BOOM HALL ESTATE, DERRY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN Prepared for Derry City and Strabane District Council Prepared by August 2020 BOOM HALL ESTATE, DERRY CONserVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Derry City and Strabane District Council Prepared by: Alastair Coey Architects Ltd August 2020 DRAFT CONTENTS Part One: Introduction and Background 1.1 The Site 1.2 Terms of Reference 1.3 Scope of the Conservation Management Plan 1.4 Methodology 1.5 Layout of the Conservation Management Plan 1.6 Consultant Team 1.7 Consultation Part Two: Understanding of Place 2.1 Sources 2.2 Designations 2.3 Strategic Overview 2.3 Setting 2.4 Description 2.5 Historical Overview 2.6 Comparative Analysis 2.7 Access 2.8 Condition 2.9 Gaps in Knowledge Part Three: Significance of Boom Hall 3.1 Assessment of Cultural Heritage Values 3.2 �������������������������Statement of Significance ����������������������������3.3 Threat and Opportunities DRAFT Part Four: Policies and Recommendations 4.1 Objectives 4.2 Current Context 4.3 Definition of Key Terms 4.4 Existing Statutory Policy, Guidance and Legal Framework 4.5 Policies relating to Protection of Significance 4.5.1 Relationship between assessed level of Significance and Policy 4.5.2 Management 4.5.3 Continuity of Conservation Advice 4.5.4 Significance of Buildings 4.5.5 Significance of the Historic Landscape 4.6 Policies and Recommendations relating to Conservation of the Physical Fabric 4.6.1 Urgent Works 4.6.2 Maintenance, Repair and Remedial Works 4.6.3 Reuse of the Site 4.7 Policies relating to Understanding, Recording and Research 4.7.1 Documentation and Recording 4.7.2 Archaeological Investigations 4.7.3 Academic Research 4.8 Policies relating to Land Use, Land Management and Ecology 4.8.1 Woodland 4.8.2 Ecology and Biodiversity 4.9 Policies and Recommendations relating to Engagement and Understanding 4.9.1 Community Engagement 4.9.2 Providing Understanding 4.9.3 Security 4.10 Review of Policies and Recommendations Part Five: Bibliography and References 5.1 Bibliography 5.2 Footnotes Appendix One: Extraction of Policies Appendix Two: Historic Landscape Assessment Appendix Three: Condition Report AppendixDRAFT Four: Public Consultation - list of attendees DCC09-R40E Boom Hall Conservation Management Plan BOOM HALL Boom Hall demesne contains the remains of a significant historic property which has strong connections to society and history in Derry and touches on themes of national and international importance. Although the house, farm buildings and walled garden are in a state of advanced dereliction and the intactness of the original demesne has been eroded over time, the site is unusual, in the north-west of Ireland, in that it contains not only the remains of a Palladian mansion and its associated infrastructure (with potentially tantalizing links to one of England’s most prolific mid- to late-eighteenth century architects) but also a site of military importance with connections not only to the Siege of Derry but also the Second World War. Figure 1: Boom Hall main house. Boom Hall was constructed in the 1770s by James Alexander, the youngest son of a prominent family of Derry merchants, and lived in by his brother Robert and, after his death, by his widow until 1817. In 1849 the property passed into the hands of the Baird family (later Maturin-Baird) and in due course was let to a number of tenants until 1949 when Charles Edgar Maturin-Baird sold most of the demesne to Michael Henry McDevitt after whose death the house and stable buildings began to fall into dereliction. At present the site is owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council and the public make some use of the demesne for walking, however, the historical relationship between drives, paths, trees and buildings is largely obscured. The main house is not listed and enjoys no statutory protection. The stables has Figure 2: Caption a Grade B2 listing and is also included on the Northern Ireland Heritage at Risk Register. The grounds, which have a supplementary listing on the Register of Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes, comprise mostly parkland, woodland and an extensive walled garden with, in all, a total of eight scheduled assets. The area considered in this plan is understood to form roughly the area of the historic demesne of Boom Hall. Research carried out to date has produced a comprehensive narrative of the site, which makes a strong case for a greater recognition of its significance and the pressing need for its protection and enhancement. A fire in the 1970s resulted in major damage to the main house causing collapse of the roof and floors and the loss of all windows. Since then, some stabilization Figure 3: Stables. works have been implemented to provide temporary support to the upstanding remains. The stable buildings and boundary walls to the garden are also in an extremely fragile state and subject to progressive collapse. A comprehensive programme of stabilization is urgently required to ensure their survival. Public interest in the future of Boom Hall has been evidenced in attendance at the various consultation events organized during preparation of the Conservation Plan and has established that there is a wealth of local associations and affections and an appreciation that Boom Hall is an important cultural site which is tightly bound up with the story of the city. The challenge is therefore to agree the real significance of the surviving buildings, structures and landscape and to urgently implement measures to halt the progressive loss of historic fabric and find a sustainable use or uses to preserve the demesne for the benefit of future Figure 4: Walled Garden. generations. DRAFT August 2020 Alastair Coey Architects Ltd 3 DCC09-R40E Boom Hall Conservation Management Plan Part One: Introduction and Background 1.1 The Site Boom Hall demesne is located on the west bank of the River Foyle on the outskirts of Derry city at Irish Grid Reference C 44996 19515, Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference NV 61578 82470. It is accessed from the Culmore Road (A2) immediately to the north-east of the roundabout at the junction with Madams Bank Road which forms the south- western boundary of the site and leads to the Foyle Bridge. The site is bounded to the north by the old Culmore Road and, to the east, by the River Foyle. The demesne is located on the west bank of the River Foyle on the outskirts of Derry (at Irish Grid Reference C 44996 19515, Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference NV 61578 82470). The site consists of multiple designations including a Grade B1 listed building (Stable Block: HB01/25/004B), eight scheduled monuments and parkland with supplementary listing on the Register of Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes (L-003). The remains of Boom Hall are not, and never have been, listed. The area covered by the Conservation Plan is illustrated in Figure 5 and comprises around 54 acres of the former Boom Hall demesne. The term “demesne” refers to “a piece of land attached to a manor and retained by the owner for their own use”. The surviving portion of the demesne at Boom Hall corresponds with the area registered L-003. The demesne lies on gently rising ground from the west bank of the River Foyle, bounded to the south by Madam’s Bank Road and the Foyle Bridge. Culmore Lane winds through the demesne past the house and stables, but has restricted vehicular access. 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