Former Police Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached seven-bay two-storey rendered former police barracks, built c. 1933. Rectangular on plan facing east. Set back on the west side of Main street on a compact landscaped site.

Hipped natural slate roof, half-round black clay ridge tiles and a single slender rendered chimneystack with black clay pots. Moulded cast-iron rainwater goods to overhanging rendered eaves with square hoppers having a foliate motif. Painted render walling with continuous moulded sill course to a diminished first floor and a projecting concrete plinth course. Square-headed window openings, original steel multi-pane casement windows (except where otherwise stated) and moulded concrete sills to ground floor.

Asymmetrical seven-bay two-storey front elevation with a shallow breakfront to the right (at ground level only) comprising three shallow recessed arches containing the front entrance flanked by two window openings. The three arches are connected by a blocking course at impost level while the square-headed door opening has a moulded architrave surround with oversized keystone. To the tympanum is a moulded cement plaque with a gilded four-leaf clover motif and banner below. Double-leaf raised and fielded timber panelled doors open onto a tiled step. Original steel multi-pane casement windows to all openings except that to the right of the front door, replaced with uPVC.

South side elevation is two windows wide with a single shallow arched recess containing a square-headed door opening with a moulded architrave surround and keystone with impost blocks, blind tympanum and raised and fielded timber panelled door. A screen wall extends to the west with a square-headed door opening into an enclosed small rear yard and attached to a single-storey shed.

Rear elevation has a random arrangement of square-headed window openings with the first floor original steel casement windows resting on the continuous moulded sill course, while most other windows have been replaced with uPVC. Replacement vertically-sheeted hardwood door and rectangular overlight.

North side elevation is two windows wide with original steel casement windows to the first floor, uPVC to the ground floor.

Setting:-
Concrete flagged paving surrounds building with a concrete flagged large yard to the rear. To the south of the yard is a single-storey shed with natural slate hipped roof and three square-headed door openings with timber sheeted doors and a pair of slender window openings with steel casement windows. The remainder of the site is laid out in landscaped gardens, enclosed by a hedge with tall rendered piers to the north giving vehicular access via a pair of steel gates and a further pair of piers to the south with a pedestrian steel gate.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Steel / uPVC
Rainwater goods: Cast-iron

Historical information

The present property first appears on the fourth edition of the OS (1936), captioned “RUC Barracks”.

Valuers record the police barracks in 1933 as owned and occupied by the Ministry of Home Affairs for Northern Ireland, and valued under exemptions at £20.5s, revised to £70. Surveyed on 19 July 1933, accommodation included “2 Kitchens, Guard Room, 2 Receptions, 2 Pantries, Store, Office, Cell, 8 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms + WCs. A small sketch plan showing a rectangular main frontage with an extension to rear is included, as are dimensions for the house offices, shed and offices.

An appeal dated 16 April 1935 claimed the valuation too high; nevertheless the next month, the District Valuer recommended that no change be made (later supported by the Commissioner’s Decision) and briefly wrote in the comments: “New Barracks – village of Mountfield.”

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/26/4 –OS Map Fourth Edition (1936)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/27/4 - OS Map Fourth Edition (1936-7)
3. PRONI VAL/3D/7/2N/1 Valuers’ R.V. Binders (1933-1957)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Detached seven-bay two-storey rendered former police barracks, built c. 1933. A solid composition with an unusual asymmetrical front elevation, built as an R.U.C. barracks and now in use as a private dwelling. The recessed arches, understated mouldings and diminished first floor express strong Neo-classical architectural aspirations, tempered by the asymmetry and naïve clover motifs. Retaining most of its original fenestration and overall character, this is one of a decreasing number of such barracks that have remained relatively unaltered. Its size is also of note.