The Farmers Home,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached street-fronted three-bay two-storey rendered former house with attic, built c.1870, in use as public house. Rectangular on plan, facing south and located on the north side of Railway Street with a single-storey return and further modern single-storey extension to east gable extending to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof, black clay ridge tiles, three rendered chimneystacks with clay pots and cast-iron rainwater goods; rear pitch has a small dormer window inset with an extractor fan. Painted ruled-and-lined rendered walling with rendered quoins to front elevation, pebble dash rendered to side elevations, smooth render to rear. Square-headed window openings, painted masonry sills and 1/1 timber sash windows.

Principal elevation is five openings wide; pub shopfront occupies the left bay and comprises; at left, an enlarged window opening with render architrave surround with tripartite fixed-pane timber display window, a square-headed door opening to the right has render architrave surround, with moulded entablature extending across shop window. Door is replacement double-leaf timber panelled with further internal pair of original wood-grained timber panelled doors; glazed upper panels have coloured margin lights and brass bars. The central and right bay formerly comprised landlord's accomodation - central bay has a window at left and, at right, a timber panelled door with overlight set in moulded render architrave surround on plinth blocks; the right bay has a single window. First floor has five irregularly spaced windows. The walls have traditional painted lettering, 'The Farmers Home' and the name 'McHenry'.

West gable has single door opening with tongue-and-groove timber door.

Multi-bay two-storey rear elevation abutted by single-storey corrugated iron roofed return and steel fire escape. 6/6 timber sash window and further 2/2 with replacement timber sheeted doors.

East gable abutted by recent off-licence extension with single-pitched fibre cement slate roof and hardwood display windows and hardwood glazed double-leaf doors opening onto cobbled ramp. Small opening to gable at attic-level with four-pane timber casement window.

Front and east side areas finished in bitmac with row of steel bollards. Courtyard to rear with rubble outbuildings and walling and single storey stable block; stable block and part of two storey outbuilding in poor condition. Wrought-iron gates to west gable.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined render / pebble dash render
Windows Timber sash
Rainwater goods Cast-iron

Historical information

A house is present on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833 together with an outbuilding that appears to have survived to the present day; however the current building would appear to date from c.1870, according to valuation evidence.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) town plan of Strabane has not survived and the building is therefore not identifiable. In Griffith’s Valuation it is listed as a house, offices, yard and land valued at £11.15s. It is leased by Robert Henderson from the Marquis of Abercorn. The valuation has dropped to £11 in Annual Revisions of 1860. Andrew Gourley becomes the occupier in 1868 and the valuation increases to £16 (undated change), perhaps indicating remodelling of the property, or the addition of outbuildings. Thomas Quigley is the occupier in 1876 and there is a further increase to £22.10s, again, strongly indicating possible remodelling or additions - no rebuilding is noted but the increase suggests that substantial rebuilding has taken place during the period of one or both of these revisions. In 1892 the building is re-designated a ‘public’ house. In 1906 a billiard room is built adjacent to the public house to the east and valuers’ notes give a plan and dimensions for this.

Elizabeth McHenry becomes the occupier of pub and billiard room in 1918 and in 1920 the value of the buildings is increased to £28. (The McHenry name is painted on the current building). Valuers’ notes state that the reason for increase is the rebuilding in brick of a wooden shed formerly used for stabling. The notes also state that a new garage has been built in former outbuildings to west; the occupier of the garage is listed as John McHenry, husband of Elizabeth, and Pat Cameron, her son. It is separately valued. In 1923 the adjacent billiard hall becomes a post office and yard occupied by the Postmaster General.

After 1934 the lessor becomes the Baronscourt Estate Co (undated change). The licensed house, called ‘Farmers Home’, comprises a kitchen, two rooms, with bar and bottling store, and cloakroom with four bedrooms, two rooms and attics upstairs. A plan and dimensions are given and the valuer notes that the owner has a 61 year lease from 1877. The building to the west is at this time being used by a taxi proprietor for garaging and repairing his cars.

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/1/A/6/5 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/640 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/5 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation, Union of Strabane (1859)
9. PRONI VAL/2/D/6/18A-B – Griffith’s Valuation Town Plan
10. PRONI VAL/12/A/6/57 – Valuers’ Note Book (1901-6)
11. PRONI VAL/12/A/6/60 – Valuers’ Note Book (1915-22)
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/31A-M – Annual Revision Records (1860-1931)
13. PRONI VAL/12/E/187/1/4 – Annual Revisions Town Plan
14. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/9A/19 – Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)
15. PRONI VAL/3/G/159/1/1 – First NI General Revaluation Town Plan

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached five-bay two-storey rendered house and public house on the north side of Railway Street. This relatively simple mid- nineteenth-century house and shop retains its public house shopfront, timber sash windows and some stone outbuildings. A well-known local establishment, the social significance of this building is further enhanced by its intact interior retaining an original nineteenth-century layout, fire surround and timber joinery, revealing a typical arrangement of commercial shop/bar and residential premises with most of its detailing remaining. This type of building was once common to the Irish townscape, and is now increasingly rare.