28 PUMP ST.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Late-Georgian end-of-terrace two-bay four storey over basement rendered double-pile townhouse with a three-storey projecting rear extension. Built pre 1830, together with No.26, as a pair of double-pile houses situated within a terrace row of similar houses of this type lining the east side of Pump Street. Principal elevation faces northwest onto Pump Street, set behind a low rendered painted wall with cast-iron railings above. South facing double pile gable end elevation onto London Street within the Cathedral Quarter Area of the Historic Walled City. Natural slate to main pitched roof with a large chimney stack rising from gable end on north side with six circular buff clay pots.

Principal elevation (north-west) is of smooth-rendered painted finish chamfered corner on gable end; all window openings are square-headed on masonry sills, window bays on ground floor have moulded surround with a 6/1 and 6/6 timber sliding sash to the left of a recessed semicircular arched entrance door opening. The entrance is raised three-steps above pavement level and has a moulded surround and entablature flanked by recessed quarter columns of the Doric order on plinth blocks with a six-panel timber painted door having plain glazed fanlight above. 6/6 timber sliding sash windows to upper floors and casement windows to basement level. Natural slate finish to double-pile pitched roof with cast-iron rainwater goods.

North-east side is adjoined to neighbouring property No.26 Pump Street (HB01.19.068F).

South-west elevation is a double-pile gable end facing onto London Street and is of four storeys with a high boundary wall to the rear, smooth-rendered painted finish, blank facade with a wall mounted lantern on a decorative metal bracket at first floor level and cast-iron rainwater goods.

South-east elevation to the rear is of red brick, four-storeys abutted by a three-storey red brick extension with a slated pitched roof built at half-landing height and small yard. The rear return abuts the Synod Hall (HB01.19.065). The fenestration pattern is irregular with both timber sliding sash and casement windows throughout. The top storey window is 6/6 timber sliding sash of diminished scale. Slate pitched roof to three storey rear extension with uPVC rainwater goods.

Materials:
Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron and uPVC
Walling Render & Brick
Windows Timber Sliding Sash and Casements

Setting:
Located on the north-west side to the upper section of Pump Street and overlooking St. Columb's Cathedral and Churchyard to the rear. No.28 Pump Street is an end terrace with gable end facing onto London Street. Built as a pair with No.26 Pump Street, set within a long a terrace row of houses of similar type stepping down the hill towards the Foyle river, within the Cathedral Quarter Area and of the Historic City Conservation Area.

Historical information

Pump Street, extending from Ferryquay Street towards St. Columb’s Cathedral, is predominantly characterised by its late-Georgian buildings but the street itself likely dates from the laying out of the walled city in the early-17th century. Both Nicholas Pynnar’s plan (1618-19) and Thomas Raven’s maps of Londonderry (1622; 1625) depicted a street in the southeast quadrant of the new city extending off from Gracious Street (Ferryquay Street) that occupied the exact current layout of Pump Street. These early maps were intended as proposals with many of the buildings depicted on them not being constructed until later. However the plans did accurately reproduce the current geometric pattern of the city, suggesting that side streets such as London Street, Castle Street and Pump Street were also laid out in the early-17th century. Pump Street was first named on Francis Nevill’s 1690 plan of the siege of Derry (but Calley states that the street was named after the town’s pump in c. 1630). The map, which is very accurate in its depiction of Londonderry’s streets and buildings (such as the Cathedral, Magazine and Market House) shows that buildings had been constructed on both sides of Pump Street by the late-17th century.

No traces of Plantation houses have been found within the city walls. The earliest building on Pump Street is the Convent of Mercy (HB01/19/067A) which was built in 1780 as the King’s Arms Hotel (OSM, p. 118). Pump Street was largely redeveloped in the late-Georgian period with many of its current buildings dating from c. 1800. Until recent decades Pump Street was predominantly domestic in character and during the 19th century many merchants operated their businesses from their homes leading one commentator to describe Pump Street as ‘a fine street [that] was the haunt of doctors, dentists, nuns, newspapers, lady tailors and others’ (Calley, p. 311). Even after the city’s merchant and professional characters began to move out of the walled city towards the new terraced streets in Edenballymore in the mid-19th century, Pump Street retained its residential character and ‘by 1856 therefore it was still a street in which the nobility and gentry resided’ (Hume, pp 9-10).

