15 Crawford Square, Londonderry

A three storey two bay rendered Italianate terraced house built in 1875, most likely designed by Robert Collins. The building is part of a terrace of sixteen houses arranged on a sloping site to the south west of the tree lined Crawford Square, and is paired with and symmetrical to the adjacent No. 16 Crawford Square. It has a rectangular plan form facing north east, with a three storey rendered return to the rear, an attached single storey rendered kitchen outshot, and a two storey outbuilding accessed from the rear yard.

The front elevation is dominated by a two storey three sided canted bay with parapet, featuring recessed panels between the first and second storeys and moulded cills and strings. Window openings have segmental arched heads with 1/1 double hung timber sash windows fitted with moulded horns. The first floor window above the main entrance has a moulded architrave with stop blocks and a moulded cill, both shared with No. 16 Crawford Square.

The semi-circular arched doorcase projects forward with a hood mould and keystone detail, supported by decorative console brackets. It is recessed with a moulded soffit and contains a glazed fanlight, tiled step and a pair of replacement timber panelled outer doors. Beyond these stands an original inner glazed door with slender timber columns fitted with decorative capitals on each side, a rectangular fanlight, and an original timber door with a glazed top panel and single moulded bottom panel. The entrance vestibule has a flat ceiling with cornice.

The pitched natural slate roof is continuous with No. 16 Crawford Square. A large buff brick chimney with moulded corbel and buff clay pots is shared with No. 14. The fascia boards are timber with a moulded soffit featuring paired block modillions. Half round cast iron guttering drains to a circular cast iron downpipe at the front; replacement uPVC guttering has been installed to the rear elevation.

The rear elevation is rendered with square headed window openings containing replacement uPVC windows throughout. The three storey return has a hipped natural slate roof with blue-black hip and ridge tiles and a buff brick chimney with moulded corbel, shared with the return of No. 16 Crawford Square. It also features square headed openings with replacement uPVC windows and a glazed door opening onto the rear yard.

An attached single storey rendered outshot is positioned against the return but does not extend its full width. It has a gabled monopitch natural slate roof with a high level window opening within the gable, and is fitted with replacement uPVC windows and uPVC rainwater goods.

From the rear yard, stone steps lead to a two storey stone built outbuilding, now rendered, with painted timber windows and door and a pitched natural slate roof. This building is part of the stepped row of outbuildings associated with Crawford Square houses, which front onto Academy Road. The Academy Road elevation is stone with brick surrounds to openings and features an original four part timber sliding door operating on a curved track within the building, with sheeted timber doors serving a high level opening.

The main house is set back from the footpath and slightly elevated above Crawford Square green, which it faces north east across tree lined ground. It is approached by a shared path and short flight of concrete steps, and has a modest front garden enclosed by a dwarf wall.