16 FLORENCE TERRACE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid-terrace three storey two bay rendered Victorian townhouse, built in 1874-75, (Architect unknown). Rectangular plan form facing South East with a three storey rough-cast return to the rear built at half landing height stepping down to a rendered painted modern single storey extension. Part of a terrace of six buildings situated on the North West side of the Northland Road. No's 12-20 were constructed at an earlier date than No.10 Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008A) which was constructed in 1890, however are similar in form and style.

Pitched natural slate roof has black clay ridge tiles with a small semi-circular dormer centred on elevation and a large two-stage brick chimney stack with buff clay pots. Timber fascia boards and moulded soffit with paired block modillions; half-round cast-iron guttering and circular cast-iron downpipes to front elevation.

The front elevation has a single storey three sided canted bay to the right hand side of the entrance door with segmental arched headed windows, moulded panels below moulded sill-course, and moulded string-course above windows with a deep moulded cornice and parapet above. All windows are 1/1 double hung timber sliding sashes with moulded horns; upper floor windows have moulded architraves with stop blocks on sills and keystones to first floor windows; four-steps up to a recessed segmental arched headed door opening with a low painted concrete wall to the either side of steps; door case contains a pair of two panel timber doors flanked by decorative corbel brackets on plain pilasters to either side supporting a deep moulded cornice and plain fanlight over.

South West and North East sides are adjoined to neighbouring properties No.14 and No.18 Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008C and HB01/22/008E).

The rear elevation is of smooth render with an unpainted finish and a three storey rough-cast return built at half-landing height; square headed windows to rear elevation (where seen) having a 1/1 timber sliding sash on first floor and a 2/2 of the same to second floor level and a small roof light to the rear of the main roof; cast-iron rainwater goods to rear elevation and rear return.

Rear return is of rough-cast render to the North West elevation and smooth render to the North East elevation both with an unpainted finish; window openings are square headed having a uPVC casement window on first and second floors to the North West elevation; NW elevation at ground floor level is abutted by a modern single storey extension with timber casement windows and a half-hipped slate roof. Rear return has a pitched slate roof with black ridge tiles.

Setting:
Located on the North West side of the Northland Road, with a small garden to the front enclosed by a low painted timber fence and a tall hedge above. Front elevation faces South East overlooking Magee University and the River Foyle beyond.

Roof Natural Slate
RWGs Cast-iron
Walling Painted Render
Windows Timber Sliding Sash / PVC to rear return

Historical information

No. 16 Florence Terrace, a three-storey two-bay building possessing a dormer window and a ground floor bay window, was constructed in 1874-75. The house is part of a terrace of five identical structures (the adjoining No. 10 Florence Terrace was constructed in 1890). 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).

Nos 12-20 Florence Terrace was leased by James Caldwell, a local tea merchant whose business, J. Caldwell & Co. operated from premises on the Strand Road. The terrace was first depicted on the c. 1873-1910 Annual Revisions Town Plan of Londonderry which depicted the row along its current layout (with each building possessing its current rear return) suggesting that few structural changes have been made to the houses since they were erected. The architect of the terrace is not known. The adjoining 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).

The Annual Revisions records that No. 16 Florence Terrace was constructed between 1874 and 1875 and was originally valued at £33. The first occupant of the house was a Mr. John Cockburn but by 1911 the property was occupied by a Dr. James H. Ferguson. In 1901 the census building return described No. 16 Florence Terrace as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 11 rooms and possessed a coal house as its sole out office. The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) recorded that the terrace was owned by the McFarland family of Aberfoyle House (HB01/22/007) whilst the value of No. 16 Florence Terrace had been increased to £32. By the 1930s the house was occupied by James A. Piggot, a local company director. Piggot died in 1961 at which time the house passed to a Mr. Maurice C. Barr who remained at the address until at least the 1970s (PRONI Wills). By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the value of the house remained at £32.

No. 16 Florence Terrace was listed in 1979. The NIEA HB Records note that the building underwent a renovation shortly after its listing that included the overhaul of its roof, the replacement of its rainwater goods and the installation of a modern dormer window. The house 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. PRONI Wills Catalogue (3 Nov 1904; 3 Aug 1956)
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 – HB01/22/008D

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: Coleraine 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

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

Evaluation

A Victorian three-storey two-bay rendered Italianate-style mid-terraced house built in 1874-75 and located on the west side of Northland Road to the west of the River Foyle in Londonderry. The exterior has retained much of its historic character, style and proportions including decorative corbel brackets on plain pilasters to either side of the front door, with a deep moulded cornice and plain fanlight over. No.16 was built part of a terrace row of five houses of similar style and character (Nos 12-20 Florence Terrace HB01/22/008B-F) with which it has group value, as well as having group value with No. 10 (HB01/22/008A) which was built some fifteen years later. The Magee Conservation Area is enhanced by the presence of this terrace.