83-89 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical three-storey gabled stone terrace, five-bays and thirteen openings wide built c.1860 by Robert Robertson. Rectangular on plan, comprising four terraces, each being three openings wide, having individual shops or offices on the ground floor, with amalgamated and reconfigured office and meeting space above. A central passage to ground floor extends through to rear, where a number of gabled returns are located. The collective group was subject to substantial renovation and internal reconfiguration during recent years.

Pitched slate roof with blue/black angled ridge-tiles and four rendered chimneys having terracotta pots. Ogee cast-iron rainwater goods (some metal replacements) to projecting eaves, mounted on plain timber fascia. Walling is roughly coursed, rock-faced black-stone rubble with red-brick dressings; roughcast finish to rear, over smooth rendered base. Regular window openings are square-headed having brick flat-arches, stepped architraves and projecting stone sills (unless otherwise stated). Windows are generally 6/6 replacement timber sashes (unless otherwise stated). Similar surrounds to door openings, which generally have replacement timber panelled and glazed doors with plain glass transoms over; timber sheeted replacement doors to rear. Northern and southern terraces have 20th century replacement traditional-style timber shop fronts to ground floor, comprising single door with two large glazed openings; eight small panels across upper proportion; timber fascia signage above supported on profiled brackets and piers; concrete sills to each opening.

Principal elevation faces west and comprises thirteen window openings to each upper floor; 3/6 sashes to second floor. Central passage to centre of ground floor, leading to rear, is smooth rendered with modern timber sheeted ceiling and large modern metal gate fixed to north-west corner. North and south bays are shopped (see above); two windows and a door, to the bays either side of central passageway.

North elevation is blank and abutted by adjoining terrace.

Rear (east) elevation comprises four windows over, and left of central passage; with a 3/3 window and door to left-side; remaining elevation is blank. All windows and door openings have smooth rendered reveals and architraves, concrete sills to windows. Far-left side abutted by three-storey, gabled return with two 3/4 windows over double-leaf door to right-cheek; other elevations appear blank, single-storey extension abuts to east and connects to range of modernised outbuildings (see
setting). Right-of-centre abutted by similar gabled return with a; left cheek contains a 3/6 window to each floor and a pair of 2/4 windows over a recessed double-leaf door; right-cheek is blank; single 2/2 window to east elevation with similar return abutting to lower floors with two 2/4 windows at each level and one on left-cheek. Far right bay abutted by matching two-storey return having two 6/6 windows over a door to left and monopitched shed abutting to right re-entrant angled between boundary wall.

South elevation abutted by similar neighbouring terrace (HB03/02/009A).

Setting
Located in an urban setting, the principal elevation directly fronts onto the eastern side of Main Street, Garvagh. A number of other historic structures are situated nearby, including the War Memorial (HB03/02/033), the similar abutting terrace to the south, No.91 (HB03/02/009A) and the two-storey house No.93 (HB03/02/007). The area to the rear comprises a bitumen car park with a garden to the far east (containing a small rubble-stone and slated outbuilding), bounded by fencing and mature trees and a roughcast wall to the north.

An extensive range of mono-pitched returns, abutting to the rear of No.89 and extending east, have been reconstructed and largely comprise modern materials and finishes, with some squared rubble-stone elements.

Roof Slate
RWG Cast-iron/replacement metal
Walling Rock-faced rubble-stone
Windows Replacement timber sash

Historical information

The current terrace was built c1860 by Robert Robertson, a local ‘grocer, bookseller, stationer, ironmonger, hardware merchant and sub-distributor of stamps’ (Slater’s Directory of 1846)

Buildings are shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1832 but the Townland Valuation (1828-40) shows that these were structures of a low valuation and probable vernacular character that had largely been cleared by the time of the second OS map of 1849-53. The present buildings are entered into valuation records c1860 and the present thirteen-bay block numbered 83-89 was then divided into three separate holdings all built by Robert Robertson and leased from Lady Garvagh. The terrace is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1904-5.

Number 83/5, a house and shop, was occupied by Robert Robertson, himself, and initially valued at £17.10s, raised to £23.10s in 1862 when new double-height outbuildings were added to the rear. The 1911 census lists Robert Robertson, grocer and hardware merchant resident with his three adult children one of whom worked as a shop assistant and two servants, one assisting in the shop and one a domestic. Valuer’s notes of the 1930s list the accommodation as a grocery and hardware shop, stores, three receptions, seven bedrooms, a kitchen, scullery, bathroom and WC. The shop had electric light and water laid on, with sewage discharging into the river. An associated plan shows the shop with stores, tool house and glass house to the rear. The valuer describes the house as ‘in absolutely first class condition’ with an entrance for lorries through the archway.

Number 87, a shop with dwelling above, was valued at £9 and occupied by William James Rentoul from 1863 and taken over by Archibald Gibson in 1868. Subsequent occupiers were James Wilson (1881), draper (1892 street directory) and Samuel Roxborough (1887). The valuation was raised to £10.15s at an unknown date, most likely due to improved outbuildings. Samuel Roxborough is listed in the 1911 census as a grocer living with his two older sisters, one of whom assisted in the shop. Valuer’s notes of the 1930s state that the shop had a kitchen and five rooms. Both numbers 87 and 89 were lit by electricity and had a dry closet to the rear. Water had to be carried from the town pump.

Number 89, another shop and dwelling, was valued at £8.10s, then £10 when new outbuildings were added in 1862 and was occupied by Miss Robertson from 1863, perhaps a relative of the developer, and then William Robertson (1896) who is listed in the 1901 census as a general merchant. Valuer’s notes of the 1930s give the accommodation as a grocery shop, kitchen, scullery and five rooms used as a dwelling.

A first survey photograph shows that in the early 1970s the ground floor of numbers 83-5 was rendered. The ground floor of numbers 87 and 89 was a continuous shopfront, displaying ‘Clyde’s’ drapery and footwear. The building was listed in 1977 and renovations were carried out in the 1970s which included the installation of a kitchen and bathroom. Further renovations took place in the 1980s. (HB file)

The building was purchased by Garvagh Development Trust and renovated for use by the community, officially opening in 2001. Appropriate shopfronts have been restored to numbers 83 and 89, while the fenestration of number 87 has been altered to give a more domestic appearance. A community garden was opened in the rear courtyard in April 2009. (www.gadda.co.uk)

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 – 03/02/009
11. Street Directories, 1846, 1892

Secondary Sources

1. www.gadda.co.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A plainly detailed symmetrical, three-storey five-bay stone and brick terrace built c.1860 by Robert Robertson. Formerly consisting of two shops units, having houses above and to each side, the terrace is a good example of a formal urban terrace with living accommodation over shops. This terrace is of particular interest because of its large scale. The buildings have been recently rennovated and now comprise four commercial units on the ground floor, with the upper floors extensively reconfigured to contain a number of meeting rooms of varying sizes. The character of this coherent terrace has largely been retained, particularily across the upper floors. Despite changes to layout and internal fabric, the terrace, in conjunction with No.91 (HB03/02/009A) constitutes an important architectural group within the town.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age and S - Authenticity also apply.