3 ROKEBY GREEN

The Department's description

Historical information

A building matching the plan of the present is shown on this site on the 1834 OS town plan of Armagh. In the 1835 valuation this is recorded as a 'not new' dwelling measuring 15½ft x 24 x 32, with a smaller adjunct, (which seems to have been an outbuilding), of 8 x 12 ½ x 6. The larger set of dimensions are similar to those of the main part of the present building, suggesting that the current structure is of pre-1830s construction. Its overall styling indicates that it is perhaps of the 1810s-20s.

Oddly, the house is listed in 1835 as part of College Street, not Rokeby Green, and it is also documented as part of the former in an update to the valuation carried out in 1862, only being transferred to Rokeby Green in a further update carried out a year or two after this. It is uncertain why this was so, but it could indicate that the building was originally associated with the neighbouring property to the west (present day 25 College Street).

The occupant in 1835 is noted as James McCune. By 1862 it was in possession of Henry Harris, a solicitor, who held the lease from Elizabeth Vogan. He also occupied next-door 25 College Street at this time and may have been using the Rokeby Green property as offices. By 1869 the latter had been transferred to Charles Archer (another solicitor), and he was followed in 1872 Margaret Mary Nugent. In the same year a ‘water closet’ (i.e. toilet) is recorded as having been added to the building, increasing the rateable value from £10 to £11.

At this point the property consisted of the taller gable-fronted portion only, with what is now the lower ‘return’ to the southern side a separate dwelling. In 1873, however, the latter, (which had been recently ‘[re]reoofed and improved’), was added to its larger neighbour and thereafter both were dealt with as one concern by the valuers (rated at £16). Despite this, however, the two sections continued to be rented out separately to various short-stay tenants until 1891 when one leaseholder (James Willis) is recorded, and the building treated as a single entity.

In 1894 the tenancy was taken up by George P. Smith, who appears to have remained until c.1900. In c.1901-02 the property became subdivided once again, although it would appear this was not along the lines of the former division as the new separate unit is noted in the valuation book as a ground floor office. This change seems to have been brought about by the new leaseholder, an R. Best (possibly another solicitor), who initially occupied the office himself with the ‘house’ rented to another succession of short-term tenants.

The Best family retained the entire building until c.1920 when Captain William Rayhill (or Rehill) is noted as the sole occupant. A veteran of the Boer and Great Wars, he died after falling from a second-floor window of the house in February 1932.

There have been several changes to the of the structure over the years. At some point, probably shortly after 1891, the formerly separate dwelling which now constitutes the return had its ground level openings altered (a doorway was removed and window shifted), whilst in more recent years this section was altered further when it was reduced internally from three-levels to two, with further changes to the openings as a consequence.

References - Primary sources,
1 OS town plans of Amagh - 1834, 1862, 1889-91, 1906, 1933, 1947, 1964, 1967, 1976
2 PRONI VAL1B/21A-B First valuation, Armagh parish – 1835
3 PRONI VAL2B/2/21C Second valuation, Armagh parish – c.1862
4 PRONI VAL12B/10/4B, D, F Annual valuation revision books, Armagh ED – 1864-93
5 NLI M37/14 Photo of The Mall / College St, Armagh – c.1880s
6 NLI L_IMP_3752 Photo of The Mall / College St, Armagh – c.1890s
7 PRONI VAL12B/10/4H; 5A-C Annual valuation revision books, Armagh East Urban ED – 1893-1929
8 ‘Frontier Sentinel’ – 13 February 1932, p.2
9 HeRONI HB15-17-024 Photo of 3 Rokeby Green – c.1971