Army Recruitment Office

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached two-bay two-storey barracks building, built c.1900, located on the south side of the St Lucia’s Barracks complex boundary wall, east of Barracks Lane. Rectangular on plan, facing south; single-cell gabled porch to south.

Pitched natural slate roof, clay ridge tiles, dressed chimneystack with stringcourse and tooled stone verges on moulded kneeler stones. Cast-iron ogee-profile gutters and round cast-iron downpipes on moulded sandstone eaves course. Walling is coursed squared rock-faced stone over chamfered plinth course with moulded string course at first floor and several flush sandstone platbands at sill and lintel levels. Square-headed window openings with 6/6 timber sash windows, chamfered sandstone surrounds and projecting stone sills. Square-headed door openings with sandstone surrounds and vertically-sheeted timber door.

Principal (south) elevation is abutted by porch; exposed section has variety of windows at first floor level. Porch gable has single window, left cheek has single door, right cheek is not accessible.

West gable left bay has single bipartite window to each floor, right bay has diminished window to each floor; apex has timber louvred loop.

Rear (north) elevation is abutted by boundary wall extension; exposed section is blank.

East gable is abutted to ground floor by modern extension (of no interest); exposed section has two windows with a louvred loop to apex.

Setting:-
The Army Recruiting Centre is situated to the south of the enclosed St. Lucia’s Barracks complex with clockwise from block, the Officer’s Mess Hall (HB11/09/005A), the Waterloo and St. Lucia’s Barracks Block (HB11/09/005B), St. Lucia’s Club (HB11/09/005C), the Sergeant’s Mess Hall (HB11/09/005D), the Battalion Headquarters, South Africa and two stores (HB11/09/005E) and the Guardroom (HB11/09/005F).

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Local limestone
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron / uPVC

Historical information

The “Army Careers Information Office” was built c.1900 on the site of the former entrance gates to the barracks, of which part of the boundary wall is still in existence.

The barracks, presently known as St. Lucia’s, were built for the Royal Inniskilling Fusilier Regiment under the direction of Mr. James H. Butler, C.E., the superintending officer of the Royal Engineer Department by the contractors Messrs. Fulton of Belfast and Messrs. Colhoun Brothers of Derry. The original buildings were “built of the local limestone, with Dungannon grit-stone dressings [and] all the external walls are brick lined as preventative to damp….” (Tyrone Constitution 16th December 1881).

The buildings first appear on an 1882 ordnance survey town plan of Omagh captioned “Infantry Barracks.” The “Old Barracks” are captioned behind the gaol (HB11/09/005A, B, D, E and F). However the Recruitment Office building does not appear until the town plan of 1906. The addition of the Recruitment Office to the barracks is not recorded in the relevant valuation fieldbooks.

References:
Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/8/40/1/2 – Ordnance Survey Town Plan of Omagh (1882)
2. PRONI OS/8/40/2/1 – Ordnance Survey Town Plan of Omagh (1906)

Secondary Sources

1. Coey, Alastair. “St. Lucia’s Barracks, Omagh, Condition Report.” (February 2007). Prepared for the Ministry of Defense. Belfast: Alastair Coey Architects, 2007.
2.“Col. George B. Stokes” “Tyrone Constitution.” 28 October 1881. Quoted in Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 6 (Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998), p.22.
3. Core, John. “Historical Record of the 2nd (Now 80th), Or Royal Tyrone Fusilier Regiment of Militia, From the Embodiment in 1793 to the Present Time.” Omagh: Alexander Scarlet, 1872.
4. Elliott, Wesley J. “The History of the 5th (Territorial Army) Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers” in Haldane Mitchell, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 7. (Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1999), p.152-155.
5. Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 2. Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1991.
6. Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 6. Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998.
7. “New Military Barracks at Omagh.” “Tyrone Constitution.” 16 December 1881. Quoted in Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 6 (Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998), p.22.
8. “Omagh Cricket Club – vs. – Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers.” “Tyrone Constitution.” 30 September 1881. Quoted in Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 6 (Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998), p.22.
9. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.
10. “Soldiers for a New Barracks.” “Tyrone Constitution.” 2 September 1881.Quoted in Mitchell, Haldane, ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 6 (Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998), p.22.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A detached two-bay two-storey barracks building, built c.1900, located on the south side of the St Lucia’s Barracks complex. Although not part of the original barracks complex, this addition was built in the same style as the distinctive architectural group that is the Barracks complex. Although altered, it retains original windows, doors, and fine masonry craftsmanship in a robust style. The barracks complex occupies an elevated and imposing site in the town, reflecting an important aspect of the architectural and social heritage of Omagh, as well as strong historic links to The Royal Irish Regiment and The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The complex is unusual in its completeness and degree of preservation.

General comments

Previoulsy recorded as HB11/09/005. Submitted under HB11/09/005F - now renumbered as HB11/09/005G