1 BABINGTON TERRACE (AND GARDEN WALL)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-bay three-storey blackstone end-terrace house, now apartments, built c.1860 and located to the south side of Main Street in Castlerock. Square plan with two-storey return and right angled annexe to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with raised verges; red-brick chimneystack having terracotta pots, also to rear return. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting eaves with uPVC fascia. Walling is uncoursed squared blackstone; ruled-and-lined render to east gable, and smooth render to return and annexe. Windows are replacement uPVC in painted brick surround and projecting painted sills.

North-facing with two openings at each floor; ground floor window opening is aligned left of centre. To left is a round-headed doorcase, comprising raised-and-fielded four-panel timber door surmounted by plain fanlight and accessed by a single modern tiled step; all in a painted brick surround.

The east gable is blank.

The south elevation is partially concealed (see surveyor’s comments); window to second floor right above two-storey return, having four irregularly arranged openings to east elevation. South elevation of return is abutted by gabled annexe at a 90 degree angle, with round-headed uPVC window to east gable; square-headed window, timber battened door and modern up-and-over garage door to south elevation.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building; HB03/12/002B.

Setting:

Situated along Main Street in Castlerock village facing north. Set back from the road with pavior to front, enclosed by rubblestone garden wall which appears to have been rebuilt in the style of the original. Tarmacadamed alley to east leads to rear communal yard. Bounded to railway line to south by high modern metal fencing.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Uncoursed squared blackstone
Windows: uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Babington Terrace was built in 1862/3 by developer Richard Babington and is first shown on the third edition OS map dating from 1904. Castlerock, formerly part of the Clothworker’s Company estates, developed along a coastal site near Downhill House following the opening of a railway halt in 1853 (McCutcheon). This, along with active promotion by the railway company, who offered cheap tickets to those who would build or buy villas (Girvan), led to the growth of a bathing resort in an area which had previously been open countryside. (Eccles) From 1860 Frederick William Porter was architect to the Clothworkers’ Company, on whose estates the terrace was situated, and it is possible that he produced designs for the terrace as part of the Company’s development of the area although Sir Henry Hervey Bruce, the local landlord, also took a particular interest in the development of Castlerock and required all new building there to be of a certain quality and size. (www.dia.ie; Eccles)

The current terrace first enters valuation records as unfinished buildings in 1862. Numbers two, three and four were the first to be completed in 1863 with number one appearing shortly afterwards. All the houses were valued at £11 and Richard Babington is initially listed as the occupier but the houses are then taken over by ‘lodgers’ and leased from Sir Henry Hervey Bruce who bought out the Clothworkers Company lands in the 1870s (Eccles).

The first occupier to be noted in the current house was James Eakin from 1879, who was followed by Rosanna Eakin in 1893. In the 1890s the valuation of the house was increased to £15 and it appears from field inspection that there was a single-storey side extension to the house that may have been added at this time, or the increase may refer to an extension of the rear return. Rosanna Eakin was a widow who lived with her unmarried sister on the interest of their savings and kept a single domestic servant. The seven-room house was designated second-class (1901 census) The house was taken over by William Wallace in 1914, a relative of Rosanna Eakin and continued in the Wallace family until at least the 1950s. Valuer’s notes of the 1930s list the accommodation as a reception, kitchen, scullery and pantry on the ground floor, five bedrooms, a bathroom and WC on the first floor and three bedrooms and a WC on the second floor. Attached plans show a return of 1½ storeys and a yard to the rear.

The terrace was listed in 1977 and in the late 1970s renovations were carried out to the roof, windows and gutters. The rubblestone garden wall which had been removed from this house was reinstated. The property was converted into three flats in 2001. (HB file)
References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/2/1 First Edition OS Map 1831
2. PRONI OS/6/5/2/2 Second Edition OS map 1848
3. PRONI OS/6/5/2/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/2/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1923
5. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/4 Valuer’s Notes 1907
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/10A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
1. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
2. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/H/6 First General Revaluation 1933-57
7. HB file – 03/12/002A-D

Secondary Sources

1. Eccles, J “Downhill, A Scrapbook of People and Place” London: Bath Press, 1996
2. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in North Derry including Limavady, Ballykelly, Castlerock, Downhill and Magilligan” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1975
3. McCutcheon, W.A. “The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland,” London: HMSO, 1980.
4. www.dia.ie

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
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-bay three-storey blackstone end-terrace house, built c.1860 and located to the south side of Main Street in Castlerock. Refurbishment has resulted in the loss of historic fabric, including original fenestration, which detracts from the character of the building. Despite this, as one of four there is group value and the terrace, along with the neighbouring Clifton Terrace (HB03/12/002E-G) the building makes a significant contribution to the historic quality and character of Castlerock.