9 Ann Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 3 bay wide, 3 storey terrace building with shop on ground floor and living accommodation over and with basement.
At ground level 3 panelled (upper panel glazed) door with shallow rectangular fanlight. Door frame integral with shop window which has 2 large plate glass panes with moulded ¾ round dividing mullion. Very low cill with narrow strip panel below. On either side of door and window fluted pilasters and over a name fascia with painted lettering. To the right of main window another window in a single plate glass pane filling what was originally a gateway. It has a segmental arch with plaster voissoirs and quoins on each side. It has a low cill matching that of the main window. At 1st floor 3 D/H S/S 2 pane windows with thin cills almost on top of name fascia, the cornice of which continues over former gateway. At 2nd floor 3 more similar windows directly over those below.

Walls smooth rendered and painted with plaster painted quoins. There is a meagre eaves overhang with fascia board and soffit, ½ round metal gutter with square downpipe with prominent fixing lugs and trunkhead. Downpipe is between ground floor windows. A short swanneck connects gutter to trunk head.

Roof natural slated, gable chimneystacks with another on ridge in line with former gateway. Simple ridge tile which is a metre above No. 7.

Rear elevation: four storeys, three bay, with projecting lean-to and flat-roofed returns. Roof of main street front block is pitched: Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles; pvc gutter and downpipe; wall rendered, with wet dash. Windows to third storey are rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, with horns; windows to second storey are rectangular timber fixed lights with top-hung vents. Lean-to roofed return to right-hand side of second floor: slated as previous to main block; pvc rainwater goods; one window, as previous to second floor. Flat-roofed return to two left-hand bays, two-storey high: roof of corrugated iron; walling is smooth rendered; pvc rainwater goods; rectangular timber door, modern glazed, leads onto external steps down to yard.
Rear boundary of yard is rendered wall, wet dashed, containing a corrugated iron gate. Ground floor of flat-roofed return contains a large rectangular doorway.

SETTING: The building stands facing the main street of the town, within a terrace of shops and houses.

Historical information

From interior an early ninetenth century or late eighteenth century building remodled to the exterior later in the nineteenth. The size and detail of the finishes to upper floors suggests an owner of means. O.S. Memoirs refers to the town having 9 3 storey houses and states the principal streets “consists of 2 and 3 storey houses which are not very neat or modern in appearance, though in general comfortable and cleanly”. Ann Street took its name from one of the Boyd’s wives, who was Ann McAllister of Kinbane, in 1810. The present owner carried out improvements in 1990s with NIHE grant, mainly to the shop accommodation. The UAHS, Glens of Antrim refers to a “charming little naive-Ionic portico”, this was removed at the time after much debate with EHS. The current shop front replicates the character of others in the Conservation Area.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Antrim sh. 8.
2. O.S. Map 1832 Revised 1958 Antrim sh. 8.
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Antrim IX, 1830-2, 1835, 1838-9
Ed by Angelique Day, Patrick McWilliams & Noirin Dobson. p. 94
4. Notes – 1st Survey, EHS Hill St, Belfast
5. Coleraine Tribune 3 April 1985, Series of Art by C Dallat.
6. EHS;PHB listing file.

Secondary Sources
1. UAHS, Glens of Antrim p. 51.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An early nineteenth century 3 bay wide, 3 storey terrace building with shop on ground floor and living accommodation over. Building renovated to the exterior later in the same century . Later twentieth century shopfront which incorporated the coach arch adjacent. Of special interest for its style, proportion, ornimentation, surviving plan form and historic internal fittings which contribute to its architectural and historical character.