22 Pump Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Substantial four storey late Georgian terrace house of c.1800 with stucco façade and simple door case. The property is set on the SE side of the narrow Pump Street, close to Londonderry city centre.

The asymmetric front elevation faces NW. To the right hand side of the ground floor level is the front entrance which consists of a panelled timber door with boarded over fanlight (cast iron spiders web fanlight has been removed singe original listing) and simple moulded timber jambs topped with a simple panelled timber ‘entablature’. [This doorway looks like a recent replacement.] A short flight of stone steps (with rendered side wall) lead to the doorway. To the left of the doorway are two windows with recent frames with security grills over. To far left (and set at street level) is a plain timber sheeted door set within a segmented arch headed doorway- this leads into a narrow passage linking to the rear of the building.

To the first floor are three windows with 6/6 Georgian sash frames. To the second floor are three similar but slightly shorter windows, whilst to the third floor are three even shorter windows (3/3). To basement level the former window opening has been blocked up and its lightwell largely filled in (the window reveal remains however- as well as its security bars). The front elevation is rendered and painted. The basement level is treated as a plinth. Patress plate at third floor level.

The rear elevation is actually a gable. To left at ground floor level at the rear is a doorway with partly glazed door. To left of this is what appears to have been a small window opening, now boarded over. To right of the doorway is a window (set at a slightly higher level) with recent frame. Directly under this window is a large basement lightwell [or ‘area’ to use a contemporary Georgian term] with the basement window now boarded up. To far right is the rear end of the narrow side passage (see above).

To far left, roughly above the doorway, there are three levels of stairwell (i.e. half-landing) windows. The uppermost window retains a sash frame (with 3 panes to the bottom sash only), whilst the lower two windows have recent frames. Roughly to the centre of the elevation (directly above the ground floor window) there is a very small window to each of the upper floors. Just to the right of each of these windows is a much larger window, reducing in size the higher the floor. The first and second floor windows have sash frames (but with 6/6 Georgian panes to the second floor window only), with a modern recent frame to the third floor window. The rear elevation is finished in plain unpainted render. Marks indicate the location of a previous structure as a return. Cracking on this façade can be traced along most of its height. It is in poor condition.

Unusually for a terraced house the roof of the property is hipped and is thus structurally independent of neighbouring buildings. It is made of natural slate. There is a small cast iron roof light to the east.

The narrow side passage is brick lined. What appears to be rooms or cupboards belonging to the neighbouring property are in fact the deep chimneys of this building spaning over the passage, resulting in an unusual multi-level ceiling. They are supported on timber beams. Below this level the brick type changes (suggestive of earlier construction?). Next to the steps leading to the door of the neighbouring property to NE a cannon (undoubtedly one of those taken from the city walls) has been placed end up into the ground and now acts as a de facto bollard, protecting the edge of the wall next to it.

To rear is a yard enclosed by a tall brick wall. Marks to the wall suggests that the yard once possessed some outbuildings (this is borne out by the 19th and early 20th century valuation records).

Historical information

Pump Street is shown completely developed on Francis Nevill’s map of 1690. However, Alistair Rowan states that the street assumed its present form around c.1800. Judging from the late Georgian appearance of many buildings within it this would appear to be the case. Unfortunately the 1830s valuation records relating to the street are currently missing (Dec 2001), however a transcription of the valuation held at PRONI tells us that the property on this site in 1838 possessed the (relatively high) rateable value of £26-14-0, suggesting that the present building was standing at that stage. The second valuation of 1856-7 bears this out, giving dimensions the same as those of today The extant detailing to the interior of the property suggests a late 18th century or early 19th century date of construction, fitting in with Rowan’s view of the street as a whole. However because of the history of the street and the difference noted in brick under the arch, the survival of parts of an earlier construction cannot be discounted.

The valuation records for the remainder of the 1800s and the early 1900s do not mention any significant change to the building, however in recent years [c.1980s] the building was subdivided into flats / apartments, and some sheds / outbuildings to the rear have been removed.

The occupant is listed in the 1838 valuation as one William Doherty, with a James Greer in residence in 1856-7.

References- Primary sources
1 Francis Neville’s map of The Siege of Derry, 1690, reprinted in ‘Siege City- The story of Derry and Londonderry’ by Brian Lacy (Belfast, 1988), p.119
2 Map of Londonderry in 1788, reprinted in ‘Siege City- The story of Derry and Londonderry’ by Brian Lacy (Belfast, 1988), p.153
3 PRONI VAL/1B/547b First valuation, Londonderry city, c.1835-38 [Currently missing- part of the valuation dating from 1838 is transcribed with the valuation catalogue in the Search Room at PRONI.]
4 PRONI VAL/1D/5/9a-d First valuation plans of Londonderry, c.1838
5 PRONI VAL/2B/5/16d Second valuation notebook, Londonderry city, 1856-7
6 PRONI VAL/2D/14b Second valuation plans of Londonderry, 1856-7 [This map is in poor condition.]
7 PRONI VAL/12B/11a-zd Annual valuation revision notebooks, Londonderry city, 1860-97
8 PRONI VAL/12B/33/1a-5c Annual valuation revision notebooks, Londonderry city, 1897-1929

Secondary sources
1 Alistair Rowan, ‘The buildings of Ireland- North west Ulster (Penguin, 1979), pp.369, 396
2 Brian Lacy, ‘Siege city- The story of Derry and Londonderry’ (Belfast, 1988)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Substantial four storey late Georgian terrace house of c.1800 with stucco façade and simple doorcase.