10 FLORENCE TERRACE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey (over basement) five bay rendered Italianate style end of terrace house, built in 1890 to designs by William Barker. Rectangular plan form facing South East with a large double pile three storey return to the rear abutted by a large modern L-shaped two storey rendered extension. Part of a terrace of six buildings on an elevated site to the North West side of the Northland Road. No.10 was constructed at a later date, and differs in form and style to the adjoining five terraced houses along Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008B-F) which are each similar in style and date from 1875.

Hipped natural slate roof has black clay ridge tiles and four large two-stage brick chimneys with buff or terracotta clay pots. Timber fascia boards and moulded soffit with paired block modillions; cast iron rainwater goods throughout the main house.

The front elevation (SE) has a single storey three sided canted bay to the left of the door opening and a square bay window to the right, both have parapets with cut-outs containing decorative ironwork detailing, deep projecting cornices below and moulded sill-courses; window openings are square headed 1/1 timber sliding sashes to both bays and segmental arched headed with 1/1 double hung timber sash windows with moulded horns to upper floors. The first floor windows have moulded architraves with keystone on a continuous sill-course; continuous moulded string-course between first and second floor windows and diamond cushioned quoins to either end of elevation. The recessed semicircular arched door case has a hood mould with keystone and moulded pilaster to either side with egg-and-dart detailing to archivolt and crown moulding, four concrete steps rising to two-leaf timber doors with diamond raised-and-fielded panels and plain semi-circular fanlight over. Original letter slot to inner porch door.

South West side elevation is rendered painted finish abutted by a painted metal external fire stair; moulded sill-course to first floor windows and a moulded string-course below second floor windows; corner diamond cushioned quoins to either end of main house and rear return; ground and first floor windows have moulded architrave surrounds with keystones; square headed windows on ground floor and segmental arched heads to first and second floor windows; all windows are 1/1 timber sliding sashes; second floor level contains a timber fire door opening out onto a metal external staircase.

The rear elevation (NW) is rendered with square headed window openings having uPVC casement windows (where seen) and a large semicircular arch headed 1/2 timber sliding sash window with horns and coloured glass to upper section with margin panes at second floor half landing level and a small circular window between two right side bays on second floor level. The three storey return has a double pile hipped natural slate roof with black ridge tiles and two brick chimney stacks. Large modern extension to the rear abuts three storey return on ground and first floor level. Rear elevation is abutted by a high stone wall and a square pier to the south end.

North east side of the house adjoins neighbouring No.12 Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008B)

Setting:
Located on the North West side of the Northland Road, the principal entrance to the main house is approached by a short flight of concrete steps with a low concrete wall and pier to either side and an original door case, centred on elevation, facing South East. Front and driveway are of bitmac finish, enclosed by a dwarf wall. Large modern extension abuts rear of building.

Roof Natural Slate
RWGs Cast Iron
Walling Painted Render
Windows Timber Sliding Sash (SE, SW, NW); uPVC casements (NW)

Historical information

No. 10 Florence Terrace, a three-storey late-Victorian building located on the Northland Road, was constructed in 1890. The building was originally utilised as a private dwelling and was constructed to the south west side of the adjoining terrace of five three-storey two-bay houses (nos 12-20 Florence Terrace – HB01/22/008B-F) which were constructed in c. 1875 and owned by a Mr. James Caldwell. The northern expansion of Londonderry had been initiated in the mid-19th century with the construction of Georgian-style terraces on Great James Street, Queen Street and Clarendon Street. Mullin states that Edenballymore and the Northland Road was still rural in character when the Victorian terrace of Crawford Square (HB01/22/003; 004) was constructed in the 1860s-1870s. The expansion of the city was facilitated by a period of economic growth and prosperity that endured from the 1860s until the end of the 19th century. With the opening of Magee College in 1865, a number of new terraced dwellings were constructed in the vicinity including College Terrace (HB01/22/026), Clarence Avenue (HB01/22/006) and Florence Terrace (Mullin, p. 119; Rowan, p. 371).

