Red House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey asymmetrical Arts and Crafts house, built c.1890, located to the east side of Urney Road. T-shaped-on-plan with gabled projecting bay to north; single-storey hipped entrance porch to re-entrant angle abutted by single-storey flat-roofed veranda to north-east; two-storey gabled return to south-east abutted at south by single-storey lean-to extension.

Roofs are pitched rosemary clay tiled with timber bargeboards over deep overhanging eaves; red brick corbelled chimneys with original clay pots. Walls are Flemish bonded red brick at ground floor; timber shingles at first floor. Windows are square-headed timber framed containing leaded lattice lights (now blocked); corbelled brick sills and voussoirs; sandstone sills to return.

Principal elevation faces north; left bay contains single window at first floor; abutted at ground floor by flat-roofed timber-framed glazed veranda over brick plinth at left; abutted at re-entrant angle by timber panelled glazed porch containing nine-panelled timber door with sidelights (now blocked); gabled dormer with decorative half-timbering containing single window to attic; central gabled bay contains two segmental-headed windows at ground floor; roughcast with half-timbering to projecting first floor supported on corbelled brackets containing single window; hipped dormer containing single window to attic; right bay contains single window at ground and first floor; hipped dormer containing single window to attic.

East gable consists of central projecting chimney-breast containing single window at ground floor; exposed section at left contains double-leaf entrance opening (door missing) surmounted by window at first floor.

South elevation is abutted at right by return; exposed section at left contains single window to each floor at left; at right, small windows at ground floor and two small windows at first floor.

West gable consists of central projecting chimney-breast with rosemary clay tiled weathering containing single window at ground floor left and two timber casement windows at first floor; exposed section at left contains double-leaf entrance doors accessed by sandstone steps; exposed section at right contains single window at ground floor.

Return to south-east; east gable contains two windows at ground and first floor; roughcast with decorative half-timbering supported on corbelled brackets to gable containing small window. South elevation is abutted at centre by lean-to extension containing single window to west; single window at first floor; to left, single window to each floor. West gable contains, at ground floor, central window flanked by four-panelled timber entrance door at left and right; two windows at first floor left; roughcast with mock half-timbering supported on corbelled brackets to gable containing small window. North elevation abutted by house.

Set within mature gardens; single-storey red brick stable block with pitched natural slate roof to south-east; single-storey gabled red brick gatelodge to north with mock-half-timbering to gable. Bounded to road at north-west by red brick walling; access through pair of stretcher-bonded brick piers with concrete orb cap in alcoved entrance.

Roof Rosemary clay tiles
Walling Flemish-bonded red brick; timber shingles at first floor
Windows Square-headed timber framed containing leaded lattice lights (now blocked)
RWG Cast-iron half-round gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

The building is first shown on the third edition OS Map (1905), captioned “Red House.” The previous edition (1855) records a “Standing Stone” on the site.

The Valuation Revisions record the addition of a “house and land” in 1891-96, first listing Fred Doyle as occupier This is changed to Emerson Herdman in 1899. The building is valued at £16.

J. A. K. Dean in “The Gate Lodges of Ulster” (1994) incorrectly dates the house to c.1910 but describes it as a “fine Arts-and-Crafts house…probably built by the Herdmans” (Dean, p.148).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/4/1-First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/4/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1855)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/4/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/20A-G -Valuation Revisions (1860-1924)
5. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/4C -Valuation Revisions Map (1896-1925)

Secondary

1. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A detached three-bay two-storey asymmetrical Arts and Crafts house, built c.1890, located to the east side of Urney Road. This house is a typical example of the mock Tudor style which became popular in the local area during the latter part of the nineteenth century due to the preferences of the Herdman family, local linen merchants in Sion Mills. The house retains ornate brick chimneys and timberwork indicative of the period. The plan of the house is unusual in that the return is aligned parallel to the main house resulting in a double gabled elevation. The house along with the gate lodge, remains a valuable part of the architectural heritage of Strabane.