5 Townhall Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1880, located on the east side of Townhall Street. Rectangular on plan, facing west; later two-storey pitched extension to east.

Pitched artificial slate roof, red clay roll-top ridge tiles, polychromatic brick chimneystacks, remains of half-round metal gutters, projecting eves on (remains of) carved painted timber brackets. Walling is painted block-mark rendered over plinth, stringcourse between ground and first floor and at first floor-lintel-level raised as segmental arch-heads over first floor windows. Windows are square-headed uPVC casements.

Principal (west) elevation is symmetrical, raised-and-fielded four-panelled door with plate-glass fanlight to centre flanked by a single window to each side with a window to each first floor bay.

North gable is entirely abutted by adjoining outbuilding; exposed section is blank.

East elevation is abutted by modern extension to centre; exposed section is pebbledashed with a single diminished window to each floor.

South gable is abutted by adjoining building, exposed section is blank.

The house is situated on Townhall Street with a paved rear court; adjoining multi-bay two-storey outbuilding has hipped artificial slate roof, cement-rendered walls, variety of square-headed uPVC casement windows and replacement doors.

Roof: Pitched artificial slate roof, red clay roll-top ridge tiles
Walling: Painted block-mark rendered over plinth
Windows: Square-headed uPVC casements.
RWG: Remains of half-round metal gutters

Historical information

This building was constructed in a group with its neighbours (10/04/045B and C) and can therefore be dated to 1880 according to a datestone appearing on the centre building.

There are buildings shown on the site from the time of the 1833 OS Map. Unfortunately the earliest town plan, which dates from 1828-40, has not survived, and the building is, therefore, not identifiable with certainty in the Townland Valuation. It is possible, however, that a building on the site is one that was occupied by Jones Crawford Esq and valued at £28. (Pigot and Co’s Provincial Directory of 1824 lists Major Jones Crawford under ‘Nobility, Gentry and Clergy’ of Newtownstewart, p.414)

Griffith’s valuation lists the large plot as a public house and offices, valued at £24 13s 1d and notes that it was a former ‘gentleman’s private residence’. The occupier is Patrick McGlenahan who leases it from Daniel Baird.

Revisions lift the value of the plot to £18. In 1877 the plot is split into two and the public house to the east becomes separately listed. The buildings are now valued at £9 and occupied by the Representatives of Daniel Baird in fee.

Between 1879 and 1880 the plot was redeveloped and divided into three separate buildings, numbered 1b, 1c and 1d (corresponding to 5, 7 and 9, respectively). This is confirmed by the redrawing of the buildings on Griffith’s Valuation Town Plan. In 1879 number 1b is described as a shop, concert room and garden valued at £24 10s and 10s for the garden. It is occupied by Bernard Gillespie. In 1891 it becomes a police barrack, office and garden, leased from Bernard Gillespie and valued at £12 10s. It is captioned ‘Constabulary Barrack’ on the Annual Revisions Town Plans of 1898 and 1908. In 1917 the value is raised to £16 5s, possibly indicating some improvements. In 1922 it is no longer a police barrack and is being leased as a house for a value of £18.

In 1934 the house is occupied by Samuel Millikin and leased from Michael Gallagher. It is valued at £18.10s. At this time it consists of a kitchen, scullery, pantry and two rooms downstairs and four bedrooms, a boxroom and a bathroom upstairs. The valuer comments that one bedroom has been converted to a bathroom and there is hot and cold water. A plan and dimensions are given.

In “Newtownstewart Remembered” is a photograph dating from c.1900 showing the building as a police barracks and RIC men standing outside. (p.137)
.

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/6/17/1 – Ordnance Survey Map 1833
2.PRONI OS/6/6/17/2 – Ordnance Survey Map 1854
3.PRONI OS/6/6/17/3 – Ordnance Survey Map 1905
4.PRONI VAL/1A/6/17 – Townland Valuation Map
5.PRONI VAL/1B/637A-F – Townland Valuation Records (1828-1840)
6.PRONI VAL/2/D/6/10 – Griffith’s Valuation Town Plan (1849-1869)
7.PRONI VAL/2/B/6/40B – Griffith’s Valuation Records (1858)
8.PRONI VAL/12/E/160/1 – Annual Revision Records Town Plan (1898)
9.PRONI VAL/12/E/160/2 – Annual Revision Records Town Plan (1908)
10.PRONI VAL/12/B/42/27A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
11.PRONI VAL/3/D/7/107/2 – Valuers RV Binders (1933-57)

Secondary Sources

1.Dunbar, Billy. “Newtownstewart Remembered” Omagh, Strule Press, 1987
2.Pigot and Co’s Provincial Directory 1824

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An attached three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1880, located on the east side of Townhall Street. Despite the loss of some original external features and the loss of interior detail, this house retains its fine style, proportion and ornamentation. The house shares many design features with 9 Townhall Street (HB10/04/045C) and both properties were built to flank the contemporary former Newtownstewart Town Hall, 7 Townhall Street (HB10/04/045B).The building has group value as part of the Town Hall complex and occupies a prominent position in Newtownstewart, adjacent to Newtownstewart Castle at the foot of Main Street.

General comments

This record was previously part of HB10/04/045 along with Nos. 7 & 9 Townhall Street.