67 Maghera Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An end two-storey terrace with attic rendered house with two gabled half-dormers to the attic, constructed during the mid 19th century. Located on the north side of Maghera Street at the junction between New Row, to the western part of Kilrea town. Rectangular on plan with a central two-storey return at rear and a modern flat-roof extension to the north-west re-entrant angle (of no interest).

Steeply pitched slate roof with black/grey angled ridge tiles, cast iron-ogee rainwater goods to overhanging eaves and to string course above first floor, some uPVC to rear; rendered chimney to gable ends having in stepped heads and three clay pots. Two half-gabled dormer windows with timber bargeboard and decorative finials, flank centre of main elevation; having rendered lugged architraves. Walling is generally ruled and lined rendered; painted roughcast to rear elevation; partially raised and rendered quoin strips to elevation edges. Windows are 1/1 margin paned timber-sliding sashes, some uPVC to rear returns. Generally windows have plain reveals and surrounds with stone sills; main elevation windows have entablature on panelled pilasters with console brackets to cornice and sill.

Symmetrical principal elevation faces south and comprises three windows to first floor; two windows to ground floor, either side of original central four-panelled bolection moulded door with brass door furniture and plain glass transom above, surmounted by raised pediment supported on a pair of projecting panelled pilasters.

West elevation has been recently ruled lined rendered having windows to attic level, above projecting horizontal gutter extending across elevation at sill level; single leaded and stained glass window to ground floor on left-side.

Rear elevation (north) has central window to attic; a window to each side of central return at first floor level (screened with vertical metal bars) and a small timber casement to ground floor on left-side. Two-storey central return is flat-roofed with uPVC windows to each floor; roof perimeter enclosed with cast-iron water tank (used to collect rainwater which was piped into the house). The re-entrant angle to the right side has flat-roof single storey extension (of no interest).

East elevation abutted by adjoining building.

Setting
Located to the west of Kilrea at the junction between Maghera Street and New Row, the principal elevation faces directly onto the north side of Maghera Street. The building forms the end of a terrace with the neighbouring building abutting to the east; a passage to the west, having two sets of modern gates, provides access to the rear paved yard, in which an outbuilding, dating from the construction of the house bounds the north. The detached outbuilding of rubble construction with a pitched and slated roof is located to the north (formerly a coach house). Openings have brick flat-arched heads; replacement timber sheeted door to right of centre with window to each side; left has large timber sheeted (replacement) sliding door. Rendered chimney to right gable. Partially rendered rubble walls bound to the west and east; large pier with conical cap situated to the south-west corner of the west wall. Kilrea Second Presbyterian Church (HB03/01/011) and a telephone kiosk (HB03/01/028) are located in close proximity to the west.

Roof; Natural slate
RWG: Cast-iron, uPVC
Walling: Ruled-and-lined render
Windows: Timber sash

Historical information

The footprint of the house and rear outbuilding are first shown on the second edition OS map (1853). Griffith’s Valuation (1856) records that this ‘private house’ was leased by the Mercers’ Company to a William McElwain; combined with a small house and ‘new office’ to the rear, the total value was listed at £9. According to the Annual Revisions (1864), by this time the main house was being utilised by Robert Dolling, agent to the Mercers’ Company, as a ‘Loan Fund’ office, which may have functioned like a small bank. The building continued to fulfil this function with Sir William Holmes taking over from Dolling as agent in 1878.

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 where 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 was now 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 which carefully regulated the style and proportion of all new buildings, such as this house (Curl).

Purchased and occupied by the Kilrea Loan Fund Society in 1880, the house and associated buildings to the rear became split in 1887 (Annual Revisions 1886-94) with the Loan Fund Society operating from an office within the house, while the rest of the house, outbuildings and yard where leased out to an accountant, George Kidd, who worked as clerk of the Loan Fund (1901 Ulster Town Directory); field evidence shows a safe and large key are located beneath the stairs.

According to the 1901 Census records, George Kidd resided in this house with his wife and four children; the two outbuildings to the rear comprised a stable and a cowshed. The total value decreased to £8 20s in 1887 but then rose to £11 in 1908 (Annual Revisions 1886-94; 1895-1910). This rise may be explained by the addition of a central return at the rear, prior to 1905, as illustrated on the third edition OS map (1905). Field evidence shows this two-storey extension incorporated a flat roof with cast-iron parapet, which was designed to catch rainwater. The arrangement still exists, as does a pipe which feeds the water into the front living room, which according to the owner, was once the kitchen. The owner has stated that this was the first house in Kilrea to have its own supply of water.

The Mercers’ estate was sold to the tenants under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903 and by the First General Revaluation (1935) the whole property was under ownership of George Kidd and valued £23. During the mid to late 20th century a single-storey flat-roofed extension was added to the western side of the rear; the large outbuilding to the north still remains but the small structure, which abutted to the eastern boundary wall, has been removed.

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/29/2D – Annual Revisions (1886-94)
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2E – Annual Revisions (1895-1910)
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2F – 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. Irish Census (1901&1911)
18. Ulster Town Directories (1880-1918)

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)

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

A semi-detached two-storey-with-attic ruled and lined rendered house constructed during the mid 19th century. Located on a prominent site directly on the north side of Maghera Street, at the junction with New Row, the neighbouring buildings to the west include Second Kilrea Presbyterian Church (HB03/01/011), the Northern Bank building (HB03/01/012) as well as a telephone kiosk (HB03/01/028). The original appearance has been altered by Victorian additions and indicating that some remodelling has taken place. Nevertheless, the building is an important feature of the historic character of Kilrea and is representative of the aspirational architectural development of the town, instigated by the Mercers’ Company during the mid 19th century. The building is also of local interest and is reputed to be the first building in Kilrea to have a water supply.

General comments

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