Ulster Bank

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey terrace bank building of 1918-19, possibly by Blackwood & Jury, in typical ‘institutional’ neo-Renaissance style of the period. The building is set on the NW side of Ann Street.

The front (SE) elevation presents an asymmetrical ground floor with entrance door in the 1st bay to the right and the 1st and 2nd floor treated as a piano nobile with giant pilasters resting on the rusticated ground floor and supporting a crowning entablature. The entrance door, 6 panel, moulded and fielded in mahogany with brass ironmongery, in the 2nd and 3rd bay 2 no. 6 pane windows, high sloping cills, to the left of the entrance door a narrow 2 pane window filling the wall space left by the door. Bays divided by piers or pilasters carried up through name fascia (frieze) topped with thin cornice. Wall rusticated with recessed joint. At top of piers in line with fascia an oval garland. The name of the bank occurs in the frieze of 1st and 2nd bays, the top of pier and garland being removed.

The 1st floor has 3 no. double hung sliding sash 2 pane windows, each slightly recessed with plain architrave, scrolls supporting horizontal moulded hoods, centre one a pediment (perhaps intended as an aedicule). 2nd floor 3 no. double hung sliding sash 2 pane windows of less height than below with lugged architraves. Bays divided by smooth pilasters complete with base and freely interpreted capitals supporting a cornice stringcourse spoiled by electricity cables, above a deep plain frieze punctuated with pyramidal blocks and over a projecting dominant cornice. On top of cornice a sloping parapet with 2 acroteria in line with pilasters.

The wall is carried out in plasterwork. Concealed gutter, single downpipe. Slated roof with 2 gable chimneystacks.

The bank building thrusts high above adjoining premises and exposed gables treated with heavily moulded barges, forming kneelers, back and front and a moulded horizontal stringcourse giving the impression of pediment. A narrow window are squeezed in at 2nd floor in the gables above the adjoining roofs.

The rear of the building has a 3 bay long 2 storey return and the fenestration of it and the rear of main blocks is in D/H S/S 2 pane windows generally. In the angle between return and front block a ground floor rear door forming a chamfer with side screen and lean-to roof. At the end of return and right angles to it a lateral outhouse with dormer hoist now minus hoist.

The building observes the terrace building line.

Historical information

The Ulster Bank first established a branch in Ballycastle in November 1917 in a rented room in the ground floor of the Antrim Arms Hotel at the east end of Castle Street. A bedroom was also rented for the use of the manager, William H. Tighe. In 1918 a (pre 1834) two storey dwelling house in Ann Street was purchased, later demolished and the present bank built on the site. The new building may have been designed by Blackwood & Jury, who were responsible for several other Ulster Bank premises built in this period.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1B/135 First valuation, Ramoan parish, 1834
2 PRONI VAL/2B/1/28c Second valuation, Ramoan parish, 1859
3 PRONI VAL/12B/2/3a-g Annual valuation revision books, Ballycastle ED, 1864-1921
4 PRONI VAL/12E/8/1/1-3 Valuation plan of Ballycastle, 1898-c.1935
5 PRONI VAL/12E/8/2/1 Valuation plan of Ballycastle, c.1905
6 PRONI VAL/12B/2/5a-c Annual valuation revision books, Ballycastle UD, 1921-31
7 PRONI VAL/3G/6/1/1-3 Valuation plan of Ballycastle, 1934-50
8 PRONI VAL/3B/1/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Ballycastle UD, 1935
9 PRONI VAL/3C/1/6 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, 1936-57

Secondary sources
1 ‘Decades of the Ulster Bank 1836-1964’ (Belfast, 1965), pp.169-70

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Three storey terrace bank building of 1918-19, possibly by Blackwood & Jury, in typical ‘institutional’ neo-Renaissance style of the period. Despite the usual corporate alterations this building is still largely intact.