7 MAIN ST.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-storey four-bay pebble dashed rendered end-of-terrace house; rectangular plan-form with a replacement fibre cement pitched roof having two unpainted rendered chimneystacks, left chimneystack has a single circular terracotta clay pot; set within a terrace formerly known as 'Metal Row'; built at the same time in 1832. The current building originally consisted of two three-bay dwellings, however c. 2003 the two northernmost bays of No.5 Lower Main Street were demolished and the remaining bay incorporated into the adjoining No. 7. The thatched roofs of no’s 5-19 Lower Main Street were replaced with natural slate by the turn of the 20th century. The remainder of No. 5 retains a slate roof. Situated on the West side of the Main Street with views South to the Market Square. The terrace row is also situated to the immediate South of Woodville House Mill [HB05/08/071]. Located to the North of the Village of Bushmills with the Main Street aligned parallel with the Bush River to the West side. At the time of the survey the building appeared to be vacant.

Pebble dashed rendered walling; small timber painted replacement casement windows with sloping sills, rendered band surround and a hood mould over all painted in contrasting colours, all set on a painted rendered plinth; pitched slate roof has black clay ridge tiles and two unpainted rendered chimney-stacks, the left side has a single circular terracotta clay pot; half round painted cast-aluminium guttering discharging to circular section downpipes throughout.

Principal elevation faces South-east accessed directly via tarmac pavement from the Main Street; four bays wide all set on a painted rendered plinth; northernmost bay is divided from remaining bays by unpainted rendered quoins; slightly recessed doorway (not centred on elevation) contains a replacement timber door with two decorative glazed top panes and brass door furniture.

South-west elevation adjoined to neighbouring property No. 9 Lower Main Street [HB05.05.070F].

North-west elevation overlooks a small rear yard having two rear returns with a single window bay between each return to the main house; left side return contains a corrugated metal sheet roof finish with a single window bay to the NW side; right side return contains a felt roof and a single window bay to the NW side.

North-east elevation is of brick finish having a modern timber and glazed shop frontage and a timber treated gable above; shop front is painted in contrasting colour; there is a plain painted flush timber door to the right on the SE side of the single storey rear return.

Setting:
The terrace row is situated on the West side of the Main Street and immediately South of Woodville House Mill [HB05/08/071]. Located North of the Village of Bushmills.

Materials:
Roof: Fibre cement (No. 7) / Natural Slate (No. 5)
RWGs: Cast-aluminium painted
Walling: Pebble dashed / brick
Windows: Timber casements.

Historical information

Nos 5-7 Lower Main Street, a single-storey four-bay building which forms part of a terrace formerly known as ‘Metal Row,’ was constructed prior to 1832. The current building originally consisted of two three-bay dwellings but in c. 2003 the two northernmost bays of No. 5 Lower Main Street were demolished and the remaining bay incorporated into the adjoining No. 7. The Bushmills Conservation Guide (1992) records that the village was already a significant settlement by the end of the 18th century but, from the 1820s, Bushmills was largely rebuilt and expanded by the Macnaghten family who had acquired the estate in 1787. The early-19th century terrace at nos 5-19 Lower Main Street was first depicted on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (1832) along its current layout at the northern end of Bushmills. The terrace is located to the immediate south of Woodville House Mill (HB05/08/071), a two-storey dwelling and former iron foundry which gave nos 5-19 Lower Main Street its former name of Metal Row.

The contemporary Townland Valuations (c. 1834) records that No. 7 Lower Main Street was initially occupied by a Mr. Campbell Little and was valued at £2 and 18 shillings. The valuer described the house as a 2B+ building (that is a thatched building of medium age, but still in sound order and good repair) that measured 29.6ft by 19.6ft and stood 7.3ft in height. There was little alteration to the site by the second edition Ordnance Survey map (1855) but the contemporary Griffith’s Valuation (1859) notes that No. 7 Lower Main Street had been slightly decreased to £2 and 10 shillings. The valuer recorded that the thatched house was leased by Sir Edmund Macnaghten of Dundarave House (HB05/08/005) to a Ms. Mary Dixon who continued to reside at the address until c. 1886. Under the 1901 Census of Ireland No. 7 Lower Main Street was occupied by Alexander Cochrane, a local labourer who resided at the site with his son William. The accompanying census building return records that the thatched roofs of nos 5-19 Lower Main Street had been slated by at least the turn of the 20th century. The return specifically described No. 7 Lower Main Street as a 2nd class dwelling that consisted of four inhabited rooms. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the house increased in value to £3 and 10 shillings and was occupied by a Mr. John Fall. The house was purchased outright by Mr. Fall in c. 1950 and by the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) its total rateable value stood at £6.

