3 Aberfoyle Terrace

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Late-Victorian end-of-terrace two-bay three-storey smooth-rendered painted townhouse, the first to be built in the terrace in c. 1891, to designs by the architect W.A. Barker. The remainder of the terrace was built in stages over a period of two decades and completed in 1911. No.3 is notably different from the others on the terrace, along with No.35, both end-of-terrace houses step up to three-storeys high where as the remainder of the houses are of two-storeys with dormer attic level. The greater part of the terrace is set in Flemish brick bond with contrasting polychromatic dressings, No.3 and No.5 are set apart having smooth-rendered painted finish.

Rectangular on plan with large projecting rear return. Principal elevation faces East onto Strand Road, set behind modern painted steel railings enclosing a concrete paved forecourt. Built as part of a terrace row of seventeen similar houses of this type lining the west side of Strand Road although the end of terrace has a different expression from the main terrace. Slated pitched roof with a large two-stage yellow brick chimney stacks rising from each gable elevation.

Principal elevation (E) is of smooth-rendered painted finish with deep projecting cornice at eaves supported on corbel brackets; canted bay rises through two-storeys from ground floor level with a sill course to ground and first floor windows and a slightly projecting moulded cornice; segmental arch-headed window openings to canted bay and second floor level, square-headed opening with moulded surround to first floor window above door opening; all windows are 2/2 timber sliding sashes,that to first floor left side has moulded surround, sill course and shoulder course to second floor windows. Semicircular arch-headed opening to entrance doorway, two steps up with moulded surround, flying keystone and plain pilasters either side of a pair of painted three-panel fielded timber doors, constructed as one, and plain fanlight above.

North elevation is cement rendered unpainted finish with a single 1/1 timber sliding sash window on first floor level to left side and a single window opening to right side of ground floor (window not visible from street at time of survey).

South side is abutted by adjoining building No.5 Aberfoyle Terrace (HB01/22/014B).

West elevation to the rear is three-storeys of cement rendered unpainted finished, abutted by a single storey unpainted cement rendered extension with a slated half-hipped roof spanning across the width of the site connecting with rear extension to No. 5 next door. The fenestration pattern is irregular with 1/1 timber sliding sash to rear elevation and casements to rear extension.

Pitched slate roof has terracotta clay ridge tiles to main roof, black clay ridge tiles to rear extension. Large yellow brick chimney stack rising from the North and South side, centred on ridge with terracotta circular clay pots to each. Cast-iron guttering and circular downpipe to front.

Setting:
Aberfoyle Terrace is located on the western side of Strand Road, situated to the immediate north of Derry city centre. Magee College (University of Ulster) is located at high level to the immediate rear (west) of the terrace. No.3 is the first house in the terrace, at the north end. It is within the Magee Conservation Area. The River Foyle is located to the east.

Materials:
Roof: Natural Slate
RWG : Cast Iron
Walling : Smooth-rendered (brick chimneys)
Windows : Timber Sliding Sash

Historical information

Aberfoyle Terrace, a terrace of seventeen red brick houses located along the Strand Road, was erected in stages over a period of two decades. The UAHS guide for Derry suggests that the terrace was constructed in c. 1902 but the first dwelling on the row was actually constructed in 1891 with the final houses being completed in 1911. The northern expansion of Londonderry had been initiated in the mid-19th century by the construction of Georgian-style terraces on Great James Street, Queen Street and Clarendon Street. These were followed by the residential terraces of Crawford Square (HB01/22/003; 004) and De Burgh Terrace (HB01/22/025). By the end of the 19th century the northern expansion of the city had reached the campus of Magee University (HB01/22/009) which had been incorporated into the Royal University of Ireland in 1879. The development of the university campus was accompanied by the erection of new red brick terraces at Clarence Avenue (HB01/22/006), College Terrace (HB01/22/026) and Aberfoyle Terrace.

