19-21 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay three-storey house built c. 1820, largely remodelled and storey added c.1860, located to the west side of Main Street, Castlederg. Rectangular-on-plan facing east with T-Plan return to west; single-storey lean-to extension to re-entrant angle (closing gap between the main house and return) and single storey flat-roof extension at west of return.

Roof is hipped natural slated, (slightly higher ridge line at south bay); blue/black clay ridge tiles; six smooth rendered corbelled chimneystacks; cast-iron ogee profile rainwater goods. Deep overhanging eaves supported on moulded timber brackets. Walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with projecting cill course; V-jointed rock-faced quoins at ground floor; V-jointed reticulated rusticated quoins at first and second floor; projecting smooth rendered plinth. Windows are 6/6 timber sliding-sashes with projecting cill course; moulded architraves at principal elevation only; windows diminished in height at first and second floor.

Principal elevation faces east; central bay is recessed and contains principal entrance flanked by two windows at right and modern shop front at left; both left and right bays have V-jointed rock-faced quoins at both projecting corners; five windows at first and second floor. Principal entrance is accessed by stone step and comprises double-leaf panelled-doors with weather boards; flanking timber pilasters and surmounted by radial fanlight; entrance as described is further contained within a secondary (later) surround comprising fluted pilasters and moulded archivolt and keyblock detail over flanked by spandrels with moulded architrave. Glazed shop front is recessed and main wall supported by two cast-iron columns.

South elevation contains projecting smooth rendered pier at right supporting timer-sheeted fence enclosing yard at west; single window at centre at second floor.

Rear elevation is abutted at left by two-storey return, (also built c.1820 but not remodelled c.1860 to include to a second floor) is abutted at right by single-storey lean-to extension; exposed section contains bowed bay at left (centre of west elevation) added c.1870; two windows at right at first and second floor. Bowed bay contains three windows at each floor, central diminished.

North gable contains single window at right at first floor.

Return has hipped natural slate roof; blue/black clay ridge tiles; stone corbelled eaves supporting cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are ruled-and-lined rendered; windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes with projecting painted masonry cills unless otherwise stated.

Return south elevation is abutted at centre by slightly lower two-storey wing aligned north-south; exposed section at left is abutted by single storey extension to re-entrant angle; single window at right at first floor; exposed section at right is abutted at by single-storey lean to extension; first floor is blank. West elevation is abutted by single-storey extension at left; dipartite window at right; single window at right at first floor; north elevation was not surveyed. East elevation abuts main block. North-south aligned wing west elevation is abutted at ground floor by single-storey extension with flat-roof;

North-south aligned wing, west elevation is abutted at left at ground floor by single storey extension built c.1880; single window at right; two windows at first floor; south elevation contains two windows at ground floor. East elevation is abutted at ground floor by lean-to extension; single window at first floor.

Lean-to extension is detailed as main block and is abutted at west, north by two-storey return and at east by the main block. Exposed south elevation contains double leaf glazed timber panelled doors with original folding metal screen.

L-plan extension is detailed as return with felted flat roof and timber eaves boards. West elevation has projecting bay at left which contains glazed timber panelled door with flanking sidelights; right bay contains narrow 4/4 timber sliding sash at right; replacement timber casement window at left; single window at south elevation.

Rear elevation is abutted by east-west aligned series of outbuildings; the east side of which was constructed c.1820 simultaneous with the main house, the western side appears later. The house is located at the street front and enclosed at south by timber sheeted fence; yard at west contains a series of single- and two-storey outbuildings of varying age; immediately south of the entrance to the enclosed rear yard is building No.17 (HB10/02/017B), built c.1870, now used as a shop in connection with the main house; this building is adjoined at west by a series of small-scale vernacular in style outbuildings, known as ‘The Entry’ (HB10/02/017C), built c. 1840; further connected to ‘the entry’ is a series of attached outbuildings arranged around a courtyard; the north-south aligned block is one of the earliest on the site built c.1820, at the same time as the house (HB10/02/017A) and prior to the construction of ‘the entry’ (HB10/02/017C).

