Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
‘The Restaurant’
Carrigenagh Upper, Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade B2
- Grade
- B2
- Type
- Shop
- Date of listing
- 15 March 1996
- Date of construction
- 1900 - 1919
- Address
- ‘The Restaurant’, Silent Valley Reservoir Scheme, Head Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4PU
- Townland
- Carrigenagh Upper
- Council
- Newry, Mourne and Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.12547, -6.00063
- Date of survey
- 31 July 1997
- HB reference
- HB16/02/019
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1881 "Ireland to Illustrate the Military Condition of the Country." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
A single-storey building set on a terrace overlooking the Kilkeel River just south of the Silent Valley dam. Gabled roof clad in corrugated metal, painted green and with finialed gabled. Two rendered chimney stacks on ridge (over internal walls). Metal rainwater goods.
Walls are corrugated sheeted metal, painted white, over wooden framing set on concrete plinth. Veranda to southeast facing frontage with porched entrance (now disused) at left; supported on five cast-metal columns.
Original windows survive on gables and at rear, but only partially along front. They are paired wooden 2/1 casements. The fenestration of the bay window at right front has been changed to a large picture window. New windows also inserted along facade along with a new entrance. The fire exit door on right gable is an original opening. All the doors appear to have been replaced.
Small concrete outbuilding at rear north-east corner is probably an original feature.
Historical information
Built as a meeting room for the Belfast City & District Water Commissioners during the construction of the Silent Valley reservoir (1923-32). Shown on site map of 1921. Also appears in photograph of area prior to start of work on dam in 1923. Probably erected at the same time, or shortly after, the construction of the engineers’ houses in 1915 (HB16/02/ 018).
Primary Sources:
1. Original map and drawing in DOE Water Service, Westland House, Old Westland Rd, Belfast (cat. no. 1E1 and 2D36).
Secondary Sources:
1. Belfast City & District Water Commissioners, ‘The Mourne Scheme’ (Belfast 1959).
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting
K. Group value
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Evaluation
Of similar style to another corrugated metal house nearby (HB16/02/020). Corrugated metal buildings of this date are now scarce. In addition to this, the structure is of historical interest in its association with the construction of the Silent Valley reservoir. Its proximity to other water-related structures also gives it group value.
Nearby in the register
- LodgesHouseunder 1 mi
- Fountainunder 1 mi
- Electricity generating houseWater Works Structuresunder 1 mi
- Exhibition hutGallery/ Museumunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.