No. 10 Florence Terrace was designed by William Barker (1851-1898), a local architect and civil engineer. During his short career Barker was responsible for the design of other buildings in the Magee College area including one of the red-brick professor’s residences (HB01/22/009C) on the opposite side of the Northland Road, the Bethany Hall on Park Avenue and the standard design of Aberfoyle Terrace on the Strand Road (HB01/22/014). It is unlikely that Barker was also responsible for the adjoining nos 12-20 Florence Terrace which were constructed before he had established his independent practice in the city (DIA). Calley states that the building originally possessed cast iron railings but these have now been removed (Calley, p. 296).

The Annual Revisions notes that No. 10 Florence Terrace was originally known as ‘Oakfield’ and was first occupied by Marshall Tillie, a local magistrate and son of William Tillie (of Tillie & Henderson). The valuer noted that Oakfield cost £2,000 to construct and, upon its completion, set the total rateable value of the building at £70. Marshall Tillie was also employed as a shirt manufacturer and was a manager at Tillie & Henderson. The 1901 census described his home as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 14 rooms and possessed a coach house to its rear. Tillie had vacated Oakfield by 1911 when the house was occupied by Donald Mackenzie Stewart, a Lieutenant Colonel in His Majesty’s Infantry. The Irish Builder states that Oakfield was converted into an Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in 1926-27 to designs by Buchanan and Reid, an architectural partnership based at No. 6 Shipquay Street (Irish Builder, p. 23; DIA). Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the value of the hospital was increased to £140. This was further raised to £248 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) when the building was described as a ‘special care centre’ administered by the Ministry of Health and Social Services NI.

In 1970 the UAHS guide for Londonderry described No. 10 Florence Terrace as ‘a large three-storey rendered building at the end of a terrace, simply composed with ground-floor bay, variously handled architraves to the windows, string courses and corbels in pairs at the eaves. The windows are grouped in pairs and singly, and the whole is handsome’ (UAHS guide, p. 50). The building was listed in 1979 and continued to be utilised as a care centre until 1990. The NIEA HB Records note that in 1990 No. 10 Florence Terrace was converted to educational and office use for the North West College of Technology. The two-and-three-storey modern educational blocks were constructed to its rear in c. 2005 to increase the accommodation of the building. Florence Terrace was included in the Magee Conservation Area in 2006 (NIEA HB Records; Magee Conservation Area Guide).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI VAL/12/E/157/1/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910)
2. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/11G-11ZA – Annual Revisions (1870-1897)
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/2A-F – Annual Revisions (1898-1931)
4. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
5. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/14 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
6. Irish Builder (8 Jan 1927)
7. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
8. Ulster Town Directories (1877-1918)
9. First Survey Record – HB01/22/008 (1970)
10. First Survey Image – HB01/22/008 (No Date)
11. NIEA HB Records – HB01/22/008A

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. Mullin, T. H., Ulster’s Historic City: Derry – Londonderry’ Coleraine: Coleriane Bookshop, 1986.
4. ‘Design Guide for Magee Conservation Area’ Department of the Environment, 2010.

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A substantial late-Victorian three-storey with basement five-bay Italianate-style end of terrace former house, built in 1890 to designs by William Barker and located on the west side of Northland Road to the west of the River Foyle in Londonderry. It was originally known as ‘Oakfield’ and was first occupied by Marshall Tillie, a local magistrate and son of William Tillie (of Tillie & Henderson). Oakfield was converted into an Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in 1926-27 to designs by Buchanan and Reid. The front facade has retained much historic character such as the recessed semicircular arched doorcase, however the large modern extension to the rear detracts from the historic character. Internally much historic detailing has been retained although the original plan form has been altered. No.10 has group value with the adjoining Nos 12-20 Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008B-F) despite being built at a later date and it forms a distinctive book-end to the terrace. The interesting and varied history of No.10 increases its historical significance and the Magee Conservation Area is enhanced by its presence.