Former Police Station,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical detached two-storey five-bay rendered former police station facing north-west and located to the south side of Main Street within Broughshane town centre. Set behind a roughcast rendered wall with tall modern steel security fencing and situated in a large securely enclosed plot which rises steeply to the south. A pitched roofed single-storey roughcast rendered garage is located to the south with a temporary single-storey building beyond. A telephone kiosk is located to the west of the site on the public footpath.

Hipped natural slate roof having mitred hips and oversailing eaves with timber soffit and fascia supporting cast-iron ogee rainwater goods complete with cast-iron downpipes and hoppers. Large three stage wall-headed rendered chimneystacks with three buff coloured clay pots to north-east and south-west. A further rendered chimneystack with three buff coloured clay pots is centrally located on the ridge. Two, two pane metal rooflights are located on the rear roof slope. Walling is painted roughcast render with continuous moulded sill course to a diminished first floor and chamfered plinth course. All windows are square-headed timber sliding sash (except for a single metal window to cell) and are mainly 6/6 and 6/9 pane windows (with horns), those to ground floor having projecting painted masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces north-west and is symmetrically arranged with three 6/6 pane windows to centre at first floor. Shallow breakfront to centre at ground floor comprising three shallow recessed arches containing six-panelled square-headed doors to left and right and a 6/9 pane window to centre. The three arches are connected by a platband at impost level. Far left and right bays have a single 6/9 pane window to ground floor only.

North-east side elevation comprises a 6/9 pane square-headed window to ground floor far right set within an arched recess and surmounted by a 6/6 pane window to first floor. Centrally positioned wall headed chimney breaks the continuous oversailing eaves line.

The rear (south-east) elevation has irregular fenestration with five window openings to first floor comprising three 6/6 pane windows and two 2/2 pane windows. Ground floor has a modern flush timber door off centre to left with modern square-headed overlight and side lights flanked to left by a 2/2 pane window and to right by a 6/6 pane window. To far right is a high level diminutive six-pane metal window (with integral metal ventilation panel). To left of metal window is a 6/6 pane window and a diminutive 2/2 pane window at low level.

South-west side elevation has a 6/9 pane square-headed window to ground floor far left and right set within arched recesses (that to left is surmounted by a 6/6 pane window to first floor. Centrally positioned wall headed chimney breaks the continuous oversailing eaves line.

Setting:
Located to the south side of Main Street within Broughshane town centre, the former police station is set behind a roughcast rendered wall with tall modern steel security fencing. It is situated in a large securely enclosed plot which rises steeply to the south. A pitched roofed single-storey roughcast rendered garage is located to the rear with a temporary single-storey building beyond. A telephone kiosk is located to the west of the site on the public footpath.

Materials:
Walls Render
Roof Natural slate
Windows Timber sliding sash / metal
RWGs Cast iron

Historical information

This former RUC station was built in 1939-40 to an established design by the then Ministry of Finance Assistant Architect T.F.O. Rippingham, and replaced an earlier police barracks which stood at the eastern end of the north side of Main Street. Proposals for the new building appear to have been formulated in 1929, but the present site was not settled upon until 1937, with the tender advertised in January 1939, and construction work completed either later the same year or that following.

Following an overall estates review, the results of which were published in March 2012, the Broughshane Police Station ceased to be operational at midnight on 31st August 2013. The policing service for the area is currently being delivered from Ballymena. The property is currently vacant.

The Royal Irish Constabulary was formed in 1867 and the early constabulary barracks, established countrywide, were initially housed in existing buildings. It was not until after partition that purpose-built RUC barracks began to be constructed across the province that incorporated married quarters for the sergeant in charge.

References: Primary Sources
1 PRONI VAL3G/11/1 (1905-c.1957)
2 PRONI VAL12B/3/7E (1920-29)
3 NIEA FIN19/8/53-60 (1929-39)
4 PRONI VAL3C/1/8 (1933-57)
5 'Irish Builder' 21 Jan. 1939

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

A symmetrical detached two-storey five-bay rendered former police station, built in 1939-40 to a standard design by T F O Rippingham, architect to the Ministry of Finance from 1922 to 1956/7. Proposals for the building appear to have been formulated in 1929, but the present site was not settled upon until 1937, with the tender advertised in January 1939, and construction work completed either later the same year or that following. Architectural detailing reflects the neo-Georgian style favoured for many public buildings of this era with recessed arches and a diminished first floor. Much of the original fenestration and detailing is intact as well as the functional interior layout.
Of social importance and historic interest, retaining much of its original character, this is one of a decreasing number of former police barracks that have survived relatively unaltered.

General comments

This property was initially raised as a listing query ref: HB07/LQ056