7 Newtown Street, Strabane, Co Tyrone BT82 8DN

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Terraced street-fronted three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1870.

Pitched artificial slate roof, black clay ridge tiles and a large rendered chimneystack to either end, shared with adjoining buildings. Metal rainwater goods on drive-through iron brackets, painted ruled-and-lined rendered walling. Square-headed window openings, painted masonry sills and 2/2 timber sash windows with cylinder glass and horns. Square-headed door opening with replacement four-panelled timber door and rectangular overlight. Door opens onto stone step to the street.

Roof Fibre cement slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined render
Windows Timber sash
Rainwater goods Metal

Historical information

Buildings are present on the site on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map (1833), however, these do not appear to be the present buildings as valuation evidence would suggest that these were rebuilt in around 1870.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) town plan for Strabane has not survived. The Griffith’s town plan (1858) shows a single building on the site which has been altered at an unknown date to show two separate buildings. Griffith’s fieldbook lists one occupier, John R Lynch, who leases the house, offices, yard and small garden from John Maguire. It is valued at £9.

Frequent changes of occupier are shown throughout the period covered by Annual Revisions (1860-1931). Rodi Gormley becomes the lessor in 1869 and around this date the valuation is raised to £17. After 1874 the building is listed as two separate items, a shirt factory and a house, office, yard and small garden. The ‘shirt factory’ is captioned on the Annual Revisions town plan. Both are valued at £16 and leased from James Stevenson. The rise in value would appear to indicate rebuilding. In 1890 the shirt factory is further split and half of it, (number 5) becomes a house and yard valued at £5.10s. Number 7 falls vacant in 1882 and the value is reduced to £13 in 1885 and £11 in 1886. After 1892 the value of number 5 is reduced to £4.10s and number 7 to £8. In 1904 J Walker Craig KC becomes the lessor of both buildings.

After 1934 both occupiers become the owners in fee of their houses. Number 5 is occupied by John McCrossan and comprises a kitchen, scullery and one room with three bedrooms upstairs and a W.C. in the yard. The valuation is raised to £7.10s. A plan and dimensions are given of a brick building with rubble masonry outbuildings.

Number 7 is occupied by Alexander Campbell and comprises a kitchen and two rooms with four bedrooms upstairs and a W.C. in the yard. It has water in the kitchen, a scullery and hot and cold water. The valuer describes it as a two-storey parlour house and notes that there is electric light. It too is of brick with rubble masonry outbuildings. The valuation is raised to £14 but this is reduced to £11.10s on appeal.

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 OS/6/6/5/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1951)
5. PRONI VAL/2/D/6/18B – Griffiths’ Valuation Town Plan
6. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation, Union of Strabane (1858)
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/187/1/4 – Annual Revisions Town Plan
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/31A-M – Annual Revision Records (1860-1931)
9. PRONI VAL/3/G/159/1/1 – First NI General Revaluation Town Plan
10. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/9A/17 – First NI General Revaluation: Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This three-bay two-storey terraced house forms part of a terrace on Newtown Street, most of which have lost all original fabric and consequently their nineteenth-century appearance. Retaining its timber sash windows complete with cylinder glass and the original door, this house, along with its neighbour No.5 (HB10/12/034A) gives an indication of the original appearance of the entire streetscape, but this alone is not sufficient to warrant listing.