Kilkeel Credit Union / former Munster and Leinster Bank

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Formal, symmetrical, early 20th century bank building with formal neo-classical detailing. Three storeys high, located on north side of Newry Street.

Pitched natural slate roof, hipped to left and gabled to right, with terracotta ridges and finials. Two cement rendered chimneys, each with swept overhanging copings and five pots. One on right gable and other rising from wall head of left elevation. Gutters are behind a plain parapet. Downpipes are box-section metal with hoppers decorated with anthemion.

Front elevation is painted lined render with a chamfered rendered base course. Bays to left and right ends (rising full height),are advanced and band rusticated and contain doorways at ground and its central portion at ground floor contains three window openings. Each doorway contains a ten panelled bolection moulded and fielded painted timber door over which is a 5x3 paned metal transom light. Each doorway reveal is band rusticated as walls and abutting each side is a slender, tapering Ionic pilaster with moulded plinth, over is a full frieze with dentil cornice. Central portion of wall at ground floor has three modern stained timber windows (in earlier openings). These share a moulded cill, which terminates on cheek of each advanced side bay. Between the windows is a narrow rendered mullion with moulded base and head.

Upper floors are lined rendered to centre and banded rustication to advanced side bays. There are four windows to each upper floor, one to each advanced bay and two to centre. All are 1/1 sliding sashes with those to second floor diminished in height. The first floor windows each have a projecting cill, moulded architrave and projecting cornice hood (all in render). Second floor windows have moulded cills, fluted apron panels (resting on the moulded cornice of each first floor window). Each architrave has a raised, eared head and all are linked by a broad moulded plat-band. Over this is an advanced, moulded, dentil cornice at eaves level. This supports a raised, plain rendered wall head which, over each advanced bay, is raised, stepped and coped for added effect.

Left elevation is abutted by an adjacent lower building. Remaining wall over is lined cement render, painted as quoins to corner, and the facade parapet runs full width. Right gable is also abutted and similarly detailed.

Rear elevation is abutted to right by a two-stage return; first stage is two storey and second stage is single storey. Remaining wall to left side is abutted to ground floor by an all-modern flat roofed extension. Both first and second floors have two 1/1 sliding sashes.

Rear return roofs are both hipped with second stage lower. Both have terracotta ridges and finials. All the returns right cheeks are unpainted render and blank. The end wall of the first stage is abutted by the second stage, with remaining wall blank and a rising from wall head is a cement rendered chimney as those to facade. Left cheek of first stage has a 1/1 sliding sash window and a sheeted timber door serving a store. At first floor are four similar windows (right one in second stage). To second floor are two 1/1 sash windows. Rear wall of second stage has a sheeted timber door to ground floor right (disused outside toilet) and above is a sheeted and glazed door with window to its left. The door is served by a flight of concrete steps.

The extension to ground floor left is single storey with a modern flat roof. Its walls are cement rendered. Its rear wall has two small 1/1 sliding sashes and its right cheek (stepping out as it meets main block) has a sheeted and glazed door. Its left cheek is the yard wall.

The yard is paved and leads directly to a garden with lawn which is enclosed by a rubble stone wall.

Historical information

The building was remodelled around 1994. The right entrance (original one to banking hall) was blocked up. The vestibule doors were moved to accommodate a door into banking hall from left side and the banking counter was moved from a position running depth of building. Its original position may account for the drop-beam in ceiling making the panels irregular (to correspond with the public and private spaces below). The Munster and Leinster Bank vacated the building when trading ceased in 1973.

This building appears to have been erected on the site of two earlier buildings in 1900. The valuation revision book shows a substantial increase in valuation (from £3.10s.0d to £13.10s.0d) and a change of function to shop. Although occupied for a time as a bank, it was not specifically erected as one.

Primary sources:
1. PRONI - VAL 12B/19/14d, (1900 valuation) p.168.
2. Belfast and Northern Ireland Directory 1973

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A formal, well detailed building, containing a wealth of fine interior details, all making it worthy of continued protection.