56 James Street, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, BT80 8LT

56 James Street is an attached three-storey early Victorian building, built around 1835, and is now derelict. It was originally constructed as one house together with the adjacent building to the north (number 58), though it is now divided into separate properties. The building demonstrates good proportions and detailing, particularly on its front facade, and forms part of a group with two buildings of similar age to the south, contributing to the character of the mixed terrace along James Street.

The building is rectangular in plan with a two-storey pitched roof return to the rear, dating to around 1880. The external walls to the front elevation are painted render. The ground floor contains a square-headed doorway to the right, leading to accommodation above, and a shopfront which forms part of the adjacent property. The upper levels are lit by 1/1 timber sliding sash windows set on painted cut-stone sills, with classical proportions that reduce towards the upper storeys. The front elevation features rusticated quoins to its edges. The rear east elevation is also painted render, with a 1/1 timber sliding sash window to the upper levels. The main roof is artificial slate with cast-iron rainwater goods; all original brick chimneys have been removed. The rear two-storey pitched roof return contains timber casement windows to the ground and first floors, with artificial slate roof and cast-iron rainwater goods. There is no access to the rear yard.

The building was originally recorded in the January 1835 valuation as an old house of quality letter '1C+', then occupied by Matthew Glasgow at £9 per year rent, with a rateable value of £4-11-9. The recorded dimensions were 29½ feet by 21½ feet by 17 feet for the main section, with a return of 19 by 9½ by 5 feet and an office of 16 by 21½ by 9 feet. The main front section consisted of only two storeys at this point. By the 1838 valuation modification, the rateable value had risen to £4-18-0. Matthew S. Glasgow (possibly the same person or a relation) is recorded as leaseholder in 1859, with William Houston as tenant and a rateable value of £8-10-0. John Stewart became the next occupant in 1869, followed by Charles Rankin in 1877. In 1880 the lease was acquired by William Morgan, and the property was improved—undoubtedly involving the addition of the second storey and an extension to the rear, as indicated by the accompanying valuation map. The rateable value rose by £6 as a result of these improvements. James McVeigh became resident in 1887, having already rented the shop to the south (number 58) and later acquiring leases of two houses further below (present numbers 60 and 62). He was succeeded by William McMullan in 1893, followed by leaseholder William Morgan in 1897. In 1910 the property was listed as a licensed house, and in 1914 Sarah Morgan is noted as the occupant. James McGuckin became both leaseholder and resident in 1918, succeeded in both roles by John Mulgrew in 1921. Edward Quinn followed as occupant in 1950. The following year the building was recorded as two properties—a public bar and a house—though Edward Quinn is listed as occupying both. Samuel Montgomery acquired the lease of the whole building in 1954 and is also listed as occupant, remaining there until 1972.

The building is street-fronted on the hard-landscaped pavement of James Street, on the north side of Cookstown's Main Street.