Survey Data
Reg No
13401107
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural
Original Use
Outbuilding
Historical Use
Store/warehouse
Date
1850 - 1860
Coordinates
238307, 282129
Date Recorded
15/08/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay double-height former railway goods shed associated with Ballywillin Railway Station, built c. 1856, having single-bay single-storey annex attached to the north gable end. Ancillary buildings to the south. Now out of use. Pitched natural slate roof with overhanging canopy to the east side supported on timber brackets. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughly dressed coursed limestone walls over chamfered tooled limestone plinth (west), and with flush tooled ashlar limestone quoins to the corners. Round openings to the west elevation having tooled limestone surrounds and multi-paned metal-framed windows. Semi-circular window opening to apex at either gable end (north and south) having red brick surrounds, tooled limestone sills, and multi-paned metal-framed window openings. Square-headed window openings to single-storey annex to north end of goods shed having red brick surrounds, limestone sills and two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door openings to the north and east elevations having tooled ashlar limestone relieving arches and quoins, timber lintels and with battened timber doors. Square-headed carriage arch/loading door openings (probably originally segmental-headed) to the north, south and east elevations having tooled ashlar limestone quoins and relieving arches, and timber lintels. Battened timber sliding door to the loading bay to the east, replacement metal doors to the south and north elevations. Multiple-bay single-storey outbuilding to the south of former goods shed having mono-pitched natural slate roof. Rubble limestone walls with roughly squared quoins to the corners. Walls now covered with ivy. Square-headed window opening to the north elevation having red brick surround, fixed timber window, limestone sill and wrought-iron security bars. Square-headed doorways to the north and south elevations having battened timber doors. Segmental-headed carriage arch/loading bay openings to west elevation having tooled ashlar limestone voussoirs and the remains of timber battened doors. Square-headed carriage arches/ loading bay openings to east elevation having timber battened doors. Located to the south of the former Ballywillin Railway Station (13401105) with disused railway (tracks removed) to the west). Rubble stone boundary walls to the north. Located the northeast of Abbeylara.
Appraisal
This well-built former railway goods shed retains much of its early character , form and fabric. It survives in good condition despite being out of use for a considerable period of time, which is indicative of the quality of construction. The round openings to the west elevation and the semi-circular windows to the end elevations give this building a strong architectural presence and visual appeal. The use of snecked limestone masonry is typical of the Victorian railway architecture in Ireland, while the good quality tooled ashlar limestone to the openings helps to elevate this structure above many buildings of its type and date in Ireland. The building retains many interesting materials and features such as the cast-iron windows and the overhanging timber canopy, which further enhance the structure. The segmental-headed arches to either gable end (north and south) were originally accessible by the railway track, suggesting that this building was also formerly in use as an engine shed. This utilitarian structure forms part of an interesting group of related buildings at Ballywillin along with the main station building (13401105) and the railway signal box (13401106) to the north; the railway platforms, outbuildings and the remains of the former water tower. The simple but attractive single-storey outbuilding to the south contributes significantly to the setting and is an interesting structure in its own right. This building might be a later addition to the site, perhaps c. 1880 (map information). This railway station complex was originally built by The Midland and Great Western Railway Company to serve the Inny Junction to Cavan Line, which opened in 1856. This line closed to passenger traffic in 1947 and was subsequently completely closed by CIE in 1960. These former railway buildings represent an interesting reminder of the heyday of the railway industry in Ireland during the second half of the nineteenth-century, and are important elements of the social and economic heritage of the local area.