Royal Mail

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Five-bay two-storey classically-styled and pedimented brick and sandstone former post office, built c.1930, facing east on the west side of Castle Street, now in use as a sorting office. Rectangular-on-plan, with a pair of extensions to the rear, built c.1970.

Hipped natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles. Walling is generally painted rough-cast render with render quoins to the front elevation only.

Windows are square-headed with painted stone sills and 6/6 timber sash windows

Symmetrical five-bay two-storey front elevation with a pedimented three-bay central breakfront. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond, painted stone plinth course and sandstone ashlar frieze and cornice (stepped to the breakfront) having a brick parapet with steel covering, broken by a large pediment to the central breakfront having sandstone ashlar raking cornice and red brick tympanum. Square-headed window openings formed in rubbed brick with flush sandstone keystones and sandstone sills. All timber sash windows, flush to façade with exposed sash boxes; 6/6 to first floor, 6/9 to the ground floor with a pair of Wyatt windows flanking the central door opening; all windows have metal security grilles. Central three-centred arched door opening formed in gauged brick with a carved sandstone keystone having raised lettering reading ‘GvR’. Recessed doorcase comprises a pair of timber Doric columns supporting a lintel cornice with plain frieze and a blind painted panel to the overlight. Double-leaf hardwood panelled doors open onto a pair of nosed stone steps to the street.

Two-bay two-storey south side elevation fronts onto a laneway with a brick eaves course supporting replacement plastic guttering. Walling and window opening details, as per front elevation. Timber sash windows as per front elevation, 3/6 to first floor left, casement to the right and 6/6 to ground floor.

The rear (west) elevation is abutted by a pair of grey-brick flat-roofed extensions, built c.1970. North side elevation abutted by two-storey red brick commercial building.

Street-fronted within a terrace of buildings of various dates and heights on a pedestrian shopping street, with a pedestrian route running along the south side elevation.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Red brick / Sandstone
Windows: Timber sash
RWG: Replacement metal/Cast-iron

Historical information

The post office on Castle Street opened in 1929, according to Michael Kennedy in the Strabane Historical Society’s 1996 book, “By the Banks of the Mourne.” It replaced a building captioned “Corn Market” on the third edition of the OS Map. The Valuation Revisions record the previous property: “Cornmarket, this is occupied by the ‘Strabane Urban District Council,’ and leased from the Duke of Abercorn. In 1926, the occupier is revised to the H.M. Postmaster General and the building on site is recorded as “site for proposed post office.” In 1929, it is listed as “post office and yard,” and valued at £51.

Kennedy recounts “In 1901, the first Post Office opened at the Bridge End corner, at the top of Main Street. In 1926, it transferred to premises at the Farmers Home on Railway Road, while new premises was being built. In 1929, the new Post Office at Castle Street was opened, and the Sorting Office, which had previously been at Patrick Street, on the site of Scout’s Hall, was now located at the new premises. The Sorting Office temporarily moved to Railway Road in 1962, while modernization took place. In 1994, under Government reorganisation of Counter Services, the post office moved to Main Street” (Kennedy, p.111-113).

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/6/5/1 First Edition OS Map (1833)
2.PRONI OS/6/6/5/2 Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3.PRONI OS/6/6/5/3 Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4.PRONI VAL12/E//187/1-12 (1874-1908)
5.PRONI VAL/12/B/42/31A-M (1860-1931)
6.PRONI VAL/12/D/6/5C (1877-1902)
7.PRONI VAL/12/D/6/5E (1895-1925)

Secondary:
Kennedy, Michael G. “By the Banks of the Mourne: A History of Strabane.” Strabane, Co. Tyrone: Strabane Historical Society, 1996.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This symmetrical street-fronted brick building is a fairly rare example of mid-twentieth-century Neo-Georgian civic architecture. It main interest lies in its front façade as the interior has been altered and a large extension added to the rear. With its dominant pediment, well proportioned brick façade and original flush sash windows, this building forms an architectural focal point of Castle Street. It is one of the significant buildings in the centre of Strabane and has social interest for the local community.