Orange Hall, 31 Main Street, Coagh, Cookstown, BT80 0EN

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached two-storey multiple bay Orange Hall, built 1892. It is rectangular in plan with a pitched roof and gable ends. The northeast gable is the front elevation. This bay projects in front of the main gable forming a large single-storey porch area, which is clad in black basalt stone.

The front northeast gable elevation has a single semi-circular headed central door opening with painted brick surround and cut-stone hood. The fanlight has 'Gothic' arched astragals and plywood panel infills. Above this is a plaster plaque set into the wall with the words “Orange Hall 1892” in relief. In the apex of the gable is an ocular window with a painted surround and flagpole base above. It is clad in squared basalt rubble stone with contrasting white mortar joints. The door is a square-headed double timber panelled door with glazed panels to the top and an unglazed ‘Gothic’ timber fanlight over. To the left of the elevation is a modern signboard for “Coagh and district Credit Union”.

The side southeast elevation has black stone cladding to the porch area; there is unpainted render to the remainder. A square-headed window opening in the porch is filled in with the same stone cladding as the wall. It has a cut-stone sill and a surround, either in black brick or cladding panels. To the right of the main body of the building is a square-headed door opening with timber door and overlight. To the left is a door opening to the upper floor with metal external escape stair. There are two square-headed six-over-six timber sash windows with painted cut stone sills to the upper level.

The rear southwest elevation is gable ended unpainted render with no openings. A small lean-to boilerhouse with rendered walls and artificial slate roof projects to the rear.

The side northwest elevation is inaccessible but some window openings can be seen obliquely.

External walls are stone-clad to the front porch and unpainted smooth render to the remainder. The roof is slate and pitched to the main house and two-storey return. The roof covering cannot be seen from the ground but may be artificial slate like the lean-to. Rainwater goods are a mixture of cast-iron and plastic.

Setting:
The hall faces the Main Street with its gable end but is set behind the building line, creating a small yard to the front which is surrounded by a wall a rendered wall with painted concrete coping and square corner and gate piers. This is clad with a decorative black tile to the front, similar to the cladding on the building. There is a painted iron pedestrian gate in line with the front entrance. The neighbouring buildings are mainly two-storey domestic. The set-back position of the hall reduces its prominence. A tall flagpole is situated next to the gate.

Historical information

This Orange Hall was built in 1892, on or close to a site, which appears to have been previously partly occupied by a blacksmith’s forge.

References- Primary sources
2 PRONI VAL/12B/37/4D Annual valuation revision book, Coagh ED, 1882-91
3 PRONI VAL/12B/37/4E Annual valuation revision book, Coagh ED, 1892-98
4 PRONI VAL/12B/37/4F Annual valuation revision book, Coagh ED, 1899-1912
5 PRONI VAL/12E/169/1 Valuation plan of the town of Coagh, 1904(-08)
6 PRONI OS/8/79/1 OS town plan of Coagh, 1908
7 PRONI VAL/12B/37/4B Annual valuation revision book, Coagh ED, 1913-29
8 PRONI VAL/3B/7/4 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Coagh ED, 1935
9 PRONI VAL/3C/7/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Coagh ED, 1936-57
10 PRONI VAL/4B/6/6 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Coagh ED, 1957-72

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This simply detailed Orange Hall is substantially original; with its bold painted mortar joints an eye-catching feature in the street. Stark and almost devoid of ornamentation it nonetheless is an appealing design and contributes to the architectural interest of the village.