Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB10/14/019

Address :
Site of former nos.5-9 Townsend Street Strabane County Tyrone

Townland:
Town Parks of Strabane

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Demolished

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Demolished

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OS Map No:
72/8

IG Ref:
H3490 9731

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Owner Category

Local Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Site, on the southwest side of Townsend Street, formerly occupied by a group of three two-storey terraced dwellings, built 1910-13 and demolished some time after 1983, with the vacant ground now landscaped. The the First Survey description of 11 February 1970 reads: ‘Later 19th century. Three, two-storey houses with lined rendered wall and slated roofs. Chimneys are rendered or of brickwork. Drop hung windows with sashes (divided into two panes by single verticle glazing bar) are encased with plain architraves in nos. 5 and 7, the windows of no.9 are set in square moulded architraves with faceted keystones on ground floor. The entrance of no.9 is flanked by channelled and panelled pilasters [?reaching] to architrave blocks, frieze and pediment. Recangular fanlights are plain.’

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

This site is shown developed on the OS map of 1833-34. Unfortunately the town plan of Strabane, drawn up to accompany the valuation of 1832-34, has been lost, making it extremely difficult to trace any details of the buildings within the town at this date any degree of certainty. A read through the valuation book reveals, however, that the much of Townsend Street was then made up of modest single / one and a half-storey dwellings, some, (judging by the valuers’ ‘quality letter’ grading system), possibly dating from the 18th century, and most probably vernacular.* The plan accompanying the second valuation of 1857 shows us that there two houses on the site at that point, the property to the northwest occupied a James McKinley (leasing from a Charles Dunne), with that to the southeast in the hands of an Elizabeth Read, (leasing directly from the Abercorn Estate). The valuers do not supply the dimensions of either building or a ‘quality letter’, (which would have given an indication of the age of the structures), however, the low rateable values of £1-15-0 and £1-10-0 strongly suggest that both were single-storey buildings and as such probably those indicated on the 1830s OS map. James McKinley continued to reside in the dwelling to the northwest until 1867/68, when he was succeeded by a William McMemanin (1867/68-73), who was in turn followed by a William Graham. In 1892, William Graham divided the property in two, renting one dwelling to a Hannah Walsh and the other to a John Haynes [?or Hoynes], with two new tenants, Andy McPhelomy and Bernard White following in 1896, and a Hugh Hoynes and William Gallagher in 1907. In 1913 the valuers report that both dwellings had been replaced by two ‘new houses’, with brick walls, slate roofs and ‘gas and water’. The main section of each is noted as measuring 16ft x 22 x 19, with a return of 8½ x7 x 10, a small appendage (probably a WC) of 6 x 3 x 9, with another small ‘open’ structure of wood and corrugated-iron, (possibly a coal bunker), of 6 x 6. Both new houses, (which were by that stage were numbered 5-7 Townsend Street), were probably built by a Michael Branigan, who had succeeded William Graham as immediate lessor in 1907. The first occupant of the newly built no.5 Townsend Street was a Charles Lynch, with an Ellen Lynch following in 1925 and remaining there until 1963, when an Andy McCrorey acquired the freehold. McCrorey was still in residence in 1972. A Thomas Toorish [?Tourish] was first to reside at no.7 in 1914, staying there until 1920. He was followed by a Margaret Quinn, who was still occupying the property in 1972. The house to the southeast (latterly no.9 Townsend Street) remained in the hands of the Elizabeth Read mentioned in the 1857 valuation until 1871. The next occupant was a Charles Noble, who was followed by a Christopher Noble in 1904. In 1910 the valuers note that the property had been ‘raised and slated’ and now measured 25ft x 19½ x 19, with a small wood and corrugated-iron extension to the rear of 7 x 3 x 7, and a freestanding shed of 9 x 12 x 7. Christopher Noble continued to occupy this newly extended dwelling until 1937/38, when he was succeeded by a Patrick Crawford. In 1946 the property was acquired from the Abercorn Estate by ‘Messrs. M. Branigan Ltd.’ (who also held nos.5-7 by this time also), who leased it to a George Quinn. Mr Quinn was still in residence in 1972. The long terrace to which nos.5, 7 and 9 belonged, was demolished some time after 1983, with the site, (along the banks of the Mourne River), subsequently landscaped. References- Primary sources 1 ‘Pigot & Co’s City of Dublin and Hibernian Commercial Directory (Manchester 1824) 2 PRONI VAL/1B/638A First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38) 3 PRONI VAL/1B/638B First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38) 4 PRONI VAL/1B/638C First valuation, Camus parish (1832-c.38) 5 PRONI OS/6/5/5/1 OS map, County Tyrone sheet 5 (1833-34) 6 Lewis, Samuel, ‘Topographical history of Ireland’ (London, 1837) 7 ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland (Manchester, 1846) 8 ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland (Manchester, 1856) 9 PRONI VAL/2B/6/41 Second valuation, Camus parish (1857) 10 PRONI VAL/2D/6/18A Valuation town plan of Strabane (1857 [-59]) 11 PRONI VAL/2D/6/18B Valuation town plan of Strabane (1857 [-59]) [PRONI also holds a microfiche copy of this plan, catalogued under the ref. T/2933/4/252.] 12 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31A Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED(1860-64) 13 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31B Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1864-73) 14 ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester, 1870) 15 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31C Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1874-81) 16 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31D Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1882-91) 17 PRONI OS/8/25/1/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883) 18 PRONI OS/9/22/2/1-17 OS town plan of Strabane (1883) 19 PRONI VAL/12E/187/1/1-12 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1884 [-1908]) 20 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31E Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96) 21 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31F Annual valuation revision, Strabane ED (1892-96) 22 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31G Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910) 23 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31H Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1897-1910) 24 PRONI OS/8/25/2/1-3 OS town plan of Strabane (1905) 25 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ (Belfast, 1905) 26 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31J Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22) 27 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31K Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1911-22) 28 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31L Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31) 29 PRONI VAL/12B/42/31M Annual valuation revision, Strabane UD (1922-31) 30 PRONI VAL/3B/7/14 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Strabane UD (1935 31 PRONI VAL/3C/7/23 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, annual revisions, Strabane UD (1936-57) 32 PRONI VAL/3G/159/1/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1936-55) 33 PRONI VAL/3G/159/2/1-3 Valuation town plan of Strabane (1951-55) [Sheets 1 and 3 are currently missing.] 34 EHS OS map (1:10,000 scale), sheet 72 (1983) Secondary sources 1 Bradley, Jim, et al, ‘The Fair River Valley: Strabane Through the Ages’ (Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000) Other
references 1 EHS HB10/14/019 First Survey report (11 Feb 1970)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Site, on the southwest side of Townsend Street, formerly occupied by a group of three two-storey terraced dwellings, built 1910-13 and demolished some time after 1983, with the vacant ground now landscaped.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 November 2004