Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB01/26/009

Address :
The Banks 15 Beragh Hill Road Londonderry BT48 8LX

Townland:
Ballynagalliagh

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
26/11

IG Ref:
C4261 2513

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A 2 storey 3 bay wide, smooth rendered, hipped slated roof with shallow projecting porch., 2 bays deep with 2 storey gabled return. The entrance elevation, symmetrical, with central 4 panelled door, with plain fanlight set in shallow projecting porch, the flanking walls finished as smooth pilasters, with plain frieze over and pronounced cornice with upstand parapet to flat. On each side single 4 pane top hung window with square heads. Above slightly less tall similar windows directly over those below and are over entrance door. 1st floor windows have shallow segmented hands which cut into a plain frieze capped with cornice which incorporates the metal gutter. Slightly horned cills and plinth. The proportion of solid to void is more akin to Georgian style than Victorian. Roof is hipped, low pitch, with 2 no yellow brick chimneys moulded. Each side elevation has 2 single windows at ground and first floor echoing those to the front. Frieze and plinth can be carried round too. The back return is pushed to the north east of the rear wall and the ceiling heights lower than main part of house and the roof is gabled. The back porch is a more recent addition as is the door leading direct from kitchen to dining room, by the present owner.Both the back return and back porch are roofed in synthetic slates. Behind the house a simple farmyard with 2, 2 storey outhouses built in random rubble with slated pitched roofs. These are not formally arranged. The
setting of the farmhouse is good being on the south side of Beragh Hill Road has a fine view towards Co Derry. Garden to front and sides of house well tended with a short flight of steps leading down to front lawn.

Architects

Barker, William

Historical Information

The owner has in his possession an account book of the man who built the house, the following are extracts: J.C. Wylie acquired the farm in 1879. He commissioned William Barker (1851-98) to design a farmhouse. 8 tenders were received on the 11th April 1887, the lowest was not accepted but the next for £425.00 submitted by a Mr Carruthers of Culmore. This figure did not include fireplace and built-in fitting, nor the entrance road, gate piers, not stone for hardcore, nor lime or sand which Mr Wylie supplied and for which he kept separate accounts. Wylie drew up a simple contract of one page which included a penalty clause for £5/week or part thereof. Costs of additions or omissions to be determined by Mr Barker. Work commenced without delay and the contracts included a completion date of 31st October 1887. The house is a good pragmatic example of a small farmhouse which had a hired farmhand and a domestic servant. These were engaged usually for the 6 larger months of the year at the local hiring fair. They were paid at the end of their term, though Wylie records making payments in advance towards clothes, shoe repairs, tobacco, washing of clothes and visits to the races (Ballyarnett nearby). After Wylie a retired Presbyterian Minister named Rev. Boyle lived in the house. Later the house was acquired by W.J. Porter of Glengalliagh for Mrs Jameson, his daughter. The present owners acquired the property in the early 1940s. References Primary Sources 1. J.C. Wylie account book 1879-1903 in possession of present owner 1999. Secondary Sources 1. Present owner 1999.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An example of a small farmhouse built in the late Victorian period but having Georgian style characteristics. Interior details have survived and illustrates well the organisation of the household including hired help.

General Comments

Date of Survey

06 June 1999