17 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-fronted two-storey terrace house of c.1835-40, originally double-fronted, but radically altered in 1996 when much the eastern half of the building was amalgamated with the neighbouring property. The building is located to the north side of Main Street.

The front elevation faces roughly S. To the right on the ground floor is a doorway with panelled timber door and plain rectangular fanlight, all encased with a moulded surround with keystone (this surround is recent- it replaced a somewhat plainer one). To the right of the doorway is a window with horned timber sash frame with plate glass. This window has a surround similar to the doorway, it to is a recent addition. To the first floor are two similar windows. The front elevation is finished in painted lined render with rusticated quoins.

To the rear there is a doorway to left on the ground floor with recent part glazed door. To the right of this is a broad (probably enlarged) window, with modern timber frame. Above the doorway there is a window at half-landing level with modern timber frame. There is a similar (but slightly larger) window to right on the first floor. There are two very small windows above this set close to the eaves, both with timber sash frames (two panes over two). There is nothing corresponding to the is level on the front elevation, and the internal staircase does not appear to rise above first floor (see interior description below). The rear elevation is finished in painted roughcast.

The gabled roof is slated to the front at least. The covering on the other side of the roof could not be seen. There is a large rendered chimneystack to W. The rainwater goods are a mixture of cast-iron and PVCu.

Historical information

This site is shown developed on the OS map of 1832. Unfortunately the map to accompany the first valuation of 1834 is missing, so it is difficult to tell what exactly occupied the site at that point. Most of the buildings recorded in this valuation are single-storey, so it is probable that the present two-storey structure had not yet been built.

A two-storey house is recorded on the site in the second valuation of 1859, however, whose dimensions of 11yrds x 8 x 2½(storeys) match those of the present building before it was altered in 1996. The valuers grade the building ‘1B+’ suggesting that it could have appeared shortly after 1834. As such, it may have been one of the new houses ‘lately built’ referred to in the OS Memoirs of September 1835. Interestingly, the dimensions of the house are exactly the same as those quoted for the house to the east, (the present No.15, also altered in 1996), suggesting both may have been built at the same time.

The house is noted as containing a shop and 2 apartments below’ in 1859, along with ‘4 [rooms] above and 2 garrets’, with the occupant listed as a James McBride senior, and a James Smyth the immediate lessor. McBride was followed by a Chestnut Peacock in 1864, who in turn was succeeded by a John Peacock (1875-78), Eliza Peacock (1878-81), Samuel Peacock (1881-88), and a Thomas Wilson in 1888. Thomas Wilson was still in residence in 1930, but by 1956 the property had passed to an A. Cusick, with whose relation it remains.

The building survived in its original double-fronted form until 1996, when most of the eastern half of the building was amalgamated with the neighbouring property (No.15)

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/1/13/1 OS map, Co Antrim, sheet 13 (1832)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/130 First valuation, Armoy parish [Cary Barony] (1834)
3 OS Memoirs, Parish of Armoy, (1832-38), reprinted in ‘Ordnance Survey memoirs of Ireland…’ ed Angelique Day, Patrick McWilliams and Noirin Dobson (Belfast, QUB, 1994), p.4
4 PRONI OS/6/1/13/2 OS map, Co Antrim, sheet 13 (1857)
5 PRONI VAL/2D/1/20d Valuation plan of Armoy (1859)
6 PRONI VAL/2B/1/23a Second valuation, Armoy parish [Cary Barony] (1859)
7 PRONI VAL/2B/1/23b Second valuation, Armoy parish [Cary Barony] (1859)
8 PRONI VAL/2B/1/37 Second valuation, Armoy parish [Upper Dunluce Barony] (1859)
9 PRONI VAL/12B/2/1a Annual valuation revision book, Armoy ED (1864-78)
10 PRONI VAL/12B/2/1b Annual valuation revision book, Armoy ED (1878-85)
11 PRONI VAL/12B/2/1c Annual valuation revision book, Armoy ED (1885-1900)
12 Bassett, George Henry, ‘The Book of County Antrim’ (Dublin, 1888), p.87
13 EHS (MBR) Photograph showing Armoy Presbyterian church, (c.1900)
14 PRONI VAL/12B/2/1d Annual valuation revision book, Armoy ED (1901-12)
15 PRONI VAL/12E/5/1/1 Valuation plan of Armoy (1906-35)
16 PRONI VAL/12B/2/1e Annual valuation revision book, Armoy ED (1912-29)
17 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ (Belfast, 1905)
18 PRONI VAL/3B/1/4 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Ballycastle RD (1935)
19 PRONI VAL/3G/3/1/1 Valuation plan of Armoy (1935-56
20 PRONI VAL/3C/1/4 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland [annual revisions], Ballycastle RD (1936-57) ) [This valuation book is currently closed ‘according to the criteria set out in the White Paper on Open Government’.]
21 PRONI VAL/4B/1/9 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland [annual revisions], Ballycastle RD (1957-72)

Other
references
1 EHS HB05/05/005(A, B) First Survey report (26 September 1972)
2 EHS HB05/05/005(A, B) Photographs (Oct 1972, May 1979)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Single-fronted two-storey terrace house of c.1835-40, originally double-fronted, but radically altered in 1996, when much the eastern half of the building was amalgamated with the neighbouring property. This building bears little resemblance to its former self, either externally or internally.