Old Rectory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A rambling two storey double pile roughcast rendered and natural slated house. The front pile is gabled with three chimneys while the rear pile has hipped roofs. Further the rear pile gables do not coincide with those at the front.

The front pile is four bays long with a flat roof projecting over a porch occupying the third bay from the west. The other bays have flat bow type windows with low ground floor cill, a slated canopy at first floor level and the bow continuing up to form an upper window. Each window is divided in nine almost square panes. Small brackets on each side support the canopies. Canopies are repeated at eaves to protect bows.

Above the porch there is a six pane casement window. There is no eaves overhang except for a half round metal gutter. There is no fenestration on the gables.

In the angle between the west gable and the projection of the rear pile is a two storey flat roofed porch which is the main entrance to the dwelling. The rear pile is two parts, that portion behind the principal porch a lower pitched hipped roof which joins onto a hipped or pyramidal roof which covers that part of the house over the kitchen. To the rear there is a variety of windows, casement, sliding sash, french, the latter gives access to a walled garden enclosing 1200 sq metres with a three metre high wall built of a mixture of brick and stone.

The house is set close to the roadside separated from it by a high hedge and in front of the main entrance and to the side of it a partial enclosed court. The views upstream from the house are superb over Culmore Bay and the narrows and looking directly south towards the lofty Foyle Bridge.

Historical information

Before 1860 the house was within the Culmore Estate, the province of the Governor of Culmore Fort. The last Governor, Lord Strafford died in 1860 and the estate reverted to the Irish Society. Anderson McCausland was lessor in 1859 when the lessee was W J Cregg and the property had a valuation of £21. In 1867 the Irish Society bought out the lease for £1,000 for the purpose of providing a residence for the incumbent of the new Holy Trinity Church. It is presumed it was abandoned as a rectory when Wylie, Solicitor, donated his residence (No. 48 Culmore point Road) to the church as a rectory c1915. It was then referred to as the new rectory as it is still on OSS. In 1882 the Irish Society carried out improvements to the old Culmore parsonage.

Present owners have lived in the house 20 years, and they were preceded by Mr Greenwood, Mr Kinnaird (c1910) & Mr Smith.
The bow windows are an addition since the last HB survey in 1972.

References:

Primary Sources:

OS Map 1st Edition 1830 Co Londonderry sheet 14,
OS Map 2nd Edition 1853 Co Londonderry sheet 14,
OS Map 1904-5 Revision Co Londonderry sheet 14A,
Griffiths Valuation 1858

Secondary Sources:
Historical Narrative of Irish Society 1611-1915 p.69, & 101
Present owner (1999)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A late Georgian house, much modified and extended in the Victorian period and further altered in the twentieth century. Some architectural detailing retained within. Enjoys a fine, if small, walled garden and has fine views of River Foyle.