Boating Club

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached two-storey smooth rendered Italianate-style former boating club. Built 1868 to designs of John Guy Ferguson. Rectangular plan form with a Campanile tower to the south-east corner. Principal gabled elevation faces East, located adjacent to Queens Quay Roundabout accessed off Boating Club Lane, overlooking the River Foyle.

Pitched natural slate roof to original building on east side; artificial slates to two-storey building to west side. Small ventilation tower to main roof with slate clad dormer vent to north side of two storey roof.

Front east gable elevation is of smooth render painted finish with central double timber sheeted doors with moulded surround shouldered opening below first floor venetian window with replacement windows and french double doors and cast iron balcony, flanked by plain pilasters with decorative plasterwork containing anchors above. Rope twist moulding below prominent scrolled brackets supporting an overhanging roof with an applied timber name and date banner above the window. Three stage Campanile tower set back from elevation with two round arch-headed windows with decorative plaster moulding to top stage to each face, vermiculated key stones and scroll brackets below decorative natural slate roof with cast iron metalwork and rolled lead detail to hipped roof. Lower section of slates are scalloped. Middle stage of tower has three vertical rectangular-headed slit windows with chamfered reveals within shallow recess. Replacement timber casement windows and original cast iron rain water goods.

South elevation has smooth render painted finish with two storey original building to the right side abutting larger two storey modern storage building, both with pitched roofs. The original building has a symmetrical fenestration pattern with three circular wagon wheel 8 pane timber framed windows aligned with segmental arch-headed timber windows to first floor level. Three-light window to both ground and first floors central on elevation with timber sheeted door to left side with rope plaster string mould at mid-height of circular windows. Continuous wall mounted retractable awning fixed below first floor plaster cill course. Natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles and small modern square ventilation chimney mid ridge; replacement upvc half round gutter fixed to timber fascia, terminating at cast iron downpipe to east side of elevation. Modern storage building to west has fibre-cement slate pitched roof with large glazed entrance screen to right, with wall mounted retractable awning set within slightly projecting granite frame; two small casement windows close to eaves level either side of double timber sheeted doors to first floor level; 6 no. modern light units fixed to wall below eaves level. Timber sheeted gate to left side with small yard behind containing fire escape staircase from first floor level.

West elevation of modern building to the rear is of smooth render painted finish with fire escape door at half landing level to left and square headed timber casement window to first floor level to right. Painted timber fascia board to eaves.

North elevation is of smooth render painted finish, left side having large container unit at ground level; 5 no. arch-headed timber casement windows to first floor level; right building having single square headed timber casement window central on elevation at first floor level; small slate clad ventilation dormer at eaves level to left side.

Setting:
Located on the North east side of Boating Club Lane. Principal gabled elevation faces East, located adjacent to Queens Quay Roundabout accessed off Boating Club Lane, overlooking the River Foyle.

Materials:
Roof Natural Slate/ fibre cement slate
RWG Cast-iron / upvc
Walling Smooth render painted
Windows Timber Casements

Historical information

No. 28 Boating Club Lane, a two-storey Italianate building (with Campanile tower to its south-east corner) was constructed in 1868 as a clubhouse for the City of Derry Boating Club (originally formed in February 1861). The Londonderry Sentinel notes that the current plot of land was acquired from the estate of Samuel L. Crawford (of Milltown House – HB01/12/008) who had also provided the plot of land for Crawford Square. The construction of the boating club was funded through subscription gathered from prominent local business men (such as a £25 subscription from Bartholomew McCorkell – the club President). With the aid of The Honourable The Irish Society a sum of £800 was raised for the project. The building committee formed to approve a design for the new building accepted plans by John Guy Ferguson (also a member of the club) with Alexander McElwee contracted as builder.

One of Londonderry’s most prominent architects, Ferguson (c. 1830-1901) was a partner in the practise of Frazer, Ferguson & Frazer in 1861 and was appointed architect to the Church of Ireland diocese of Derry and Raphoe in 1868. Ferguson designed many of Londonderry’s best known buildings including St. Augustine’s Church (HB01/19/012), the Apprentice Boy’s Memorial Hall (HB01/19/011), the expansion of St. Columb’s Cathedral (HB01/19/001) and the design of the first Guildhall (HB01/19/038). The Italianate style of the City of Derry Boating Club is similar to the contemporary nos 1-2 Crawford Square which Ferguson had designed in 1865. Construction of the boating club commenced in 1867 and was completed in the following year after a cost of £500 (Irish Builder, p. 250; DIA).

