Midnight Haunt

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey single-bay and two-storey two-bay Georgian mid-terrace townhouses dated 1735; now converted into a single commercial premises. Located on the north side of principal thoroughfare through the town of Moira; between historic structures. (HB19/22/025 and HB19/22/023).

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles. Red brick chimneys; no pots. Replacement uPVC gutters with cast-iron semi-octagonal hopper-head and cast-iron circular downpipes. Roughcast rendered walling. Replacement timber casement windows to the ground floor; 2/2 timber sliding sash with horizontal glazing bars and horns to the first floor; smooth plaster surrounds and masonry cills. Replacement timber front door.

The principal elevation faces south-east and is asymmetrically arranged comprising two former dwellings. The right dwelling comprises the front door at ground floor with a large ground floor window to the right; bi-partite first floor window. The left dwelling comprises a decomissioned front door, now blocked up and rendered over to match the rest of the building, with a large window to the left and smaller window to the right. The first floor has a bi-partite window to the left and a single window to the left. Fixed canopies over ground floor windows and modern side-hung projected signage at first floor. Centrally located on the ground floor is a date plaque inscribed with the initials “HIM” and the date “1735”

The left gable abuts adjoining building (HB19/22/023).

The rear elevation is abutted at ground floor level by a single-storey lean-to structure; further abutted by a flat roof extension (c.1980) which adjoins an existing single-storey pitch roofed outbuilding which has undergone much alteration. The first floor window openings have been blocked up. Remains of three diminished attic openings under eaves level.

The right gable abuts adjoining building (HB19/22/025).

Setting:

The building forms part of the overall two-storey Georgian terraces which largely make up the lower part of the town. A rear yard is accessed via a carriage-way associated with the adjacent property (HB19/22/025). The yard comprises several historic outbuildings which have undergone varying degrees of alteration.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Rough-cast
Windows: Timber casement/ sliding sash
RWG: uPVC/cast-iron

Historical information

The current building is dated 1735 and plausibly dates from the early eighteenth century, forming part of a terrace of similar date.

The Rawdon family is credited with developing the town from mud and clay dwellings to stone and brick buildings in the mid- eighteenth century. By the time it was visited by Harris in 1744, Moira was 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.” (Harris)

A building is shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1833 and in 1837 Lewis’s survey of Ireland noted that linen manufacture had declined in the town. “The town, though small, is well built, and remarkably clean; it is the property of Sir R Bateson Bart., and consists of one long spacious street...Fairs take place on the first Thursday in February, May, Aug and Nov, for black cattle, pigs, agricultural produce, pedlery &c” (Lewis, p.377)

No significant changes are shown on subsequent editions of the ordnance survey and the building could not be identified in Griffith’s Valuation or the census records of the early twentieth century. It is now in use as commercial premises.

References:

Primary sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/3/13 - OS Map 1916

References:

Secondary sources

1. Canon CRJ Rudd – Moira: A Historical Handbook - Plantation Press Lisburn 674530 and Moira 619759 c.1992
2. Harris, W. and Smith, C. “The Antient and Present State of the County of Down” Dublin: A. Reilly, 1744 (Reprinted Ballynahinch: Davidson, 1977)
3. Hearth - www.hearth-housing.org.uk
4. Lewis, Samuel. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey single-bay and a two-storey two-bay Georgian mid-terrace townhouse dated 1735; now converted into a single commercial premises. The exterior has undergone significant alteration including the removal of a front door, replacement of ground floor windows and the addition of modern signage, which detract from the buidlings appearance. Internally the ground floor and much of the first floor have also undergone significant modification. The building is of local interest bearing the date plaque “1735” which is largely reputed to mark the completion of the early development of the town. Although of interest is is not considered of special interest and does not meet the criteria for lisitng.

General comments

This record was completed without access to primary source material held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.