32-34 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Terraced two-storey four-bay roughcast house and shop, facing west, and located to the east side of Main Street in Toome. The plan is rectangular with rear extension to east, abutting similar terrace No. 30 Main Street to north and three-storey terrace No. 36 Main Street to south.

The roof is pitched with timber boxed eaves and rendered chimneystack to ridge; walling is painted roughcast over smooth-rendered plinth. The walls are roughcast with smooth rendered banded plinth to base. The replacement windows to east elevation are timber sliding sash 2/2 with horns and exposed boxes, with smooth rendered surrounds and painted masonry sills; west elevations have modern teak casements.

West elevation is three windows wide. Left bay is blank except for square-headed replacement timber door with single-pane overlight. Centre bay is two windows wide. Right bay first floor has a single window; while ground floor is a modern shopfront.

North gable is abutted by No. 30 Main Street (HB21/01/008B).

East rear elevation is abutted to right by rear extension. Left end is abutted by modern shop linking block. Exposed first floor has window over shop linking block. Rear extension is a single window wide with a flat roof. Left cheek has a square-headed replacement timber door; right cheek abuts identical extension of No. 30 Main Street. Shop linking block abuts modern double-height shop storage block of no interest. Left cheeks are blank, right cheeks incorporate older random rubble stone wall.

South gable is abutted by No. 36 Main Street (HB21/01/008D).

Site is bounded at rear at north and south by random rubble stone walling. A derelict single-storey outbuilding with pitched roof and rubble stone walling abuts north elevation of shop linking block.

Roof covering Slate
Walling Roughcast render
Windows Replacement timber sliding sash 2/2 with exposed boxes.
Door Replacement timber
Rainwater goods Half-round cast-iron gutters

Historical information

Shown on the OS map first edition (1833), the house appears enlarged by the OS map second edition (1857). The rear addition is shared with 30 Main Street (HB20/01/008B). The Townland Valuation, dated 1836, states that the building was the house and offices of Andrew Mann. The same record stated the same for 30 Main Street (HB20/01/008B).

The OS Memoir for the area states that in 1836, Toome consisted of 26 buildings - 2 three-storey, 11 two-storey (which includes this building) the rest cottages (pg 112). According to the OS memoirs, the market house (HB20/01/008A) was built in 1786 (p.112). The proportions and styles of the block of buildings HB20/01/008A-E suggest that they are of similar date, forming part of the historic core of the village of Toome, situated east of a quay recorded on the 1833 OS.

Materials for the construction of houses in Toome were locally sourced; stone was from nearby Carn rock, the lime was sourced from Magherafelt, slates from Ballyronan and Belfast and timber from Belfast (OS memoirs, 116).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/42/1, 1st Edition OS Map, Co. Antrim, sheet no.42, 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/1/42/2, 2nd Edition OS Map, Co. Antrim, sheet no.42, 1857
3. PRONI VAL/1A/1/42, Townland Valuation Map, 1836
4. PRONI VAL/1B/185, Townland Valuation Field book, 1836
5. OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Antrim VI 1830, 1833, 1835-38 (South west Antrim) Vol 19

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

An two-storey terrace house, built c1790., located at the south end terrace in a row of five houses to the east side of Main Street, Toome; comprising a commercial unit to ground floor and apartment conversion above. Remodelled and extended in more recent years, particularly to the rear of the property. The interior has also been largely modified and no original details remain. The house is of simple layout and is plainly detailed. Together with its companions, it forms the historic core of Toome.

An attractive two-storey terrace house, built c.1790, located at the south end terrace in a row of five houses to the east side of Main Street, Toome; comprising a commercial unit to ground floor and apartment conversion above. Remodelled and extended in more recent years, particularly to the rear of the property. The interior has also been largely modified and no original details remain, however the appealing traditional characteristics of the façade remain and serve as a reminder of the early town community, a significant contribution to the architectural heritage of the area.

General comments

This record now includes no.34 Main Street, previously in HB20.01.008D