Post Office, 49-51 James Street, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, BT80 8AE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is an attached rendered two-storey post office building, built 1962. It is rectangular in plan with a two-storey lean-to return to the rear Southwest. There is a further modern single-storey extension to the rear West built c.1970. There is a single-storey mono-pitched extension attached. There is a single-storey garage to the rear West. The post office is located to the end of a mixed terrace.

External walls to the front and side are painted render with a polished granite base. The rear elevation is faced with concrete brick. There is artificial slate to the roof.

The front East elevation faces onto James Street. It has a square-headed recessed entrance bay to the left and windows to the right. The entrance bay has a door to the right, and a polished granite-tiled wall with two wall mounted letterboxes to the left. It is surmounted by a projecting rectangular horizontal timber canopy with a flat leaded roof. There is a two-light replacement uPVC overlight above. There are five square-headed windows to the right with replacement uPVC windows and aluminium bands to surrounds. The upper level has square-headed replacement uPVC windows set on painted concrete sills with aluminium bands to surrounds.

The side South elevation is gable-ended. It has square-headed uPVC windows to ground and first floor.

The rear West elevation has square-headed replacement uPVC windows to the upper floor.

Return:
The rendered two-storey lean-to to the rear Southwest has a large floor to ceiling height glazed section to the left. It has a large window to the stair well with a ‘ladder’ pattern to the timber frame; this is set on a rendered stall riser.

Extension:
The South elevation of the single-storey return to the rear has an assortment of square-headed single and double timber doors. There are a series of top opening timber casement windows, set on concrete sills. The rear elevation has painted double doors. There is a central recessed bay with a projecting open glazed canopy. There are two large elongated roof lights to the flat-roof, with glazing to the south and north sides. There is a tall brick chimney stack to the Northwest. A further single-storey mono-pitched extension to the rear has no openings.

Outbuildings:
There is a single-storey flat-roofed garage to the rear South West. It has a large painted roller-shutter door to the West, and a large multiple-light window to the East. There are gates located immediately to the South of the garage, leading to further outbuildings. To the rear of the site there is a small pitched roof telephone exchange building.

Setting:
The building is set at the end of a mixed terrace, to the western side of James Street to the southern edge of the commercial centre of Cookstown. The mixed terrace comprises mainly of two and three-storey Victorian buildings ranging in age from early to late nineteenth century. There is a large concrete parking area to the rear.

Historical information

This site has been occupied by a post office since the later 1800s. The present building was constructed in 1962, to designs by the Chief Architects’ Department of the NI Ministry of Finance. It was still in operation as a post office until the early 2000s, but is now used as a sorting office

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/2D/6/3/1-2 Valuation plan of Cookstown, 1859-82 [2 sheets]
2 PRONI VAL/4B/6/10 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Cookstown Urban vol.1, 1956-72
3 PRONI VAL/4B/6/11 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Cookstown Urban vol.2E, 1956-72

Secondary sources
1 EHS HB09/14/025 First survey record card, c.1992

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is an attached rendered two-storey post office building, built 1962. It is a quite well preserved example of a modernist post-office building in a stripped down modern style; this is in marked contrast to the surrounding Victorian buildings. However, it is not of the best quality and the insertion of inappropriate windows has further compromised its interest.