14 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Four storey Georgian town house at south west end of a block of three. Surviving shopfront at ground floor. Building two bays wide, of exposed brick above rendered ground floor. Brick is more red than other two houses (HB02/12/006B and 005). Slate roof, cast iron rainwater goods, large brick chimney matching Numbers18 and 20 to north east of ridge. Smaller brick chimney on south west gable. Sash windows decrease in height rising up the building. Twelve panes on first and second floor windows, nine on third. Iron bracket for former lantern projecting between first floor window cills (sandstone). A scroll supports a horizontal arm ending in a square loop. The shop front has a timber entablature supported by three Ionic columns (also timber with stone base). Two columns flank an imitation sash window in a former door opening at the south west end. The third supports the other end of the entablature to the north east. The present door is more central, and a shop window to one side is separated from it by a finely decorated frame. Below the windows to each side of the door are casement windows in a Georgian pattern lighting the basement. There are three concrete steps to the entrance door. To the rear there is no return, windows are less ordered and two large dormers timber sheeted with triple sash windows rise from eaves level. The former stable is a separate house.

Historical information

Building indicated on 1831 town map and probably dates from the second half of the 18th century. Used as a shop until late 1980s. Lantern was made up of red and blue panes and labelled ‘British Woollen Hall’ when surveyed in 1970. It was then the premises of ‘Moffat Donaghy and Co Drapers’. Present owner renovated the building in 1995 and carried out the changes to the shopfront including the insertion of a more appropriate Georgian mullion pattern to the large window which was previously one pane of glass,however the apparent sashes disguise e however top hung openings. The present front door was also moved from a recessed position to be flush with the front.

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, 'The Buildings of north Derry' UAHS 1975 p12
Owner,(1997)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This former fine Georgian town house has been altered internally and to the rear. The front, except for the shopfront, still retains its original appearance.Sufficient architectural and historic interest survives to justify listing.