31 Church Square

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached, asymmetrical, single-storey-with-attic former office and dispensary, constructed in 1849, located on the west side of Church Street in Kilrea. Roughly cross-shaped plan with a lower long axis intersecting a higher section, which runs perpendicular, gabled to north, east and west. Single storey mono-pitched extension abutting to west of long axis; flat-roofed, partially glazed timber porch to eastern side; double pitched, gable-ended two storey extension abuts to west gable, having a further single storey flat-roof addition abutting to the north. All date from the mid-late 20th century.

Steeply pitched slate roofs (partially artificial) with angled black/grey ridge tiles, decorative timber bargeboards to gable ends; generally ogee cast-iron rainwater goods with rounded downpipes, some uPVC; decorative cast iron hoppers to north-west extension. Tall two-stage chimney to north west re-entrant angle of main building, having rendered base with second stage in brick and single octagonal clay pot; second chimney to north-west extension. Walling is coursed and squared basalt with sandstone quoins and dressings; roughcast rendering to north-west extensions. Windows are generally mullioned, with decorative geometric glazing bars, projecting stone sills, sandstone lintels and stepped surrounds (unless otherwise stated).

Principal elevation is east facing; advancing gable to right with central transomed and mullioned canted bay window; similar rectangular window to attic and to right side of long axis; central square-headed entrance doorway with plain glass sidelights and transom. An abutting glazed timber porch covers entrance with timber-glazed door to left cheek; flat-roofed canopy supported on painted columns, with lozenge brackets, extends southward over left-side window.

South elevation has central casement window to attic and former central doorway now with full-height mullioned window having glass transom above.

West elevation has window and timber sheeted sliding door to painted mono-pitched extension, which abuts to south-east re-entrant angle, dormer insertion over. uPVC window to left gable, abutted by advancing two-storey rendered extension; lit by uPVC windows throughout and further abutted to north by advancing flat-roof addition with metal casement windows and replacement door.

North elevation has a plain transomed and mullioned window to left, which reaches ground floor (possibly former doorway) and a similar narrow window to left cheek of the advancing north gable. North gable has a casement window to each side of corbelled chimney-breast (chimney has been removed) at attic level, over a square-headed mullioned window, with plain timber sash to right.

Setting
Located on a corner
setting at the southern end of Kilrea on a somewhat elevated site to the western side Church Street. St Patrick’s Church (HB03/01/001) is located to the south and a coursed rubble wall to the north separates the house from the graveyard of First Kilrea Presbyterian Church (HB03/01/003). The house is bounded on Church Street by a curved dwarf wall of squared and coursed stone with stone copings and metal railings with lozenge motif; two similar metal gates supported on pairs of square piers with angled copings. Single-storey pitched and artificially re-slated outbuilding of rubble construction bounds southwest side with timber canopy to north and large sandstone pier to south-east; timber sheeted gate abuts to southwest corner of house, enclosing rear yard. West bounded by single-storey lime-rendered wall. Modern flagstones around perimeter of house.

Roof: Slate/ artificial slate
RWG: Cast-iron/uPVC
Walling: Squared greystone, sandstone dressings
Windows; Timber, metal and uPVC

Historical information

Constructed in 1843-49 to the designs of William Barnes, the house was originally built as the Estate Office and medical dispensary of the Mercers’ Company.

In Plantation times, during the colonisation of Ulster, the Worshipful Company of Mercers’, a principal Livery Company of the City of London, directly controlled a proportion of land within County Londonderry. The estate of 33.5 sq miles was located around the district of Kilrea and Movanagher. By the mid 17th century the Mercers’ estate was let to nominated individual/s, many of whom were absentee landlords, and subsequently the estate fell into severe decline. With the death of the final tenant, Alexander Stewart, in 1831, the Mercers’ took repossession of and direct control over the estate. Kilrea became the capital of the proportion and in the ensuing decades the Company instigated an ambitious scheme of improvements intended to raise productivity, general welfare and the overall appearance of the estate with particular focus placed on Kilrea town. An architect to the Mercer’s Company was appointed (George Smith and William Barnes) and a cohesive design plan for the development of Kilrea was generated with public buildings being largely funded by the Company. The Mercers’ Company continued to manage the estate until it was sold to the tenants under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903 (Curl).

