Corn Store

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 9 bay long, 3 storey with basement, former grain store, slated and gabled roof with balcony access.

The west elevation, overlooking the market yard, on the ground floor has a central double timber sheeted door between 2 piers of ashlar sandstone, on each side 2 wide bays, again divided by a wide ashlar sandstone pier. The piers support deep beams spanning between each and supporting access balcony at first floor. Set back the depth of balcony the rising wall each having a wide timber door and small window set in red brickwork. Each door gives access to a store. There have been alterations e.g. at the S end a shed abuts against 2 bays and 2 storeys. At first floor 2 doors between ashlar sandstone piers allows access from the central stairway to the balcony. To S and N there are each 2 single segmental arched doors and 2 windows likewise arched to 4 separate stores of equal size. This arrangement is repeated on the 2nd floor. The balconies appear to be supported by cantilever beams trimmed at outer edge with iron angle. The open balustrade is formed with angle iron forming a series of saltires with metal handrail. The inner wall is faced with coursed white limestone. The access balconies terminate against the gable wall. The roof overhang with deep fascia extends to give cover to the balcony. The balcony construction is almost ruinous. Gutter ruinous and end downpipes. Roof natural slates. N gable faced with coursed white limestone and sandstone quoins, while S gable is smooth rendered, presumably over coursed white limestone.

The east elevation has a central arched timber doorway with smooth wide sandstone surround with peacock tail fanlight, over 2 small shuttered windows at 1st and 2nd floor. Next bay to N & S has single small shuttered window at each floor and the next 2 bays both
N & S has double timber sheeted doors at 1st and 2nd and under them a high level shuttered window. In the end bays again small shuttered window at 1st and 2nd floor and at ground level a blank larger opening. Wall built of coursed white limestone with sandstone quoins and shallow sandstone segmental lintols over windows. There are grills at ground level ventilating basement area. Natural slated roof and stone plinth.

The corn store is situated to the eastside of the market yard with additional road access to the east from Market Street. The market yard formerly had a weighbridge in the centre, now demolished.

Historical information

The new corn/grain store began erection in 1835 and the whole market complex completed in 1839 to the design of William John Booth, Draper’s Company Architect. The Company proceeded on this venture on the proposal of George Bridger, Clerk of Works and builder. The contractor was Daniel Magee. The O.S. Memoirs records “ The Company are erecting a very handsome and capacious grain store ……..” The Company Deputation of 1839 expressed approval “a magnificent new corn store”. “The whole pile of buildings is extremely well executed, has a most striking and ornamental appearance, and is admirably calculated for the purpose to which it is destined”. The admirable purpose must have been a white elephant after a short while though an exciting piece of architecture.

The corn store is now the property of John Glover Ltd and is to be part of a Townscape Heritage Initiative under the Moneymore Heritage Trust Ltd and is proposed to be converted into apartments.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46.
2. O.S. Map 1832 Rev. 1856 Londonderry sh. 46.
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry XII, 1821, 1833, 1836-7 p. 38
Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B.
4. Curl J.S. Moneymore and Draperstown UAHS p. 34, 35, 56 and 57.
5. Curl J.S. The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 p. 209-215
6. Notes, 1st Survey, E.H.S. Hill Street, Belfast

Secondary Sources
1. Rowan A, North West Ulster, Buildings of Ireland p. 425
2. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Vol II, p. 387, 388
3. Brett CEB, Court Houses and Market Houses UAHS p. 91.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A fine example of early Victorian ambitious industrial architecture, which has survived many years of comparative disuse and retains remarkable detail of construction and forms a marvellous functional foil to the Neo-Classicisan of the remarkable front building to the High Street.