Northern Bank, Main Street, Kilrea, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT51 5QS

The Northern Bank, Kilrea

This is a freestanding, asymmetrical two-storey-with-attic bank building in the Italianate classical style, constructed in 1884–85 to the designs of the Irish architect Thomas Turner. It stands on an elevated corner site at the junction of Maghera Street and New Row at the west end of Kilrea, and together with neighbouring historic structures forms a significant focal point in the townscape. Its eclectic Victorian classical character marks a deliberate departure from the more restrained architectural style typical of the town. The building retains largely intact architectural detailing and some elements of a typical late Victorian interior.

The plan is rectangular, with two returns abutting to the west: a late 19th century return facing south, and a flat-roofed return added during the latter half of the 20th century, which is of no architectural interest. The roof is hipped and slated with a parapet; to the rear there is a catslide roof with four skylights and slightly raised half-gables. Black and grey angled ridge tiles run along the centre ridge, with lead strips to the hip ridges. The ashlar sandstone parapet and coping are surmounted by three stone urns, and curve around the north-eastern corner. Gutters are concealed behind the parapet, draining to square cast-iron downpipes, with half-round rainwater goods to the rear. Ashlar chimneys rise from the centre of both the north and south elevations behind the parapets, each fitted with two clay pots.

The walling to the east elevation and the eastern half of the north elevation is ashlar sandstone. The remaining elevations are in ruled-and-lined render, with rubblestone walling to the west elevation of the rear return. Band-rustication is applied to the ground floor throughout, and straight channelled quoin strips run along the outer edges of the elevations. A projecting cornice runs both below the parapet and between the two floors. Windows are generally timber sashes, with timber casements and some metal windows introduced to the 20th century rear return. A continuous sill moulding runs at each floor level.

The principal elevation faces east and is composed of three equally spaced windows at first-floor level with recessed apron panels. At ground floor, a central doorway is flanked by a pair of windows to each side. The entrance is embraced by festooned Ionic columns and outer partially-fluted pilasters, all resting on plinths, with modern signage above. A carved pediment rises over a carved lintel inscribed "NORTHERN BANK", supported by plain engaged pilasters flanking a timber panelled entrance door with a plain glass transom above.

The north-eastern corner is curved and features three curved windows at each level, with festooned Ionic columns to each side of the central curved window at ground floor, those being partially fluted. A projecting strip of banded rusticated blocks appears to each side of the curved ensemble.

The south elevation contains a projecting strip of banded rusticated blocks to the right side, with a window at ground floor and a large window above, two further windows to the left and a single one above, set beneath the gable. The west elevation has three windows to the left side of the first floor and is otherwise of plain detailing. At ground floor, the left side is largely abutted by a 20th century extension of no architectural interest; the right side is abutted by a pitched and slated single-storey return. The rubblestone gable is blank; the rendered right cheek has a single window; the left cheek is abutted by the modern flat-roofed extension. The north elevation is blank to the right side; the left side projects and is finished in ashlar stone in the same style as the principal east elevation. There is a single window at ground floor, and the left corner curves to join the east elevation.

The main entrance is reached via steps from New Row or a concrete curved ramp from Maghera Street, both added or remodelled in recent years, and bounded by a coursed and squared rubble wall surmounted by saddleback copings and spear-headed cast-iron railings, with a square pier at the south-eastern corner. To the rear there is an enclosed yard bounded by a wall and mature trees to the west. The south boundary is formed by a coursed rubble wall with an abutting door. The north side facing Maghera Street has a roughcast wall with square piers supporting modern metal gates leading to a rear tarmac yard.

Several neighbouring listed buildings lie to the north-east, including Second Kilrea Presbyterian Church, the property at 67 Maghera Street, and the telephone kiosk.

The building was constructed on a previously undeveloped corner of plantation land. The site was leased from the Worshipful Company of Mercers', who owned a large estate of which Kilrea was the capital, and was occupied by the Northern Banking Company. The site comprised a bank house, office, yard and garden. When added to the valuation records in 1885, the property was valued at £50. Before construction, the land had been owned by John Smyth, who held a house and office in the adjacent plot to the south. The Mercers' estate had been established during the colonisation of Ulster in the 17th century; under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903 it was progressively sold to its tenants. By the time of the First General Revaluation in 1935, the building had passed into the ownership of the Northern Banking Company itself. During the mid to late 20th century a single-storey flat-roofed extension was added to the rear, and the interior has been partially modernised. Architectural historian Alistair Rowan (1979) identifies the Italianate detailing as characteristic of Thomas Turner's work, whose other buildings include Glenavon House in Cookstown and Coleraine Town Hall.