36 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Terraced two-bay three-storey house, built c.1790, facing west and located to the east side of Main Street. The house is No.36 situated to the south side of the terrace with commercial premises to ground floor with apartment above. The plan is rectangular with two storey extension to the rear.

The roof is pitched with fibre cement slates, cement ridge tiles and timber eaves board. Painted roughcast chimney to north gable. The walls are painted roughcast with smooth rendered banded plinth. Replacement timber casement windows with top hung openings, smooth rendered surrounds and painted precast concrete cills.

The west elevation has commercial unit to ground floor. Modern shop front comprises single leaf hardwood four-panel door with rectangular fanlight to right and window to left, surmounted by projecting fascia and signage panel above. There are windows in both bays at both first and second floor. Signage fixed perpendicular to wall between first floor windows.

The rear elevation has two timber casement windows to second floor. Ground floor of east elevation comprises replacement timber door with adjoining window to south side surmounted by two windows to first floor. Two-storey, two-bay, flat roof extension, abutting extension of No. 38 to south side.

Site is bound to north by modern single storey extension to adjoining building no.34 (HB20/01/008C) and two-storey outbuilding and random rubble wall to the east side. The south opens onto enclosed yard accessible from buildings no.34-40.

Roof covering Fibre cement slates
Walling Painted roughcast render
Windows Timber framed casement windows with top hung opening.
Rainwater goods uPVC

Historical information

The building appears on the 1st edition OS map, dated 1833. By the 1857 OS Map the building appears slightly enlarged.

The OS Memoir for the area states that in 1836, Toome consisted of 26 buildings - 2 three-storey (which includes this building), 11 two-storey and 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

H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A two-bay three-storey terrace house, built c.1790, located at the south end of a row of five houses to the east side of Main Street, Toome. Remodelled and extended in more recent years to comprise a commercial unit on the ground floor and apartment conversion above; the change is extensive, particularly at the rear of the property. The interior has also been largely modified in respect of its plan form and no original details remain. All that survives is the overall form of the building in the terrace and it no longer meets the statutory and policy tests as a building of special architectural or historic interest.

An attractive terraced two-bay three-storey 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

34 Main Street is now part of record HB/20/01/008C.