The Annual Revisions note that nos 3-35 Aberfoyle Terrace were constructed on land belonging to John McFarland, a local magistrate and engineer who resided at Aberfoyle House on the hill overlooking Strand Road (HB01/22/007). The terrace was designed by William A. Barker (1851-1898), a local architect and engineer who was involved in the development of the university area in the 1890s. Barker was also responsible for the design of Florence Terrace (HB01/22/008) on the Northland Road, a Professor’s House within Magee Campus and ‘was associated with the layout of Foyle College grounds for building purposes’ (HB01/22/016). Barker was responsible for the standard design of the houses on Aberfoyle Terrace but by the time of his death in 1898 only half of the current terrace had been completed (DIA; UAHS, p. 50). The Annual Revisions note that the terrace was originally known as Templemore Terrace but the name was changed to Aberfoyle in c. 1903, the name derived from Aberfoyle House directly above the Strand Road.

No. 3 Aberfoyle Terrace was constructed in 1891 and was the first building to be constructed along the row. It is a three-storey structure that notably differs from the rest of the buildings on the terrace which are predominantly two-and-a-half-storey two-bay houses. The Annual Revisions record that No. 3 Aberfoyle Terrace was originally valued at £20. The valuer noted that the building was constructed at a cost of £300 and that the first occupant was a Mr Philip McLaughlin who was employed as a post office clerk. The 1901 Census described McLaughlin’s house as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of ten rooms and possessed a shed as its sole outbuilding. The McFarland estate retained ownership of the terrace until at least the 1970s. In 1946 No. 3 Aberfoyle Terrace was occupied by a Dr Denis Cavanagh who converted the house into a medical surgery (the building has remained in medical use since the 1940s). The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) recorded the value of No. 3 Aberfoyle Terrace at £30. In 1965 the medical surgery was expanded into the adjoining building. The ground floor of No. 5 Aberfoyle Terrace was utilised by the medical practice whilst its upper floors were converted into a number of self-contained flats. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the joint value of nos 3-5 Aberfoyle Terrace had been increased to £107.

In 1970 the UAHS guide for Derry described nos 3-35 Aberfoyle Terrace as ‘a pleasing terrace of two-storey houses with half dormers, each house with a ground floor half-hexagonal bay window in yellow brick. The whole terrace is in red brick with brick reveals, and dressings in yellow brick. The end houses (No. 3 and No. 35) are a little higher than the rest’ (UAHS guide, p. 50). Nos 3-35 Aberfoyle Terrace were listed in 1979 and were incorporated into the Magee Conservation Area in 2006. The NIEA HB Records note that a single-storey extension (utilised as a waiting area) was added to the rear of nos 3-5 Aberfoyle Terrace in 1990 and that the roof of No. 3 was reslated in red ridge slates in 1993 (NIEA HB Records).

The Conservation Guide for the area identified Aberfoyle Terrace as one of five zones of distinct character within the Magee Conservation Area. The guide noted that the terrace was ‘quite disconnected’ from the rest of the Conservation Area and appears isolated on the Strand Road: ‘The ambiance surrounding Aberfoyle Terrace has changed out of all recognition from the days when it was home to families and would have looked onto a somewhat different Strand Road. Today the terrace overlooks heavy flows of fast moving traffic on the four lane Strand Road’ (Magee Conservation Area Design Guide).

References

Primary Sources
1.OS Town Plan Londonderry (1908)
2. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/11T – Annual Revisions (1885-1891)
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. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
7. Ulster Town Directories (1980-1918)
8. First Survey Record – HB01/22/014 (1970)
9. First Survey Image – HB01/22/014 (No Date)
10. NIEA HB Records – HB01/22/014A

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Three-storey end-of-terrace rendered and painted townhouse, located on the west side of Strand Road overlooking the River Foyle close to the University of Ulster. This was the first to be built in the terrace of seventeen in c.1891, to designs by the architect W.A. Barker (1851-1898), a local architect and engineer who was involved in the development of the university area in the 1890s. The remainder of the terrace was built in stages over a period of two decades and completed in 1911. Some historic detailing survives internally and the front facade retains historic detailing such as moulded plaster ornamentation to the deep projecting eaves cornice supported on corbel brackets. The external form provides a book-end to the terrace along with the corresponding No.35 at the south end. No's 3-35 Aberfoyle Terrace (HB01/22/014A-Q) have group value and the Magee Conservation Area is enhanced by their Late-Victorian and Edwardian detailing and form.