Bank of Ireland

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached multi-bay two-storey-over-basement brick Arts and Crafts-style bank, dated 1894, built to designs by Millar and Symes, located at south of Campsie Road. L-shaped on plan, facing north; slightly higher return to north, full-height projecting bay to north, gabled porch to north, bank porch to north of projecting bay, single-storey addition to east, later single-storey-over-basement flat-roofed extension to west.

Hipped natural slate roofs, roll-top blue/black clay ridge tiles, ogee-profile cast-iron gutters on dentilled brick cornice. Walling is Flemish-bonded red brick over splayed basalt plinth. Windows are square-headed moulded sandstone mullion-and-transom painted timber 4-light over single-light casements. Doors are replacement round-headed painted timber with moulded panels and plate-glass fanlights.

Principal (north) elevation is asymmetrical and abutted to right end by return, to centre by projecting bay, and to left by porch. Exposed section has two bipartite 10-light casements with mullion at first floor, ground floor has single window to right and tripartite mullion-and-transom window to left.

Porch has shaped gable with terracotta panel under gablet embossed “1894,” door has moulded sandstone architrave with ball finial-capped keyblock, accessed by three basalt steps to left.

Return has shaped gable, first floor has tripartite mullion-and-transom window ground floor walling is sandstone ashlar with moulded entablature (with modern Bank of Ireland embossed letters) extending to first floor sill-course, quadripartite mullion-and-transom window flanked by two pillars to each side; right cheek is abutted by extension, exposed section is blank; left cheek is abutted by projecting bay and bank porch, exposed section is blank.

Projecting bay is abutted by bank porch, exposed section is detailed as return, first floor has single window; right cheek is entirely abutted by return; left cheek has single window at ground floor.

Bank porch is detailed as return ground floor; door has moulded sandstone architrave with ball finial-capped keyblock sprung from moulded imposts and flanked by pillars (one to right, two to left); right cheek is entirely abutted by return; left cheek is blank.

East elevation is abutted by addition (inaccessible); exposed section has single square-headed painted timber 8-light casement with moulded sandstone sill.

Rear (south) elevation is multi-bay, detailed as bank but cement rendered, with a variety of square-headed painted timber 1/1 sashes (ground floor have metal protection grilles); eaves raised to centre with half-gabled wallhead over two windows.

West elevation is abutted by extension; exposed section has single first floor window and two chimneybreasts.

Extension walling is painted block-marked with moulded cornice and sill-course and has tripartite mullion-and-transom window to left and five modern diminutive casement windows to right end; right cheek is blank and unpainted; left cheek has round-headed ATM projection with moulded archivolt with keyblock spring from pillars.

Setting:-
Located at south of Campsie Road the site is bounded by a low wall and railings to the front and by a tall wall to the rear. The front of the property is landscaped with potted plants and gravel whilst the rear is set out in lawn.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Red brick/basalt/sandstone
Windows: Sandstone mullion-and-transom casements
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The bank is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1905-6.

Valuation Revisions record in 1895 a ‘new building in progress...’. The description for the site as ‘land’ is revised to ‘house, offices and land’ in 1896, with the building valued at £96. The occupier is originally the ‘Governors of Bank of Ireland’, and is revised to M. Mc Walters in 1901, to Richard W. [Topp] in 1913, and to ‘Governors of Bank of Ireland’ in 1915.

The bank was designed by Millar and Symes (Rowan, p.448). It was built by Mr. Colhoun of Londonderry. (Mitchell, p.160)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/1-First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/35/2-Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/35/3-Third Edition OS Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/36 A-M –Valuation Revisions (1860-1929)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/37A-G-Valuation Revisions (1903-1929)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/186/1/5 –Town Plan of Omagh (1882-1909)

Secondary Sources:
1. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.
2. Mitchell, Haldane, Ed. “Images of Omagh and District.” Vol. 7. Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1999.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A detached multi-bay two-storey-over-basement Arts and Crafts-style bank dated 1894. This bank is in an unusual and eclectic style, demonstrating good craftsmanship in contrasting materials - brick, render, sandstone and terracotta. Its original plan is still discernable, despite some modernisation. The interlocking volumes and variety of ornamentation contribute to a lively and distinctive civic presence.