The building is first shown on the second edition OS map (1853) on a corner site with a large flax market, built around a quadrangle, located directly to the rear. In Griffith’s Valuation (1856) the total value of the rent offices, dispensary and yard was listed at £15. By 1869 the Annual Revisions (1864-80) show the value had increased to £16, following the addition of a new office.

A dispensary was established by the Worshipful Company of Mercers, ‘for the benefit of the poor’ in 1832 and was open between 9-11am, during the week, excluding Wednesdays (OS Memoirs). Schemes such as this were undertaken by the Company to improve the general condition of the estate and aid the welfare of the tenants. Prior to construction of the building at Church Street, the dispensary and the Agent’s rent office were located within the Mercers Hotel (HB03/01/005) in the Diamond where an office was ‘fitted up in a temporary manner’ for these purposes (OS Memoirs).

Built between 1843-49, the designs were prepared by English architect William Barnes. A pupil and partner of George Smith, Barnes was architect to the Mercer’s Company and was subsequently responsible for the design of a number of public buildings in Kilrea, including the adjacent St Patrick’s Church (HB03/01/001) and Kilrea First Presbyterian Church (HB03/01/003). This building was designed to act as a key feature within the town, presenting the Estate Office as a place of significance and distinction (Curl).

Under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act 1903 the Mercer’s estate was being sold off to the tenants and the Annual Revisions (1895-1910) show that in 1910 the building was purchased and occupied as a residence by a linen merchant Mark (O’) Reilly and his family. By 1935 the flax market to the rear of the building had been replaced by a series of ‘motor houses’ and the Annual Revisions (1956-72) note that the house had become dilapidated.

The building has been repaired and continues to function as a house; a glass porch has been added to the main elevation.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/27/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1830)
2. PRONI OS/6/5/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/5/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/27/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1925-33)
5. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1905)
6. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1925)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/6A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856)
8. PRONI VAL/2/D/5/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1859)

9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3A – Annual Revisions (1864)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3B – Annual Revisions (1865-78)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2C – Annual Revisions (1879-85)
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3D – Annual Revisions (1886-94)
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3E – Annual Revisions (1895-1910)
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3F – Annual Revisions (1911-29)
15. PRONI VAL/3/B/6/2 – First General Revaluations (1935)
16. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/5 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72)

17. Census of Ireland (1901-1911)

Secondary Sources

1. Lewis, Samuel ‘A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ S. Lewis & Co, London (1837)
2. ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs; The Parishes of Co. Londonderry, VIII [Vol. 27] - Desertoghill, Errigal, Killelagh and Kilrea, 1830-39’ Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast (1994)
3. Curl, James.S. ‘The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914’ Phillimore & Co, Chichester (1986)
4. Kernohan, J.W. ‘The Parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O'Crilly ?A sketch of their history, ?with an account of the ?Boveedy Congregation’ Coleraine, (1912)
5. Sampson, Rev. George, Vaughan ‘A Memoir; Explanatory of the Survey of the Survey of the County of Londonderry’ G&W Nicol, London (1814)
6. Dictionary of Irish Architects (http://dia.ie/)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

A freestanding, single-storey with attic former estate office and medical dispensary of the Mercers’ Company, constructed between 1843-49 to the designs of William Barnes. Situated on a prominent corner site within Kilrea and characterised by steeply pitched gables and decorative detailing. Despite a number of additions, the architectural character of the building from the main street has been retained. The original boundary walling and gates contributes positively to the setting and are integral to the overall appearance of the former estates office. Of significant historical and architectural interest, the building is also of considerable social interest to the local community.

General comments

Additional listing criteria apply- R- Age, S- Authenticity, U- Historic Associations.