Site of former house and outbuildings off Newtownkennedy, Strabane, Co Tyrone

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Site, on the east side of a lane off the north side of Newtownkennedy, formerly occupied by a long two-storey (possibly vernacular) house, of probable part 1833 construction, which evidence suggests may have been raised a storey in 1880. The property appears to have been used for much of the 20th century as an outbuilding, and was demolished some time after 1983.

The first survey photograph, (taken in 1970), shows a gabled building with whitewashed walls. The photo was taken from an oblique angle, so little can be discerned of the front elevation, nor can the roof covering be seen. The S gable, however is clearly shown. The lower half of this gable was constructed in rubble, with the upper half in brick- indicating that the building was, in part at least, raised a storey at some point.

Described on the Survey Card (11 February 1970) as

'Pre 1833. A terrace of three, two storey houses with walls built of stone and whitened. Chimneys and part of corners are of brick, there is a segmental brick arch over a blocked ope (sic) to rear. D/H windows have full gt.b. in all but two on first floor. Doors are sheeted and the roof is slated. Very poor condition.'

Historical information

A building matching the plan of that on site until relatively recently, is shown on the OS map of 1833-34. This building is not recorded in the first valuation of 1832-34, indicating that it was a modest structure. This is borne out by the the second valuation of 1857, which supplies a the rateable value of 15 shillings for the property- a very low amount even by the standards of the day. It is likely that the building was largely (if not wholly) single-storey at this stage.

The occupant in 1857 is listed as a William Read, with a Francis O’Neill the immediate lessor. Read was succeeded in 1879 by a John Duncan. Duncan must have carried out some improvements to the property, for its value had increased by almost £3 by 1880; it is likely that the upper storey was added (to all or part of the structure) at this stage. John Duncan rented the building to a Timothy Fitzpatrick from c.1891 to 1895, taking up residence himself again in 1896.

John Duncan, (or a relative of the same name), remained in residence until 1912, when a note in the valuation book describes the house ‘as not fit for occupation’. It appears to have been abandoned after this, although it appears, in the later 1900s at least, to have been put to use as an outbuilding. The building was demolished some time after 1983.

References- Primary sources
1 ‘Pigot & Co’s City of Dublin and Hibernian Commercial Directory (Manchester 1824)
2 PRONI VAL/1B/638A First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38)
3 PRONI VAL/1B/638B First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38)
4 PRONI VAL/1B/638C First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38)
5 PRONI OS/6/5/5/1 OS map, County Tyrone sheet 5 (1833-34)
6 Lewis, Samuel, ‘Topographical history of Ireland’ (London, 1837)
7 ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland (Manchester, 1846)
8 ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland (Manchester, 1856)
9 PRONI VAL/2B/6/41 Second valuation, Camus parish (1857)
10 PRONI VAL/2D/6/18A Valuation town plan of Strabane (1857 [-59])
11 PRONI VAL/2D/6/18B Valuation town plan of Strabane (1857 [-59]) [PRONI also holds a microfiche copy of this plan, catalogued under the ref. T/2933/4/252.]
12 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31A Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED(1860-64)
13 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31B Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1864-73)
14 ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester, 1870)
15 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31C Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1874-81)
16 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31D Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1882-91)
17 PRONI OS/8/25/1/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883)
18 PRONI OS/9/22/2/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883)
19 PRONI VAL/12E/187/1/1-12 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1884 [-1908])
20 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31E Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96)
21 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31F Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96)
22 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31G Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910)
23 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31H Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910)
24 PRONI OS/8/25/2/1-3 OS town plan of Strabane (1905)
25 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ (Belfast, 1905)
26 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31J Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22)
27 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31K Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22)
28 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31L Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31)
29 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31M Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31)
30 PRONI VAL/3B/7/14 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Strabane UD (1935
31 PRONI VAL/3C/7/23 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, annual revisions, Strabane UD (1936-57)
32 PRONI VAL/3G/159/1/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1936-55)
33 PRONI VAL/3G/159/2/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1951-55) [Sheets 1 and 3 are currently missing.]
34 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)

Other
references
1 EHS HB10/14/019 First Survey report (11 Feb 1970)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Site, formerly occupied by house, of probable part 1833 construction, which, evidence suggests, may have been raised a storey in 1880. The property appears to have been used for much of the 20th century as an outbuilding, and was demolished some time after 1983