Thistlebank House, Former Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society factory ('The Scotch Stores'), Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, BT74 7JY

Thistlebank House, Former Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society Factory

Thistlebank House stands at the northern end of a long, primarily two-storey rubble-built complex originally constructed as a factory and manager's residence for the Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society. The building is located on Sligo Road in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, at the junction with Old Henry Street, on the south-western edge of the town.

The complex was built in 1893 to designs by Thomas Elliot for processing livestock. However, the building's considerable length, varying roof heights and levels of detailing suggest that some portions may have been added within a few years of completion. The entire complex runs roughly north to south, curving in alignment with the surrounding roads and forming an irregular plan.

The main buildings comprise, from north to south: the manager's house (Thistlebank House itself) at the northern end; a larger block originally containing offices, now subdivided into shops with part used as a meeting place for a local church; a lower, plainer block that likely housed the factory proper, now containing shops, a snooker hall and other commercial uses; a long narrow block, slightly taller and more ornate, possibly originally warehouses, currently containing shops, a bingo hall and restaurant; and modern flat-roofed extensions at the southern end dating from approximately the 1970s, also in commercial use. To the west, where ground level rises, much of the complex presents as single storey. A long narrow enclosed yard lies to this side, containing a long gabled outbuilding with a tall square battered brick chimney, indicating it once housed a boiler or boiling house.

The complex is constructed principally in squared rock-faced stone with smooth dressings and quoins. Considerable alteration has occurred in recent years, particularly to window and door openings and the application of modern signage, especially along the east façade fronting Sligo Road.

Thistlebank House itself is a two-storey structure set upon a basement or semi-basement level, exposed to the east side due to the lower ground level of Sligo Road. The north façade is asymmetrical. At centre is the main entrance: a panelled door with semicircular fanlight set within a semicircular-headed recess with smooth dressings. To the left are paired sash windows separated by a sandstone mullion. To the right is a canted bay with slated hipped roof and sash windows to each face. The first floor comprises two sash windows with vertical glazing bars (2 panes over 2) and segmental heads to the left and centre, each surmounted by a small decorative gable with a roundel panel. To the right is a shallow bay rising to a larger decorative gable with similar roundel, containing paired sash windows with semicircular heads. All first-floor windows rest on a sandstone sill course.

The east façade facing Sligo Road features a broad Jacobean (or Flemish) gable with stone coping and end corbels, incorporating a tall stone chimney stack. The gable rises three storeys. At ground level (the basement storey) are two small sash windows to the left with security bars, and a low timber-sheeted stable door to the right (originally a window). The first floor (ground floor) has a pair of taller sash windows (2/1) to the left and a single window (2/2) to the right. The second floor (first floor) contains a pair of sash windows with semicircular heads to the left and a single sash window with segmental arch head to the right (all 2/2). Windows at this floor are set on a sill course.

The west gable is two storeys. The ground floor has a small window with modern frame and an adjoining timber-sheeted door with tall fanlight. The first floor contains two sash windows (2/2) to the right, similar in size to those below. A door is positioned at the south corner where the house meets the projecting wall of the factory.

The gabled roof is slated with cast iron rainwater goods throughout.

Since the later 1970s the complex has been occupied by mainly shop and workshop units of various sizes. Modern large window openings have been installed during this conversion process. The southern end shows evidence of substantial modern extensions, possibly dating from the 1960s or early 1970s.