'Kate's Barber Shop' and apartment

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three-storey shop with apartment over, which appears to have assumed its present form c.1860, when a lower (probably mid 1700s) dwelling was raised a storey. The building is set on the sloping south side of Castle Street, to the west of Ballycastle town centre.

The asymmetrical front elevation faces N. To the right on the ground floor is a shop front which consists of a panelled and glazed door with large plate glass window to its right, both encased with pilaster jambs. Over all of this is a laminated signboard with a projecting cornice over. This shop front appears to have been altered in relatively recent years. When photographed in the 1970s, the pilasters were panelled and had an incised ‘roundel’ to the capitals, whilst the signboard was painted timber.

To the left of the shop is a segmental-headed carriage archway, without a door. To the first floro are three unevenly-spaced windows with horned timber sash frames with Georgian panes (six over six). These frames have broad boxes. To the first floor there are three similar but smaller windows, set in line with those to the first floor (three panes over six). The front façade is finished in painted plain render.

To the left hand side of the rear elevation there is a large, modern-looking single-storey flat-roofed return. To the immediate right of this, to the rear façade of the main section of the building, is a doorway, with modern timber sheeted door. This doorway is located under a modern metal staircase leading to a first floor doorway (see below). To the left again is the back end of the carriage archway.

To the first floor there is a window to left with a modern timber frame. To right of this is a doorway with recent panelled and glazed door. To right again is an enlarged window opening with modern timber frame. To the second floor there are two windows, with frames as before. The windows to the right appear to have been enlarged. The return and the rear façade of the main section are both largely finished in roughcast, most of which is painted.

The gabled roof of the main section is slated, with tow rendered ridge chimneystacks to either end. The flat roof of the return appears to be covered in felt. Cast-iron rainwater goods to front.

Historical information

Both the first valuation of 1835* and the second valuation of 1859 state that the building on the site, (which appears to have been the same house on both occasions), was an old two-storey house, with dimensions 14ft x 26½ x 14½ plus 8 x 26½ x 9 for the section over the gateway, quoted in the former, and seemingly identical dimensions in the latter. The 1859 valuer also tells us that the building contained a ‘shop and kitchen below, three rooms over and two garrets’. Thus the three-storey building we see today is either a later rebuild, or the original (probably mid 18th century) house with a storey added.

However, what actually happed to the pre 1859 structure is unclear, as the subsequent valuations make no mention of any significant changes to the building, or any demolition. However, a clue to the property’s fate may lie in the remark made in the 1859 valuation, that the building was ‘in bad internal repair’. If so, it is entirely feasible that repair work may have been carried out shortly after this. As the revisions to the second valuation for this area commence three years later, (in 1862), this work could well have been completed, but -as it happened during a hiatus in valuation activity- not necessarily recorded. This theory is reinforced by the 'Georgian vernacular’ appearance of the property, (as well as the broad sash boxes), which suggests that any alterations probably happened soon after 1859, rather than later.

The occupant in 1835 is recorded as a Daniel Kelly, with a Robert McVicker the tenant in1859, leasing from a Mrs Mary Edgar (who held the lease on the neighbouring property to the west at this time also). McVicker was succeeded in 1864 by an Andrew Verdon, with a William Kilpatrick following in 1873, James McElroy in 1875, Patrick Doony [or Doohy] (1876-81), and William Glass (1881-84)

In 1884 the lease was acquired by Jane Verdon, (who ran the neighbouring public house), with an Archibald Coyle -listed as a ‘victualler’ in Bassett’s 1888 directory- taking over the tenancy. Coyle remained there until 1919, with a William Johnstone the next occupant. In 1929 the lease was taken up by John Mckeague, (who, like his predecessor, ran the next door pub), with a John McAllister the resident from this date until sometime before 1935, when he was succeeded by a Robert Brown. Brown was followed by Denis J. O’Connor (1941-59), Ellen O’Connor (1959-60), and Patrick Hill (1960-c.64). A Daniel Donnelly is listed as the occupant in 1965, remaining there until at least 1972.

The property is noted as containing a bakery in 1966, but appears to have become a drapery shop some time in the mid 1970s. It now contains a barber’s shop with an apartment over.

*Note on primary sources- Though Ballycastle has its full compliment of valuation books dating back to 1834, the earliest extant valuation plan of the town (indeed the earliest large scale plan) is that dating from 1898. This means that though the first and second valuations -of 1834 and 1859 respectively- present the usual detailed accounts of properties throughout the town, bereft of their contemporary plans it is almost impossible to discover exactly which buildings the valuers are referring. The writer has circumvented this problem however by adopting the somewhat involving method of reading the records backwards- i.e. taking the more recent (mid 20th century) valuations and tracing each building back from these, using the 1898 map as a marker along the way.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Three-storey terrace shop with apartment over, which appears to have assumed its present form c.1860, when a lower, (probably mid 1700s), dwelling was raised a storey. This building has maintained its traditional vernacular Georgian character to the front elevation and with it's age is a building of special architectural and historic interest.