95 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An altered three-bay two-storey-with-attic mid-terrace commercial premises with modern shop-front insertion; predating 1832 and remodelled in the 19th century; located to the east side of Main Street in Garvagh town centre. Rectangular on plan with modern single-storey extension to rear (of no interest).

Pitched artificial slate roof with rendered chimneystacks. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on moulded eaves course; cast-iron downpipes and hopper. Walling is painted smooth render on a contrasting plinth with raised quoins. Windows are replacement uPVC in moulded architraves with keyblock; corbels under sills.

West-facing principal elevation has been altered at ground floor to incorporate modern entrance at left and shop-front insertion at right. Original entrance to centre has a replacement panelled-and-glazed timber door with transom light, flanked by fluted pilasters and surmounted by plain entablature and cornice. Modern entrance contains double-leaf timber panelled doors fronted by modern metal roller shutter with metal fascia over. Traditional-style shop-front comprises plate-glass window on painted render stall riser, flanked by fluted pilaster jambs and surmounted by plain timber fascia. Three windows to first floor (outer windows are wider).

The north gable has diminutive 2/2 timber sash window to right at attic; abutted at first floor by lower adjoining building (HB03/02/007).

The east (rear) elevation has window opening to first floor left with concrete block infill; abutted at ground floor by modern extension (of no interest).

The south elevation is blank to ground floor; fully abutted at upper floors by adjoining building (HB03/02/005); ground floor opening into coach arch.

Setting:
Street-fronted with enclosed yard to rear.

Roof: Artificial slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The Canning Arms Bar is named after the Canning family, Barons of Garvagh, descendants of George Canning, the first agent of the Ironmongers Company in County Londonderry. (Debrett’s Peerage of the United Kingdom 1828) The building has a mid-Victorian appearance but there has been a building on the site since at least the 1830s and the present public house may have earlier fabric at its core.

The present building is shown on the first edition OS map of 1832 and is listed in the Townland Valuation of 1828-40 as the residence of Mrs Spencer valued at £13. It is possible that the building was a public house even at this early stage, but this information is not recorded in the valuation book.

In Griffith’s Valuation of 1856-64 the premises is listed as a hotel and dimensions are given for the house, return, cellar, two stables and a further outbuilding. The hotel was run by Hugh Rea but then fell vacant. The valuer notes that the building has a well-enclosed yard and garden and that £150 has been spent on repairs. The rent paid was £16 which was thought to be ‘low’. The hotel was subsequently taken over by John Johnston, who is listed as the proprietor of the ‘Canning Arms Hotel’ in the 1901 street directory and in 1921 by Joseph O’Kane, followed by Mary Conway.

The First General Revaluation of the 1930s gives dimensions and a plan of the building which consisted of a bar and parlour with bottling room, stables, shed and earth closet to the rear. The dwelling house above the bar was by this time uninhabitable, the ceilings having fallen in and the floors being rotten. The bar is described by the valuer as doing ‘fairly good business’ and a list is given of the annual sales in the 1930s which averaged 88 gallons of whiskey, 500 dozen bottles of stout, 30 dozen bottles of beer, 5 dozen bottles of wine and 8 dozen bottles of minerals. (Valuation records)

The building was listed in 1977 and in 2004 permission was sought to rebuild the rear and alter the front elevation in order to provide a new clubhouse for Garvagh Rangers Supporters Club. The ground floor has subsequently been radically altered and a shopfront and doorway, both with shutters, have been installed. The original sash windows to the first floor have been replaced. (HB file)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/18/1 First Edition OS Map 1832
2. PRONI OS/6/5/18/2 Second Edition OS map 1849-53
3. PRONI OS/6/5/18/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904-05
4. PRONI OS/6/5/18/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1924-33
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/56 Townland Valuation (1828-40)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/6B Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/12A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
8. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
9. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/K/4 First General Revaluation 1933-57
10. HB file – 03/02/006
11. Debrett’s Peerage of the United Kingdom 1828

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A three-bay two-storey-with-attic mid-terrace commercial premises with modern shop-front insertion; predating 1832 and remodelled in the mid-nineteenth century; located to the east side of Main Street in Garvagh town centre. Mid-Victorian in appearance, enlarged openings to ground floor and replacement uPVC windows have altered and degraded the building's character. The building does not meet the listing criteria.