17 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three-bay two-storey former terrace house , now shop store, built c. 1870, located to the west side of Main Street, Castlederg. Rectangular-on-plan facing east with two-storey return to west.

Roof is pitched natural slated, blue/black clay ridge tiles; cast-iron ogee profile rainwater goods supported on flush timber eaves board. Walls are roughcast rendered; principal (east) elevation is ruled-and-lined rendered. Windows are 4/4 timber sliding-sashes with projecting masonry cills unless otherwise stated.

Principal elevation faces east; ground floor contains three square headed openings (that to centre diminished in width) containing replacement single-pane glazed windows surmounted by modern signage; two windows at first floor.

South gable is abutted by No.15 Main Street.

West elevation at right is abutted by two-storey return (No.1 The Entry) detailed as main block; exposed section at left is blank.

North gable has projecting pier at left supporting timber-sheeted gates enclosing yard at west; exposed section at right contains multi-pane metal casement at right; replacement timber casement window at first floor.

Return south elevation is accessed at north via central vertically sheeted timber doors flanked by multi-pane metal casements with margin lights at each side; double leaf vertically sheeted timber loft doors at centre at first floor; nine-pane metal casement at right. West gable is abutted by range of earlier small-scale vernacular in style outbuildings, known as ‘The Entry’ (HB10/02/017C). South elevation is abutted by adjoining building, No.15 Main Street.

The shop store is located at the street front and enclosed at north by timber sheeted fence; yard at west contains a series of single- and two-storey outbuildings of varying age; the rear return is adjoined at west by a series of small-scale vernacular in style outbuildings, known as ‘The Entry’ (HB10/02/017C) and 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 entry’ (HB10/02/017C).

Roof Hipped Natural Slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined rendered to east; remainder roughcast
Windows partly 4/4 timber sliding-sashes with projecting masonry cills
RWG Cast-iron ogee profile

Historical information

The current buildings do not appear on the Valuation Town Plans until the edition of 1904-9, and can be dated stylistically to c.1870.

The buildings initially formed part of the ‘offices’ of the large house next door (HB10/02/017A) which, in the 1870s was a hotel. The current buildings are not listed, valued or occupied separately from this house during the period of Annual Revisions (1860-1929). In 1872 Revisions add £1 10s to the value of the plot due to the addition of ‘offices’ and by a further £1 in 1877. One of these rises may refer to the current buildings.

Despite inappropriate remodelling of the proportions on the principal elevations of the main building the remainder of the detailing has been sympathetic with the earlier outbuildings at west, 2-9 ‘the entry’ (HB10/02/017C).

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)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Late-nineteenth century three-bay two-storey former terrace house, now shop store, located to the west side of Main Street, Castlederg. Although an interesting part of a group, which includes the house at No.19-21, built c. 1820 (HB10/02/017A) and ‘the entry’ (HB10/02/017C) built c. 1840, extensive remodelling, including the installation of modern shop windows to east and north, has detracted from the overall historic character of this former house and it was considered not worthy of listing.