87 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey five-bay Georgian townhouse, originally rectangular plan form built c.1735, with a large modern rear mono pitched 1 ½ storey extension to the rear, located at the northeast end of the principal thoroughfare through the town of Moira between numbers 85 and 89 Main Street.

The roofing is a pitched natural slate with clay ridge tile extending with coping stones over gable end. Brick chimney stack located at gable end and centrally serving left hand bays with paired clay pots over. Cast iron rainwater goods with semi circular gutter and circular downpipe painted black. uPVC downpipes to rear extension. Walling rendered with natural finished roughcast with smooth rendered plinth, quoins, surrounds, banding; painted off-white. Gable end ruled-and-lined rendered painted off-white. Wet dash natural finish to modern extension to rear. The windows are single glazed, 6/6, Georgian timber sliding box sash windows with horns painted white with large rectangular stone cills with decorative profile smooth render surrounds and banding at cill level at both ground and first floor. Modern single glazed timber sash windows to rear. No original openings. Six panelled timber front door with half circle arched fanlight over flanked by stucco pilasters with moulded cornice details and key block. Door painted black with brass ironmongery and lion head moulding; served by 3 curved stone steps. Modern timber doors to rear.

The principal elevation faces north and is symmetrically arranged with a centrally located entrance flanked by two ground floor windows either side with five uniformly arranged windows at first floor. Large internal and trench illuminated side hung and fascia signage is fixed to the front facade.

The left gable end faces east and abuts building 89 Main Street.

The rear elevation faces south and is a symmetrically arranged modern extension of little historic or architectural interest.

The right elevation is a partial gable end where the adjoining building is set back from the building line.

The building faces directly on to the principal road through Moira with direct entrance off the foot path. The large yard to rear is enclosed with modern timber fence, accessed via the coach entrance located at number 95 Main Street.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron, uPVC to rear
Walling Rough Cast
Windows Replacement single glazed timber sash

Historical information

Built c.1735, during the early development of the village of Moira in the early 18th century, credited with the Rawdon family. (Rudd) This development signified the change of the villages’ built stock from agricultural buildings to two long terraces of basalt stone and brick buildings lining the street. (Hearth)

“Harris described in 1744 as a 'well laid out and thriving village consisting of one broad street inhabited by many traders many of whom carry on linen manufacture to good advantage'” (Rudd)

The earliest OS maps from 1833 clearly show 87 Main Street with formal gardens to the rear; a feature predominate to the town. The terrace running from the Courthouse to St Johns Parish was identified as a continuous row, however, following further developments within the town, the OS map of 1858 illustrates number 87 with a return to the rear as well as showing the adjacent site to the west as vacant.

The Griffiths Valuation in 1864 records the building as being unoccupied and it is not until 1878 in the Annual Revisions, that the first long term tenant is recorded.

Thomas H Browning occupied the building from 1878-93, then the Cherry family from 93-16 and then the Grant family from 1916 until the last recorded valuation for the premises in the R.V. Binders 1933-57, when the house, occupied by ‘Nannie’ Grant, was noted by a recorder in 1938 to be a “Very old house in fair repair with no modern conveniences. Low rent.”

There are no apparent records from this time until present day, although local informants indicate that the building, like many of the adjacent buildings, lay vacant for several years before undergoing restoration in c.1990 to become a commercial property.

References – Primary sources

1. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7A - Annual Revisions 1866-78
2. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7B – Annual Revisions 1878-93
3. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7C – Annual Revisions 1894-08
4. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7D – Annual Revisions 1909-20
5. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7E – Annual Revisions 1920-29
6. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13A – Annual Revisions Map 1863-79
7. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13C– Annual Revisions Map 1895-14
8. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13E– Annual Revisions Map 1925-35
9. PRONI VAL/12E – Annual Revisions Map 1906-35
10. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1833
11. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1858
12. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1904
13. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1916
14. PRONI VAL/3D/4/12F/4 - RV Binders Val. 1933-57
15. PRONI VAL/14A/183/12 - 3RD General Revaluation Lists 1975
16. PRONI VAL/14B/256/11A - 3RD General Revaluation Lists 1976 – 1987
17. PRONI VAL/14C/248- 3RD General Revaluation Lists 1987 – 1993

References – Secondary sources

18. Canon CRJ Rudd – Moira: A Historical Handbook - Plantation Press Lisburn 674530 and Moira 619759 Undated c.1992
19. Hearth - www.hearth-housing.org.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-storey five-bay townhouse built c. 1735, with early 19th century alterations, which retains its Georgian style and proportions. With its high ridge line and formal symmetrically arranged façade the building, along with its neigbouring property (HB19/22/005H), dominates and has group value with this section of the historic terrace comprising nos. 77-101 Main St. (HB19/22/005A-M). Although internally the building has lost most of its original fabric, its retains its special character externally and makes a positive contribution to the terrace and the heritage of Main Street, Moira.