18 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four storey Georgian townhouse with shop on ground floor facing south east onto Main Street. Building is at north eastern end of a group of three similar houses. Two bays wide, brick facade with rendered ground floor. Slate roof, cast iron rainwater goods large brick chimneys on apex over gable and party wall. Georgian sash windows, two to each floor, diminishing in height on each level. First and second floor twelve panes. Third floor nine panes. Panelled door with rectangular fanlight at south east corner of ground floor. Three concrete steps to door which is recessed in a plain plaster surround. Window aligning with top of fanlight across most of ground facade. Applied timber pilaster flanking to each side, proportion small in relation to entablature above which is modelled on that of number 16 (HB02/12/006A). Concrete cill to window and three mullions.

North east gable of building is rendered in sand cement with the exception of the brick chimney.

The rear elevation has a projecting return and there is one remaining Georgian sashed window. In the plot behind is the two storey brick former stable block now vacant. Windows have been altered and a cement render applied.

Historical information

Building is shown on the 1831 Ordnance Survey Map but probably dates from the second half of the eighteenth century. In the U A H S survey of 1973 the building is shown as the premises of William J G Seeds and Company. The shopwindow has been altered since and the classical decoration applied. A two storey building adjacent was demolished in the early 1980s to give vehicular access to the Roe Fold Sheltered Housing Scheme behind the Town Hall.

References:
Primary Sources:
OS Map 'Newtown Limavady' enlarged from 1st Edition Map (1831) PRONI: Val 2D/5/4 & T2933/4/126
OS Map 'Newtown Limavady' (1848 revision with notes of 1858 valuation) PRONI: 058/120/1/1 & T2933/3/140
OS Map ' Town of Limavady' (1895) PRONI:Val 2D/5/4 & 293/4/261
OS Map ' Town of Limavady' (1907) PRONI:058/120/2/3

Secondary Sources
D Girvan, Buildings of North Derry UAHS p19

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This former fine Georgian town house has been altered internally and to the rear. The upper three storeys to the front still retain something of the original appearance. The shopfront is new.The amount of historic character which survives is much reduced and listing can no longert be justified.