27 MAIN STREET

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey two-bay painted rendered late-Georgian house. Located on the west side of Main Street in Bushmills, on the north side of the village centre, with the Bush River on the west. Constructed prior to 1832 to designs by unknown architect. Rectangular plan-form with a large modern two-storey extension to the rear, constructed c.1986.

Painted rendered walling; replacement timber sliding sash windows on both ground and first floor levels, replacement pitched natural slate roof has replacement slates with black clay ridge tiles and a single unpainted chimney-stack, centered on ridge, with octagonal buff clay pots; cast-iron rainwater goods throughout.

Principal elevation faces NE and is accessed directly via paved footpath from Main Street; two-bays wide, single entrance doorway to the right side contains a replacement timber panelled door with a plain glazed transom light over. Single 1/1 timber sliding sash window to left side. Two 1/1 timber sliding sash windows on first floor above, aligned with openings below.

South-east elevation is adjoined to neighbouring property No. 29 Lower Main Street [HB05/08/066].

South-west (rear) elevation is abutted to the left side by a 20th century painted, rendered two-storey return with a slated pitched roof. Where visible rear return and main elevation have timber sliding sash windows.

North-west elevation adjoined to neighbouring property Bushmills Inn [HB05/08/068].

Setting:
Situated on the west side of Main Street, south of Metal Row [HB05/08/070A-H]. Located on the west side of Main Street in Bushmills, on the north side of the village centre, with the Bush River on the west.

Materials:
Roof: Natural Slate
RWGs: Cast Iron
Walling: Painted render
Windows: Timber sliding sash

Historical information

No. 27 Main Street, a two-storey two-bay late-Georgian dwelling located on the west side of Main Street in Bushmills, was constructed immediately prior to 1832 as part of the reconstruction of the village in the early-19th century. The Bushmills Conservation Area Guide records that Bushmills was a significant settlement before the end of the 18th century but in the 1820s the village was extensively rebuilt by the MacNaghten family of Bushmills House (who had acquired the estate in 1787). The building, along with the adjoining No. 29 Main Street (HB05/08/066), was depicted on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (1832) and Townland Valuation Town Plan (c. 1834). The contemporary Townland Valuation (1835) set the total rateable value of No. 27 Main Street at £6 and 17 shillings and described the house as a 1A class building (that is a new or nearly new slated building) that measured 20.6ft by 28ft and stood 20ft in height. The building lay unoccupied in 1835 with the landlord, Sir. Frances MacNaghten, recorded as occupant.

In the mid-19th century Griffith’s Valuation (1859) noted that No. 27 Main Street was utilised as a Dispensary by the Guardian of the Poor of Coleraine Union and had been decreased in value to £5 (exempt from taxation). The building continued to be utilised as Bushmills’ local Dispensary until c. 1873 when it reverted to use as a private dwelling and was revalued at £6. The house was occupied by a Mr. George Suckling whose family remained at the address until the 1920s. Under the 1901 Census of Ireland No. 27 Main Street was occupied by Samuel George Suckling, a butler who was employed by the MacNaghten family at their residence of Dundarave House (HB05/08/005). The census building return described the house as a 2nd class dwelling that consisted of six inhabited rooms and possessed a turf house as its sole out office. The contemporary Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1902) depicted the house as a simple square-shaped building that did not possess any extensions or significant outbuildings. Samuel George Suckling resided at No. 27 Main Street until his death in 1913 at which point the house passed to his widow Eliza Suckling (PRONI Wills). The Suckling family vacated the site by c. 1929 when a Mr. Robert Corrigan took possession of the house. The value of No. 27 Main Street was increased to £10 and 10 shillings under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) which also recorded that that Ernest Morrison, a Royal Ulster Constabulary Officer, occupied the house in c. 1946. The Morrison family continued to lease No. 27 Main Street from the MacNaghten family until at least the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) at which time the total rateable value of the building stood at £15.

In 1972 the UAHS Guide for North Antrim described the buildings along Main Street in Bushmills in the following general terms: ‘A well-scaled street. Many good doorways and shopfronts remain, although there is the usual profusion of signs. While no building apart from the former Courthouse is worthy of individual mention, the unity of the street frontages must be maintained’ (UAHS Guide, p. 16). No. 27 Main Street was listed in 1980 and was subsequently included in the Bushmills Conservation Area. The conservation area was designated in 1992 in order to preserve the built heritage of the village which possesses the highest number of listed buildings in the North East of Northern Ireland. The NIEA HB Records note that No. 27 Main Street’s current rear return was constructed in c. 1986 when the building underwent an extensive renovation which also included the reslating of its roof (in second hand natural slate), the installation of new timber sliding sash window frames and cast iron rainwater goods, and the addition of a new entrance door (Bushmills Conservation Area Guide; NIEA HB Records).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/3/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/3/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1855)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/3/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1904)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/3/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1921)
5. PRONI VAL/1D/1/7 – Townland Valuation Town Plan (c. 1834)
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/132 – Townland Valuations (1835)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/25A – Griffith’s Valuation (1859)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/8A-D – Annual Revisions (1859-94)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/6A-C – Annual Revisions (1895-1929)
10. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/13 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
11. PRONI VAL/4/B/1/22 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
12. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1918)
13. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
14. PRONI Wills Catalogue (14 Aug 1913)
15. First Survey Record – HB05/08/067
16. NIEA HB Record – HB05/08/067

Secondary Sources
1. ‘Bushmills Conservation Area Guide’ Belfast: Department of the Environment (N. I.), 1983 – including the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1902.
2. Girvan, W. D., ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in North Antrim’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two-storey two-bay painted rendered late-Georgian house, built prior to 1832 as part of the reconstruction of the village of Bushmills in the early-19th century by the MacNaghten family. Located on the north side of Bushmills village centre, on the west side of Main Street with the Bush River located to the west. Originally constructed as a dwelling, it operated as a dispensary in the mid 1800s, reverting later to a dwelling. At the start of the 20th century the house was occupied by a butler, who was employed by the MacNaghten family at their residence of Dundarave House (HB05/08/005). Despite modern alterations such as a modern replacement front door, the building retains the original simple domestic proportions and historic character within its village setting.