54 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey three-bay mid-terrace Georgian townhouse originally built c.1735, centrally located on the north side of the principal thoroughfare through the town of Moira, adjacent to number 52 and 56 Main Street.

The roofing is pitched natural slate with clay ridge tiles and clipped verge to the right hand gable end. Painted galvanized ogee rainwater goods with uPVC down pipes. Cast iron SVP to rear elevation painted green. Brick chimney to the right hand side of coach entrance; one clay pot over. The walling throughout is natural finished coursed rubble basalt. The brick surrounds distinctly newer than those over the adjacent arched carriageway. The windows are generally early 20th century single glazed, 1/1 timber sliding sash with smaller top sash, with horns, painted white, with rectangular stone cills with 1 ½ red brick flat arches over. The principal entrance door is a six-panelled timber door with fixed light over. The rear has one timber sheeted door in the original opening with one additional modern timber door.

The principal elevation faces south and is essentially a three bay symmetrical façade. The coach bay and room over to left side belongs to the adjacent property. To right of the front entrance is a double width opening with single glazed timber casement window.

The left gable part forms a sidewall of the carriageway at street level and abuts the adjoining terrace number 52 Main Street at first floor level.

The rear elevation is symmetrically arranged. A new door has been formed in the original window opening to left. The central first floor window is a single glazed opaque sliding sash with blue coloured marginal panes.

The right gable abuts 56 Main Street.

The building street fronted and the access through the carriageway leads into the rear of the adjoining building 52 Main Street only. The rear garden is enclosed to either side with a masonry constructed shed, finished in pebbledash with a tile roof over.

Roofing Natural slate
Walling Basalt random rubble with red brick surrounds
Windows 1/1 Timber sliding sash with some variations
RWG Cast iron with some uPVC replacement

Historical information

Originally built c.1735 during the early development of Moira, credited with the Rawdon family. During this period Moira developed from thatched cottages and mud buildings, to basalt and brick Georgian buildings. (Rudd)

The building first appears on the 1833 OS map, shown as part of two long rows of terrace which line the village. By the 1858 edition OS map the building is shown with a small return and also with extensive formal gardens to the rear, however later OS maps suggest these gardens to have been lost by the early 20th century.

The building survived as a town house with multiple tenants throughout the 19th century with the Rev. Sam Graham as landlord. It is recorded in the Annual Revisions that he was landlord from 1866 until 1908 when Rev Robert McFarland took over. It was in the early part of this century that the building had a change of use from townhouse to post office. Although the 1916 OS maps has the building captioned as a “PO” the building is not referred to as a post office in the valuations until the R.V. Binders Valuations in 1935, when a recorder notes “Inspected 12.6.35 This property consists of a K (kitchen) Sc (Scullery) and PO on the ground floor and 3B(Bedrooms) on first floor. The property is well constructed of quarried stone and slated and is in good repair. No shop other than the post office”

The building has some distinct differences from its neighbouring buildings, inasmuch that the brick surrounds to the windows and doors are of a newer Victorian brick rather than a Georgian brick, and also the windows are of a newer early 20th century design, rather than the typical Georgian sash. Both the alterations can be dated back to c.1915 going by their appearance, and could be associated with the general upgrading of the building, possibly at the time of becoming a post office.

The post office remained at these premises until c.1976 when the 3rd General Revaluation Lists indicate that it functioned only as a shop rather than a post office. It is currently in use, primarily as two shops.

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/109/1 – 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

Reference - Secondary source

18. Canon CRJ Rudd – Moira: A Historical Handbook - Plantation Press Lisburn 674530 and Moira 619759 c.1992

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-storey townhouse originally erected c.1735 as part of the early development of Moira, with alterations to its style, in particular,when the townhouse became a Post Office c.1915c. The exterior of the building retains its urban vernacular proportions and attractive Edwardian brick surrounds. Despite the loss of interior fabric, due to modernisation, the plan form and internal character of the present use illustrates the historical change from residential to commercial use. Located in the centre of the town the building has group value with other listed townhouses on Main Street including, nos. 76-80 Main Street (HB19/22/19 - HB19/22/20).