Gateway

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-span arched gatescreen, built c.1865, located to the south side of Greenmount Road, Omagh. Squared-and-tooled sandstone piers; flat coping surmounted by coursed sandstone bell-cote containing bell within segmental-arch-headed chamfered opening; weather vane to apex. Single elliptical-headed arch with dressed voussoirs containing hinged cast-iron gates. West corner is abutted by single-storey outbuilding; east corner abutted by smooth rendered walling adjoining house gable at east.

Roof N/A
Walling Squared-and-snecked sandstone
Windows N/A
RWG N/A

Historical information

Buildings are present on the site on the first and second editions of the OS Map (1833 and 1852). However, the present farmyard complex including the gate screen does not appear until the third edition (1906), where the complex is captioned “Bank Vale.” The gatescreen is therefore no earlier than 1852 and can be dated stylistically from mid- to late-nineteenth century.

Annual Revisions of 1860 record a “house, office, and land” occupied by James Clements, leased from Hamill Stewart, with buildings valued at £1.5s. The occupier is revised to Robert Clements post 1864 (undated change) and the value is revised to £2.10s (a marginal note reads, ‘good offices’), and then in 1869 to £4.10s. A note reads, ‘Additional buildings’. The gatescreen would appear to date from around this time. Robert Clements becomes the owner in fee in 1910, and R Guy Clements in 1922.

Post 1934 the valuation of the property is revised to £8 for the house (undated change).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/51/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/51/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1852)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/51/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/51/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/14A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
6. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/51C – Annual Revisions Map
7. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8K/3 – First NI General Revaluation: Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A single-span arched gateway, built c.1865. The gateway demonstrates fine craftsmanship with original stonework detailing and dressings largely intact, bell-cote containing original bell and weather vane also intact. The gateway, while of some interest and , is only a minor element of the yard, which is not of interest, the farmhouse having been modernised and the outbuildings being of poor quality.