The adjoining No. 5 Lower Main Street was occupied by a Mr. William Armour during the Townland Valuations and was valued at £3 and 1 shillings. In the 1830s the valuer described the dwelling as a 2B+ building, its original dimensions were 31.6ft by 19.6ft and 7.3ft in height. The value of No. 5 Lower Main Street was decreased to £2 and 15 shillings under Griffith’s Valuation which noted that the house was occupied by a Mr. Andrew Dinsmore. The McCaughan family resided at the dwelling from the 1880s until c. 1963. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) No. 5 Lower Main Street was occupied by a Ms. Caroline McCaughan and had been increased in value to £3 and 10 shillings. The McCaughan’s purchased the site outright by c. 1950 and remained at the address until c. 1963 when a Ms. Elizabeth McLean occupied the house. By the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) the value of No. 5 Lower Main Street had risen to £6.

The UAHS Guide for North Antrim (1972) described Bushmill’s Main Street as ‘a well scaled street, for the most part excellently painted and maintained. Many good doorways and shopfronts remain. While no building apart from the former Court House is worthy of individual mention, the unity of the street frontages much be maintained.’ The guide specifically described Lower Main Street as ‘a pleasant curving street facing the grounds of Dundarave’ (UAHS guide, p. 16). Nos 5-7 Lower Main Street were listed in 1980 and were included in the Bushmills Conservation Area which was designated in 1992 to protect the village which possesses the highest number of Listed Buildings for any town or village in the North East of Northern Ireland. The NIEA HB Records note that the northernmost two bays of No. 5 Lower Main Street were demolished in c. 2003 in order to provide improved access to the neighbouring coal yard and petrol station. The remaining bay was incorporated into the adjoining No. 5 Lower Main Street with the conjoined building utilised as a local shop (NIEA HB Records; Bushmills Conservation Area guide).

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 VAL/1/D/1/7 – Townland Valuation Town Plan (c. 1834)
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/132 – Townland Valuations (c. 1843)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/25A – Griffith’s Valuation (1859)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/8A-D – Annual Revisions (1859-1894)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/6A-C – Annual Revisions (1895-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/13 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
10. PRONI VAL/4/B/1/22 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
11. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1918)
12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
13. First Survey Record – HB05/08/070
14. NIEA HB Records – HB05/08/070G-H

Secondary Sources
1. Girvan, W. D., ‘List of historic buildings, groups of buildings & areas of architectural importance in North Antrim’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.
2. ‘Bushmills Conservation Area Guide’ Belfast: Department of the Environment, 1992.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Single-storey four-bay pebble dashed rendered end-of-terrace house; rectangular plan-form with a replacement fibre cement pitched roof having two unpainted rendered chimneystacks, left chimneystack has a single circular terracotta clay pot. Set within a terrace formerly known as 'Metal Row' the houses were all built at the same time in 1832. The thatched roofs of no’s 5-19 Lower Main Street were replaced with natural slate by the turn of the 20th century. The current building originally consisted of two three-bay dwellings, however c. 2003 the two northernmost bays of No.5 Lower Main Street were demolished and the remaining bay incorporated into the adjoining house (No. 7). The exterior and interior of both have been significantly altered, however the scale of these terraced house as a group contributes positively to the architectural patrimony of Bushmills, and they retain their external historic character with simple proportions and detailing to the Main Street elevation. This building has group value with the rest of the terrace, Nos 19-9 (HB05/08/070 A-F).