95 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey two-bay mid terrace Georgian townhouse with arched coach entrance, built c.1730 as part of a group of buildings, located in the north east end of the main thoroughfare through the town of Moira between 93 and 101 Main Street. The building is a rectangular plan form, including the coach entrance, and presently occupies the ground floor only with the first floor accessed via adjoining building 101 Main Street.

Roofing is pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles. The rainwater goods are cast iron semi circular gutters fixed to single corbelled stone eaves, painted black. The walling to front and rear elevation is random rubble basalt stone natural finish with red brick 1 ½ flat arches over window and door openings, and a 1 ½ red brick elliptical arch over the coach entrance. The windows are 6/6 single glazed timber sliding box sash with horns, painted white, with rectangular flat stone cills painted white. The principal entrance door is a 6 panelled timber door painted red with the uppermost panels glazed, with a four paned fixed light over. Cast iron ironmongery including a lion head latch and knocker. Rear door six-panelled modern timber door.

The principal elevation faces north and is asymmetrically arranged. The ground floor window is located to the right of the front door which are both located in the right hand bay with the coach entrance to the left. The two windows to the first floor are located centrally over ground floor window and coach entrance respectively. Modern illuminated fascia signage is located over the ground openings with an illuminated sign hung projecting signage.

The left gable part forms a sidewall to the carriageway at street level and abuts the adjoining terrace number 101 Main Street at first floor level.

The rear elevation faces south and has an asymmetrical arrangement with single rear door located to the left hand side with and coach entrance to the right. First floor windows located centrally over ground floor openings with small attic lights directly over.

The right gable end abuts the adjoining terrace number 93 Main Street.

The building faces directly on to Main Street and is accessed off the associated footpath and is located mid terrace. The adjoining property to the left hand side matches the style and finishes. To the rear a large unfinished yard exists serving a number of properties and accessed via the coach entrance.

Roof Natural Slate
Walling Random Rubble Basalt with Red Brick Surrounds
Windows Single glazed timber sliding sash
RWG Cast Iron

Historical information

This building appears on the first edition of the OS maps 1833 although field evidence suggests an earlier date. The architectural style and proportions suggest that the building was erected in the early 18th century, part of the towns development credited to the Rawdon Family. (Rudd) This development saw the town change from thatch and mud agricultural buildings to Georgian stone and brick townhouses, of which a date stone inscribed with 1735, located on a terrace opposite, is widely accepted to denote completion of the village at this time. (Hearth)

The Annual Revisions 1866-35 to record the property as a house with a garden. Over this period of time very little changed to building. The tenancy was taken up by many occupiers and the R.V. Binders valuation 1933-57 record the property as an “Old house in bad repair [with] no modern conveniences”

During the early 1900s the building underwent restoration and was converted into multiple commercial premises along with the adjoining building. It is most likely that at this point that the interior was completely remodelled. At the time of survey the upper floors were accessed from the number 97 and the ground floor was operating as a fast food vendor.

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 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 townhouse built c. 1735, with 19th century alterations, adjoining no. 101 Main St., Moira (HB19/22/005L),which retains its Georgian style and proportions and an elliptical arched coach entrance. Adjacent to and under the same roof as no. 101, the two buildings form the end of and have group value with the historic terrace comprising of nos. 77-101 Main St. (HB19/22/005A-M). Although internally the building has lost most of its original fabric, during restoration work in the early 1990s, the building retains its essential character and remains an integral part of the historic terrace.