Roof Hipped Natural Slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined rendered with projecting cill course; V-jointed rock-faced quoins at ground floor; reticulated at first
and second floor; projecting smooth rendered plinth.
Windows 6/6 timber sliding-sashes with projecting cill course; moulded architraves at principal elevation only;
RWG Cast-iron ogee profile

Historical information

The house dates from c.1820 and underwent substantial remodelling c.1860.

Buildings can be identified on the Townland Valuation Town Plan of c.1834, at which stage there are two dwellings marked on the site, numbered 49 and 50, no. 49 possessing a considerable return. The fieldbook records that the two houses are occupied by Mrs Funston and Thomas Funston and are valued at £6 6s and £7 14s respectively.

By the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) the two houses are shown as one and the return has increased in size. William Henderson leases the ‘House, offices, yard and garden’ from Sir Robert A Ferguson Bt and it is valued at £33. The increase in value indicates the property has been substantially remodelled since the previous valuation. A further addition to the return, corresponding to a bay containing stairwell and further outbuildings are drawn onto the Griffith’s Valuation Town Plan (c.1859) at a later date.

Revisions note that the lessor is now John G Smyly and the property is valued at £41. A marginal note explains, ‘Rebuilt and storey added 1863, £400’. In the 1864 fieldbook the property is described as a ‘hotel’. In 1872 the value is revised again to £42 10s due to the addition of ‘offices’ and in 1875 J.F.R. Johnston becomes the occupier. The value is raised once again to £43 10s in 1877. Subsequently there are several changes of occupier until Samuel Gailey becomes occupier from 1912.

The OS town plan of 1905 shows the building captioned ‘Hotel’.

In ‘A Short History of Second Castlederg Presbyterian Church’ dating from 1953, Samuel Gailey and Co have placed an advertisement describing the business now run from the former hotel as ‘Select Family Grocers, Provision, Seed and General Hardware Merchants, Timber, Coal and Iron’. The proprietors at this time are the Kinnear family.

The main house (Block A – see sketch plan) built c.1820 is indicated on the 1830 map as two buildings, divided east-west, showing a single-bay house at south and two-bay at north; the current plan form and detailing suggest that the original building structure still remains but was substantially remodelled c.1860 when a second floor was added; a three-storey bowed bay containing stairwell was added subsequently c.1870. The west return (Block B) was also built c.1820 when the house was originally constructed, but has not undergone remodelling to the same extent as the main house (Block A) and remains two-storey with original detailing and proportions intact. The simpler characteristics of the facade of the main house (Block A) are now obscured by the V-jointed reticulated rusticated quoins; the remodelling is largely emphasised by the over embellishments of the principal entrance door.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/16/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/16/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1855)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/16/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/8/72/1 – Ordnance Survey Town Plan 1905
5. PRONI VAL/1A/6/16 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/D/6/3 – Townland Valuation Town Plan (c.1834)
7. PRONI VAL/1B/626A – Townland Valuation Records (1828-1840)
8. PRONI VAL/2/D/6/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Town Plan (c.1859)
9. PRONI Griffith’s Valuation, printed copy – Union of Castlederg
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/166/1 – Annual Revision Records Town Plan (1904-9)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/35/6A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)

Secondary Sources

1. Thompson, S.W. “A Short History of Second Castlederg Presbyterian Church” 1953

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An attractive detached three-bay three-storey house built c. 1820, located to the west side of Main Street, Castlederg. Easily identified as two blocks; despite both being built c.1820, the street facing block demonstrates good Victorian style and proportions indicating that there was a major refurbishment c.1860 when a second floor was added and the property converted to hotel use. The return however still remains largely intact in both plan form and detailing, and demonstrates more of the original late Georgian detailing. The house is part of an important group within Castlederg town centre, with adjacent outbuildings including No.17, built c. 1870 (HB10/02/017B) and ‘the entry’ (HB10/02/017C) built c. 1840. An important group in architectural terms and one that demonstrates the evolution of Castlederg town development.

General comments

This record has been renumbered as part of a group and was previously HB10/02/017.