Thatch Bar

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The building is accessed from the Toome/Castledawson Road, about three miles from the former town travelling north-west and making a sharp turn to the right at this point The public house is seen on the south-west side of Hillhead Road.

The building that faces north-east behind a low wall has a thatched roof covering between cement skews. There are three corbelled red brick chimneystacks, one on either gable and one serving the hearth in the central bar. There are no pots.

The finish is of whitened roughcast, a recent porch is roofed with a lean-to extension of the thatched covering. The timber sheeted entrance door is provided with sidelights and there are small window openings in the sides of the porch.

The window openings on the front elevation are all provided with louvered shutters. There are two to the left (south-east) and two to the right (north-west) together with a further timber sheeted entrance door to the end bar if required. The second window to the left lights a part of the lounge roofed until recently with substitute slates but now incorporated under the main thatch covering. The windows are of twelve panes with the top three hinged. The sills are narrow.

Moving further to the left (south-east) flat roofed sections have been added to provide extra accommodation for the functions of the building. The rear view of the building is obscured by extensions with flat and lean-to roofs and a high yard wall.

(See later note of June 2006 on further external modifications in Historical section.)

Historical information

A building is shown on this site on the OS map of 1831. Due to the somewhat confusing referencing system employed on the map to accompany the (near) contemporary valuation, it is difficult to tell whether this house is that recorded as the home of a Anthony Johnston and rated at £2-16-0, or that occupied by John O’Neill, an old house (‘2C’) measuring 39 x 22 x 11½, with an addition of 13 x 7½ x 4½ and rated at £3-18-0, or the even older house (‘2D’) of John Diamond measuring 58 x 19 x 9 and rated at £3-15-7. The second valuation of 1858 records the immediate lessor of that date as a James Johnston and gives a rateable value of £1, suggesting that the house noted in the 1830s as belonging to Anthony Johnston is probably that we see today. The occupant in 1858 is listed as a Michael Mulholland.

The function of the building before it became a licensed premises was that of a post office similar to the change that took place at Crosskeys in County Antrim. As the business of the licensed premises developed a number of changes have taken place including the formation of the projecting porch and the incorporation of the left (north -west) section of the building.
A planning consultation involving major extensions was received on 5 November 1999. The reply on 5 January 2000 advised that the additions should take place at the rear of the premises by developing a courtyard of which one side would be formed by the restored elevation of the listed thatched building.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/5/42 OS map, County Londonderry sheet 42, with valuation
references, (1831-c.38)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/523 First valuation, Artrea (c.1833)
3 PRONI VAL/2A/5/42A Revised OS map, County Londonderry sheet 40, with valuation references, (1856 / 57)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/5/26C Second valuation, Artrea (1858)

Secondary Sources

Monitoring of Thatched Buildings, report of visit by Colin Hatrick on 29 March 1994 to EHS.
Survey of licensed premises for The Campaign For Real Ale, report by Colin Hatrick to EHS.
Information from former owner, Mr Devlin., 25 October 2000.

Following a fire in the central part of the building in 2005 the roof to the affected area was reconstructed and both roof slopes rethatched using wheat straw. The work was done by Gerry Agnew. Also the inappropriate flat roofed extension to the NE gable was given a pitched roof finished in natural slate. The ridge has been kept slightly lower than the main thatched ridge.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

This public house faces south east and is located about three miles west of Toome adjacent to the main Belfast/ Londonderry trunk road.
The appearance of the front of the building in this case is of great importance and the traditional character to this elevation is preserved. As with most commercial buildings the rear has been altered and extended in a piecemeal fashion but this is not apparent in the public face of the building.