No. 28 Pump Street, a four-storey two-bay double-pile building, was originally constructed prior to 1830 along with the adjoining No. 26. The Townland Valuations (1832) record that the dwelling was occupied by a Dr. Rogan and was described as a class 1b building (that is a slated building of medium age that was slightly decayed, but still in good repair). The valuer recorded the dimensions of the building at 20.9 feet in width, 33 feet in depth and 39 feet in height. The house included a stable to rear (depicted on the 1834 map but now demolished) and was valued at £45 and 2 shillings.

Griffith’s Valuation records that nos 26-28 Pump Street were leased by the Court of Chancery in 1856. The valuer decreased the value of the building to £32 and noted that it was occupied by Thomas H. Babington, a member of Londonderry Corporation who was also employed as a physician at the County and City Infirmary and Fever Hospital in Edenballymore (UTD). Babington continued to occupy No. 28 Pump Street until his death in 1869 when a Dr. Joseph McCloskey took possession of the building. Over the next century No. 28 Pump Street was occupied by a number of doctors and dentists who utilised the building as their private dwelling and in 1871 ownership of the house was acquired by the local merchant firm of J. & J. Cooke. The valuation sources note that the Cooke family continued to own the property until at least the 1970s.

In 1884 No. 28 Pump Street was occupied by Dr. David J. Browne who remained there until c. 1920. The 1899 Valuation Map of Londonderry depicted the building along its current layout and also depicted the building’s three-storey rear return. The contemporary 1901 Census of Ireland described No. 28 Pump Street as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 13 rooms. By the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the house had been increased in value to £34 and was occupied by Dr. Denis J. Cavanagh. In 1946 the house passed to a Dr. J. Cosgrave who remained at the address until at least 1972. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the value of No. 28 Pump Street had risen to £57.

No. 28 Pump Street was included in the Historic City Conservation Area in 1977 and was subsequently listed in 1979. The dwelling was converted into self-contained apartments in the late-20th century. Photographs of the house (dated c. 1975) show that few changes to its façade have been made since it was listed (Calley, p.323; Foyle Civic Trust). During the Second Survey No. 28 Pump Street continued to be utilised as flats.

References

Primary Sources
1. Pynnar’s plan of the Walled City (1618-19)
2. Thomas Raven’s plans of Londonderry (1622; 1625)
3. Franic Nevill’s plan of the Siege of Derry (1690)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/20/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1830)
5. PRONI OS/6/5/20/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1853)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/157/1/14 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910)
7. PRONI VAL/1/B/547E – Townland Valuations (1832)
8. PRONI VAL/1/D/5/9B – Townland Valuation Town Plan (1834)
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/16D – Griffith’s Valuation (1856)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/11A-11ZD – Annual Revisions (1860-1897)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/1A-1B – Annual Revisions (1898-1929)
12. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
13. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/14 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
14. Ordnance Survey Memoir of Parish of Templemore (1837)
15. Ulster Town Directories (1852-1918)
16. Derry Almanac (1876-1953)
17. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
18. PRONI Wills Catalogue (2 Aug 1869)
19. First Survey Record – HB01/19/068 (1970)
20. First Survey Image – HB01/19/068 (No Date)
21. NIEA HB Records – HB01/19/068G (Missing)
22. Foyle Civic Trust – Living City Project (Pump Street – including 1899 Valuation Map of Londonderry)

Secondary Sources
1. Calley, D., ‘City of Derry: An historical gazetteer to the buildings of Londonderry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013 – including Londonderry Corporaton Map (1857).
2. Hume, J., ‘Derry beyond the walls: Social and economic aspects of the growth of Derry 1825-1850’ Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002.
3. Lacey, B., ‘Siege city: The story of Derry and Londonderry’ Belfast: The Blackstaff Press, 1990.
4. Ó Baoill, R., ‘Island city: The archaeology of Derry – Londonderry’ Belfast: Northern Ireland Environment Agency, 2013.
5. Rowan, A. J., ‘The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster’ London: Yale University Press, 2003.
6. ‘Londonderry Historic City Conservation Area Booklet’ Department of the Environment, 1977.
7. ‘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
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Late-Georgian end-of-terrace four-storey over basement two-bay rendered double-pile townhouse, built pre 1830. No.28 was built as a pair with No.28 and is located on the east side of Pump Street amidst elegant rows of similar terraced buildings within its immediate setting of the Historic City Conservation Area. Despite replacement casement windows and uPVC rainwater goods to the rear, it retains the rigour and simplicity of style and proportion that characterises Georgian architecture. This quality is shared by the adjoining terrace at No.22 – 26 (HB01.19.068 D, E & F) with which it has group value, making it a fine example of its period. The terrace is one of the few to retain its residential character within the Walled City, and the original low wall and railings to the front of No.28 further enhance the quality of its setting.