45 Bowling Green, Strabane, Co Tyrone BT82 8BW

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Relatively plain three-storey terraced house of 1867, recently converted to an office with extensions added to the rear and the interior radically altered in the process. The property is set on the northeast side of (the) Bowling Green.

The asymmetrical front elevation faces SW. To the left on the ground floor is the entrance which consists of a panelled timber door, rectangular fanlight (with patterned glass) and a ‘blind’ slidelight, all encased with a moulded surround.

To the right of the doorway are two identical windows, each with PVC-u frames and moulded surrounds. There are three similar windows to the first floor, with three more shorter versions to the second floor. The front façade is finished in painted lined render. There are raised plastic letters (spelling out the name of the firm) above the ground floor windows.

The rear elevation is largely modern in appearance with a large part-two, part single-storey gabled return / extension which is of recent construction (the original return was considerably narrower). The return has a painted render finish and windows of various sizes, all with modern timber frames and concrete cills. The exposed rear façade of the main section of the building projects slightly to the right hand side. This façade is finished in simlar fashion to the return and has windows of various sizes with frames and cills as the return.

The roof of the main section of the building is gabled with a hip over the projecting section to the rear and an odd ‘lean-to’ like rise to the SE end of the rear side [which appears to be a recent alteration]. The main roof is slated to the front, however the covering on the rear of the roof could not be seen. There is a rendered chimneystack to NW with a larger on to SE (shared with the neighbouring property). Cast-iron and PVC-u rainwater goods.

Historical information

Although this site is shown developed on the OS map of 1833-34, the valuations tell us the present building was constructed in 1867. Its first occupant was one Elizabeth Lyons, with a Robert Hamilton the immediate lessor. Ms Lyons was followed in 1868 by a Walter Spratt, who in turn was succeeded the following year by a Miss Glass, who remained there until 1872. William Irivine was the next resident, with a John McIvor listed in 1876, James McIvor in 1885, a Miss Higgins (1885-89), Miss Hanna (1889-90), and Andrew Thomas Brown. In 1889 Brown was succeeded by an R. Clarke, who, in 1905, is recorded as the leaseholder also.

The property appears to have remained with Mr Clarke until 1931, when an Annie Wilson is listed as the occupant, acquiring the freehold by 1935. In 1941 a Mary J. Clarke is recorded as residing in the building, with a Charles Clarke following in 1947 and a Herbert D.H. Cooper in 1948. The freehold was bought, or passed to, a Frederick Heaney in 1955. Mr Heaney was recorded as still occupying the house in 1972.

The property was converted to an office in 1997-98, with extensions added to the rear and the interior radically altered in the process.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/5/5/1 OS map, County Tyrone sheet 5 (1833-34)
2 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31B Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1864-73)
3 ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester, 1870)
4 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31C Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1874-81)
5 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31D Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1882-91)
6 PRONI OS/8/25/1/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883)
7 PRONI OS/9/22/2/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883)
8 PRONI VAL/12E/187/1/1-12 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1884 [-1908])
9 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31E Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96)
10 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31F Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96)
11 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31G Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910)
12 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31H Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910)
13 PRONI OS/8/25/2/1-3 OS town plan of Strabane (1905)
14 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ (Belfast, 1905)
15 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31J Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22)
16 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31K Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22)
17 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31L Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31)
18 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31M Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31)
19 PRONI VAL/3B/7/14 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Strabane UD (1935
20 PRONI VAL/3C/7/23 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, annual revisions, Strabane UD (1936-57)
21 PRONI VAL/3G/159/1/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1936-55)
22 PRONI VAL/3G/159/2/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1951-55) [Sheets 1 and 3 are currently missing.]
23 EHS OS map (1:10,000 scale), sheet 72 (1983)

Secondary sources
1 Bradley, Jim, et al, ‘The Fair River Valley: Strabane Through the Ages’ (Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000)
2 Information supplied by the present owner (November 2004)

Other
references
1 EHS HB10/14/010 First Survey report (10 Feb 1970)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Relatively plain three-storey terraced house of 1867, recently converted to an office with extensions added to the rear and the interior radically altered in the process. Apart from the front façade, this property is, to all intents and purposes, modern.