Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB11/02/008

Address :
Barrett Hardware 70-72 Main Street Fintona Omagh Co.Tyrone BT78 2AE

Townland:
Fintona

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
02/09/2010 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Shop - Terrace

Former Use
Shop - Terrace

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
156-16

IG Ref:
H4429 6127

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

Mid-terrace street-fronted five-bay three-storey over basement rendered commercial building with shop-front and carriage-arch to ground floor, built c.1875. T-shaped on plan facing north with a four-bay three-storey return to rear and multi-bay two-storey over basement rendered outbuilding to rear yard. Pitched natural slate roofs, black clay ridge tiles and a large rendered chimneystack rising from either gable end with some clay pots. Replacement metal guttering to box fascia, cast-iron downpipes. Gable-ended return has a rendered chimneystack rising from the gable with a further tall yellow brick stack rising from the east pitch. Painted rendered walling with tooled stone quoins and a moulded sill course to the second floor. Plain render to side and rear elevations and to return. Front elevation is five bays wide with segmental-headed window openings to second floor having moulded architrave surrounds, diamond-faced keystones and single-pane timber sash windows on a moulded sill course spanning entire front elevation. Square-headed window openings to first floor with moulded architrave surrounds each having a moulded cornice supported on a pair of decorative console brackets with single-pane timber sash windows and continuous sill course forming cornice to shop-front fascia below. The ground floor comprises three-bay shop-front to the west with a door opening and carriage arch occupying the two easternmost bays. Four decorative fluted cast-iron columns defining the three bays, resting on a stone step to either side of shop entrance, which comprises replacement hardwood glazed shopfront set back behind columns. Shop-front, door opening and carriage arch are flanked by render pilasters supporting a render fascia and moulded cornice spanning entire front elevation, with applied raised lettering ‘BARRETT HARDWARE’. The square-headed door opening gives access to the upper floors and contains a replacement hardwood panelled door, rectangular over-light and flanked by pair of elongated foliate console brackets. The easternmost bay to the rear elevation (above carriage arch) is recessed with a single-bay three-storey lean-to to the adjacent bay. The remainder of the rear elevation is abutted by a lower four-bay three-storey gable-ended rendered return. The top floor to the gable-ended return is three bays deep, resulting in a open space between the return and the rear, now glazed-in as a uPVC conservatory. Plain rendered walling with tooled stone quoins to main body of building and to the rear return. Square-headed window openings and stone sills throughout with UPVC windows to the easternmost bay (over carriage arch). The lean-to contains single-pane timber sash windows and margin lights with coloured glass. Windows to the large return are 2/2 horizontally-glazed timber sash windows, those to the basement have redbrick surrounds. Square-headed door opening to the rear gable, at basement level with vertically-sheeted timber door. Setting The square-headed carriage arch opening to the easternmost bay has lathe and plaster soffit, rendered walls and a bitmac carriageway descending to a rear yard. To the south of the yard is a multi-bay two-storey over basement rendered former outbuilding. Having a pitched natural slate roof with steel to the ridge, metal rainwater goods and painted rendered brick walling with painted tooled stone quoins. Square-headed window and door openings with a single timber sash window and four vertically-sheeted timber doors. A round-headed opening gives access to a basement via a flight of stone steps. Roof Natural slate Walling Painted render Windows Timber sash Rainwater goods Replacement metal/Cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The current shop is first shown on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1906, replacing an earlier building on the site which is shown on the first two editions (1833, 1852). Griffith’s Valuation map of c.1859 shows the building drawn onto the map at a later (undated) stage. Annual Revisions (1860-1929) list the occupier as George Blakeley. He leases a house, offices, yard and small garden valued at £4.15s from Lucinda Christie. In the ensuing years there are various changes of occupier until 1875/6 when the house is deleted and the site is described as a building ground and waste. In 1876 a new house is ‘in progress’ and by 1877 a new ‘house, offices and garden’ have been finished, buildings being valued at £50. The occupier is Geo Bullock and Co and the property is leased from John S Eccles. In 1885 it is noted that a new ‘office’ has been built but that the valuation is high enough. William Bullock is added as an occupier in 1889 but deleted in 1902. The ensuing years see several changes of occupier until in 1928 Samuel McCrea is in residence. Issues of the Belfast and Ulster Directory from 1901 onwards list ‘Bullick & Co’ as drapers of Fintona, and although the building is not described as a shop in Annual Revision records, it appears that it was used as a business premises. After 1934 the lessor becomes Amy H McClintock, the value is raised to £57 and the premises is described as a ‘house, shop, offices and garden’. It comprises two kitchens, two sculleries, two pantries, a bath with cold water and a W.C., seven rooms and seven bedrooms. The valuer comments, ‘House too large for occupier, electric light throughout save in attics’. A plan and dimensions show the shop and basement and a two-storey outbuilding to the rear. The main house is mostly three storey. In 1935, following an appeal, the valuation is reduced to £50 and £2 for outbuildings. The occupier, Samuel McCrea states, ‘The premises [were] built in 1875…when they were the centre of an extensive business and when the farming community was in a flourishing condition…I consider even the original valuation too much owing to the prevailing depression and change in marketing.’ The valuer comments, ‘These premises are the largest of the kind in Fintona. The place is entirely too large for owner, and contains a great deal of waste space – particularly in unnecessary passages, staircases and small ‘glory holes’’. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/6/51/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833) 2. PRONI OS/6/6/51/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1852) 3. PRONI OS/6/6/51/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906) 4. PRONI OS/6/6/51/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1938) 5. PRONI VAL/2/D/6/16 – Griffiths’ Valuation Town Plan (c.1859) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/23A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929) 7. PRONI VAL/12/E/176/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1909-[c.1935] 8. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8U/1 – Valuers RV Binder (1933-57) Secondary Sources Belfast and Ulster Street Directory 1901, 1903, 1910, 1915, 1921-2, 1931

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form J. Setting

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

Five-bay three-storey terraced building on the south side of Main Street, Fintona. A fine late nineteenth-century shop building with living quarters above, originally a draper's and now in use as a general hardware shop. Retaining much of its original appearance including its stucco façade, timber sash windows and cast-iron posts to shopfront, the building has a significant presence in Fintona as well as being an important part of the commercial life of the locality. Such premises are increasingly rare and this is a good example of the larger type.

General Comments

New Listing

Date of Survey

15 May 2009