11 Sheskin Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Sited on the south side of Sheskin Road on an elevated position with fine views of Lough Foyle though to the west and downhill there is a mushroom development of undistinguished local authority housing. In front of the house there is an overgrown garden while behind there is a farmyard, outhouses and remains of an earlier dwelling house. Most of the present outhouses are modern. House built into slope.

Two storey stone built, smooth rendered to front and harled elsewhere, gables, natural slated, four bays long and two deep, yellow brick chimneys, projecting two storey porch from the middle bay of the original three bay house. Main facade has tripartite ground floor windows with pairs of round headed windows above. Porch has large three light windows on ground and first floor filled with patterned coloured glass. To the rear a mixture of windows, some sash with Georgian panes, ground floor openings now bricked up. There is an attic over the extended bay with rear rooflight. Quoins have pronounced plaster imitation ashlar. Wavy timber barge to projecting porch with decorative red ridge tiles and weathervane. Other gables have cement barges.

Historical information

The Owner said the house was built in c1868 and the porch added c1890. The south bay added in 1920s when it is likely the internal decorative plaster was done. The arrangement of windows on the east facade are similar to those in 11 Foyle Avenue (HB02/01/006) and probably the architect for the work of 1890s was either Barker or Given. There were two earlier cottages on the site, one of which has been demolished and the remains of the other can be seen at right angles to the north west corner. It is presently used as a wood store. People of the same name as the present owner were recorded living here in Griffith’s Valuation of 1858.

References:

Owner (1998)
Griffith’s Valuation 1858

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A mid Victorian symmetrically arranged farmhouse, extended and improved in late Victorian times but producing a dull design. Later extended in the 1920s when its earlier details were retained. Presently empty and derelict with ground floor windows blocked up to prevent vandalism. Garden unkempt.