In March 1868 (during construction), the Londonderry Sentinel described the building as ‘a splendid club-house, which is not surpassed by any Rowing Club in the Kingdom. When completed for the approaching season we shall have a fine club-room to meet in, cool and airy dressing rooms, a fine gymnasium, and other conveniences. A proper landing stage is to be erected, and, our club having a superior fleet of boats, our advantages are numerous.’ The completed club house was first included in the Annual Revisions in 1868. The valuer noted that the club rooms were located in the upper floor of the building whilst the ground floor was utilised as a store and boathouse. The building measured 22 yards by 8 yards and was valued at £15. The club house was recorded on the third edition Ordnance Survey map (1904-05) which depicted it along its current layout (the two-storey extension to the rear of the building was not added until the late-20th century to provide additional storage space).

The City of Derry Boating Club remained popular into the mid-20th century. In 1924, the Londonderry rowing team famously defeated the Australian Olympic team during their visit to the city following the Paris Olympics. The Belfast Telegraph records that the building fell out of use following the Second World War (Belfast Telegraph). The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) records that the City of Derry Boating Club vacated the site in c. 1948 when the building was converted into a warehouse and stores for Samuel Orr & Sons. In 1956 the former boathouse was increased in value to £52 when it was converted into a garage by Thomas Edwards Motor Co. Ltd. The company remained at the site until at least the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) at which time the total rateable value of the building stood at £62.

The City of Derry Boating Club was listed in 1990 when the building continued to be utilised as a garage. In 1995 the former boating club was included in Buildings at Risk which noted that the building was in a poor state of repair. The NIEA HB Records note that the building underwent an extensive renovation in c. 2003 which converted it into a licensed restaurant. The conversion resulted in the reorganisation of the interior of the building, the creation of a new glazed entrance, the installation of a mezzanine floor and the restoration of the exterior façade (NIEA HB Records). During the Second Survey the former boat club continued to be utilised as a public house / restaurant.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI VAL/12/E/157/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c. 1873-1910)
2. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/11A-ZD – Annual Revisions (1860-1897)
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/2A-2F – Annual Revisions (1898-1931)
4. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1926-57)
5. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/14 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
6. Londonderry Sentinel (13 Mar 1868)
7. Irish Builder (1 Nov 1869)
8. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1918)
9. First Survey Record – HB01/22/030 (1970)
10. NIEA HB Records – HB01/22/030
11. Belfast Telegraph (Feb 2003)

Secondary Sources
1. ‘Buildings at Risk: Vol. 2’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1995.
2. Calley, D., ‘City of Derry: An historical gazetteer to the buildings of Londonderry’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013.
3. Thomas, A., ‘Irish Historic Town Atlas, No. 15: Derry – Londonderry’ Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 2005 - includes Ordnance Survey map (1904-05).

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
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A rendered two-storey Italianate-style former boating club with a campanile tower to its south-east corner located on Boating Club Lane to the west of Queen’s Quay, overlooking the River Foyle. Constructed in 1868 to designs by John Guy Ferguson as a clubhouse for the City of Derry Boating Club. Ferguson (c. 1830-1901), a member of the Boating Club, was one of Londonderry’s most prominent architects and designed many of the city’s best known buildings including St. Augustine’s Church (HB01/19/012), the expansion of St. Columb’s Cathedral (HB01/19/001) and the design of the first Guildhall (HB01/19/038). While the interior of the building has been modernised, the exterior retains much original detailing such as decorative moulded plasterwork around the Venetian window to the east elevation and ornate detailing to the top of the tower. As a building type it is quite rare and despite being one of Ferguson’s smaller pieces, it nevertheless is important in terms of boating history; in 1924, the Londonderry rowing team famously defeated the Australian Olympic team during their visit to the city following the Paris Olympics.