Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/12/038

Address :
Templepatrick Railway Station 28 The Village Templepatrick Co. Antrim BT39 0AA

Townland:
Templepatrick

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
07/01/2009 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
Railway Station Structures

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
113-01

IG Ref:
J2303 8543

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A detached four-bay two-storey brick railway station built on a steep embankment on the north side of the former Belfast-Ballymena railway line. The south elevation opens onto a concrete platform and is single storey over a double-height basement level. The station is rectangular on plan. Bays one and three are gabled – thus the ridge is H-shaped with additional bay to east. The roof is overhanging pitched natural slate on profiled rafter tails and timber brackets with crested ridge tiles and ogee cast-iron rainwater goods. There are two yellow brick chimneys. The walling to upper level is red brick (Flemish bond) with polychrome brick banding. The basement level is uncoursed rock faced basalt with brick quoins and chamfered brick string course between storeys forming plinth to south (platform side) elevation. There are single stage buttresses to basement corners forming an in-stepped profile to side elevations. The majority of windows are round-headed 1/1 sliding sashes with margin panes. They have heads of alternating black and red brick, chamfered brick reveals, cogged brick hood mouldings and flush chamfered masonry cills (unless otherwise stated). Where segmental-headed windows are indicated, there are no hood moulds. The south (platform) elevation has a single window (boarded) to each remaining bay (that to east bay has no hood mould and reaches eaves). The second bay from west has been opened and is now contained within a gabled uPVC projecting porch. The west elevation has a double-height vehicular entrance arch with brick reveals. To its right is a segmental-headed replacement timber sheeted door. The upper storey is blank. The north elevation is dominated by a pair of centrally located double-height arches to lower level, detailed as before. The upper storey has a window to each bay (the second window from right is segmental-headed). The left bay has a pair of segmental-headed windows (diminished in size). The east elevation is M-profile double-gabled. There is a vehicular arch to right at lower level and a round-headed window with projecting stone cill to either side at upper storey. A segmental-headed window with timber sheeted door immediately to its left is located beneath the platform at mid level, accessed by a flight of timber steps. The station is set in the grounds of a 1980s house, (unoccupied), with lawn and ornamental pond to rear. To the east side, covered in undergrowth, are the remains of a freight winch mechanism, consisting of a metal lattice tower surmounted by a wheel. A concrete platform spans the embankment to west and is supported by pre-cast concrete piers. Roof: Pitched natural slate Walling: Red brick (Flemish bond) with polychrome banding; uncoursed rock faced basalt to ground level Windows: Round-headed 1/1 timber sliding sashes with margin panes Rainwater goods: Ogee cast-iron

Architects

Lanyon, John

Historical Information

Templepatrick Railway Station was opened in July 1848 following the opening of the Belfast-Ballymena Railway (BBRC) in April of that year. The first sod of the new broad-gauge line had been cut at Whitehouse in November 1845 by 10th Viscount Massereene. The station is shown on the 1857 OS map marked ‘Templepatrick Station’. In 1860 the line was extended to serve Ballymoney, Coleraine, Portrush and Londonderry, and was incorporated as the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BCNR). Engineer-architect John Lanyon, son of Sir Charles Lanyon, was commissioned to build stations along the Northern Counties line in 1873, and it is likely that the current Templepatrick Station was rebuilt at this time, sharing distinctive stylistic features with stations such as those at Downhill, Limavady and Castlerock. The line at Templepatrick is located atop a steep embankment, resulting in a remarkable two-storey plan form incorporating some unusual features. Covered vehicle loading bays were provided in the lower storey of the building, while the first floor contained the booking hall, which was accessed by a flight of interior stone steps. The Irish Railway and Commercial Gazetteer of 1907 records the station as having money order offices, telegraph offices and a post office. At this time the population of the village was 109. Freight traffic was winched to the platform by means of a manually operated counterbalanced winch, part of which can still be seen. The 1932 OS map records the building as ‘Station’. The station closed to passengers on 20th September 1954. It was re-opened on 1st September 1980 and closed for the last time of 23rd February 1989. Planning permission was granted for change of use to a dwelling in 1996, and at the time of writing the station is vacant. References: Primary Sources: 1. PRONI OS/6/1/ Second edition OS Map (1857) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/ Third edition OS Map (1932) Secondary Sources: 1. Currie, J.R.L; The Northern Counties Railway Vol.1 (David & Charles, 1973) 2. Leggatt, J.E.; The Irish Commercial and Railway Gazetteer (McCorquodale & Co, 1907) 3. McCutcheon, W.A. The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland, DOE 1984

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation H-. Alterations detracting from building J. Setting

Historic Interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance V. Authorship Z. Rarity X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A detached four-bay two-storey brick railway station built on a steep embankment on the north side of the former Belfast-Ballymena railway line. Templepatrick Railway Station is one of several distinctive station buildings designed by engineer-architect John Lanyon for the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company in the 1870s. The decorative polychrome brickwork and timber detailing are of high quality and typify the station buildings of the period. Templepatrick Station is further distinguished by an imaginative approach to the difficulties presented by the steep site and presents several innovatory features in design. Of particular note is the double height vehicular loading storey, which, rustic stonework, acts as a robust plinth to the station above. The winch tower and wheel remain as evidence of an unusual freight access lift and are of additional industrial heritage value. In addition to its architectural and industrial pedigree, the station is an important social artifact for Templepatrick village, and influenced its development to a certain extent. It is also important in respect of improved transport and communication networks in a wider national context. The change to its use has degraded it somewhat but its essential character remains intact.

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 September 2008