Pump Street in 2005 after which point No. 18 Pump Street was acquired by Long Tower Parish and converted into a Parochial House and parish offices. The Derry Journal records that the former hotel and convent was converted into commercial premises for Bedlam, a vintage and antique curiosity ship, which occupied the premises in 2011. No. 18 Pump Street continues to be utilised by Long Tower Parish. The First Survey Image of No. 18 Pump Street records that the current pediment atop the four-storey projecting bay was not added until after 1975 (NIEA HB Records; Derry Journal).

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/157/1/14 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/1A-1B – Annual Revisions (1898-1929)
5. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
6. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/14 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
7. Ulster Town Directories (1852-1918)
8. Census of Ireland (1911)
9. PRONI Wills Catalogue (12 Jul 1923)
10. First Survey Record – HB01/19/067 (1970)
11. First Survey Image – HB01/19/067 (1975)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB01/19/067
13. Foyle Civic Trust – Living City Project (Pump Street – including 1899 Town Plan of Londonderry)
14. Derry Journal (13 Nov 2011)

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.
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.'Londonderry Historic City Conservation Area Booklet’ Department of the Environment, 1977.
6.'A Design Guide for the Historic City Conservation Area’ Department of the Environment, 2012.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Asymmetrical multi-bay four-storey over concealed basement stucco-fronted former convent with a full-height pedimented bay window, dated 1900. Originally dwellings and later acquired by the Convent of Mercy as part of their school on Artillery Street (HB 01/19/064) before becoming part of the Convent. Despite the loss of some internal fabric, the overall composition and external detailing remains intact and retains its residential character on this once prestigious street. It has significant group value and interest with 10-14 & 16 Pump Street (HB01/19/067A & B), previously all under ownership of the Convent of Mercy. The survival of the ballustrade to the front of No.18 adds historic character.