91 Lurgan Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-bay two-storey-with-attic rendered end-terrace house, built c.1865 and located to the east side of Lurgan Road in Seapatrick. Square on plan with two-storey return to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles and rendered chimneystack with moulded caps and terracotta pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods (uPVC to rear) on cavetto moulded eaves. Walling is painted smooth render on a narrow plinth. Windows are segmental-arched 2/2 timber sliding sash in moulded architraves with projecting sills. uPVC to rear.

The principal elevation faces west and is two openings wide to each floor. To left at ground floor is a three-panelled timber door with oval glazed panel and square-headed overlight, flanked by panelled pilasters and surmounted by cornice with console brackets.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB17/04/020B).

The rear elevation has a modern full width dormer to attic with hung natural slate walling and two uPVC windows; abutted to right by a two-storey gabled return with mineral fibre slates, uPVC rainwater goods and timber verge and fascia boards. Right cheek blank; remainder of rear return not viewed.

The south elevation has a window to left and right at first floor.

Setting

Street-fronting with paved yard to rear enclosed by a high rendered wall having timber-sheeted entrance gate.

Roof: Natural slate /mineral fibre slates
Walling: Render
Windows: Timber/uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron / uPVC

Historical information

The row of buildings were constructed as houses for supervisory staff and a shop by the local spinning firm of Hayes & Co Ltd.

The buildings are first shown on the third edition OS map of c.1900 as a terraced row situated opposite the Hayes mill complex which is captioned ‘Seapatrick Mills’. They are not listed in Griffith’s Valuation and first appear in the valuation fieldbook dating from 1864 to 1874. No date is given in the fieldbook but a tentative date of c.1865 can be proposed based on the primary records and the appearance of the buildings. 91 to 95 Lurgan Road are the first to be listed in the fieldbook, 97 and 99 being added at a slightly later date.

The invention of power-loom spinning and weaving in the early nineteenth century led to the establishment of great spinning mills such as Hayes at Seapatrick and Dunbar McMaster at Gilford. Added to the numerous weaving and bleaching concerns in the area that were already making use of the Bann’s water power, these firms put Banbridge at the centre of world linen production for many years. (Dillon)

A photograph of part of the terrace dating from c.1900 appears in Young and Quail’s collection ‘Old Banbridge’. The terrace remains essentially unchanged from this time, except for alterations to the rear and, in some cases, the removal/alteration of the ornamental pediment above the front door.

Number 91 Lurgan Road is initially listed as a newly-built vacant house and yard c.1865, valued at £6.10s and leased from Frederick William Hayes and Coy Ltd. The next resident is John Black (n.d.) followed by Margaret Gibson (1890) James Leckey (1902) and James Radcliffe (1904). In 1901 James Leckey was a 34-year-old grocer who lived with his wife and three young daughters together with a general servant of 17. The 1911 census records James Radcliffe, engine driver, living with his wife and an 11-year-old girl noted as a ‘relative’. The couple had a male boarder who worked as a clerk. In 1916 the tenant was John Smith and Henry Chaney followed in 1920.

At the time of the First General Revaluation in 1933/4, Henry Chaney leased the property from F W Hayes and Co Ltd. The house and yard were valued at £8.10s. The accommodation comprised a lobby, reception, three bedrooms, a kitchen, scullery and a WC in the yard. The rent was 5s.9d weekly free including 6d for light. Dimensions are given for the house, annexe, lavatory and shed.

The house continues in use as a dwelling.

References:
Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/1 First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 Second Edition OS map 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/3/27/3 Third Edition OS Map (c1900)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/27/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1903-18
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6A-H Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/2 – First General Revaluation (1936-57)
7. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/3/L/4 – First General Revaluation (1933-57)

Secondary Sources
1. Dillon, A “Images of Ireland, Banbridge ”Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1997
2. Young, A F and Quail, D “Old Banbridge” Stenlake Publishing, 2002

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-bay two-storey-with-attic rendered end-terrace house; built c.1865. some architectural detailing survives but the house has been converted to flats with inappropriate additions to the rear. This mid-Victorian terrace (HB17/04/020A-E) is of a common type and not among the best examples. It has been compromised by cumulative changes and is not of special interest.