355 Newry Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A range of vernacular buildings facing north onto the Newry Road including a dwelling, a shop and agricultural outhouses. Now vacant and blocked up.

The main range is part two-storey and part 1½ storey all in line but with different roof heights. All the roofs are natural slate with a cement fillet to the verge and corbelled eaves course. There are rendered chimneys to the gables of the higher section (shop and house) which is the right section of the range and a further chimney to the gable of the lower section (stores and outbuildings). Gutters on the high section are galvanised metal and on the lower are plastic. Walls are harled and whitewashed. The higher section is three bays long (central bay is a narrow stairwell) and the shop is to the right end bay.

At ground floor left is a 2/2 sliding sash window (now boarded up) and to its right is a sheeted painted timber front door. To right bay is a pair of sheeted doors at left and to right is a single paned fixed timber shop window, now closed (original boarded shutters secured by a horizontal wrought iron bar). At first floor there are three windows in line with both ground floor doors and left window. All are 2/2 sashes (now boarded up) with painted granite cills.

There are no features in either gable. The left one is abutted by lower section, the front wall of which is continuous with main block and contains a single window at upper floor level.

Along the back wall to left and centre is a single storey lean-to outhouse. This has a natural slate roof and painted uncoursed rubble stone walls, with open doorways to rear wall and right cheek. To the left side of right bay (abutting right cheek of outhouse) is a narrow lean-to porch to the back door, accessed by a short flight of stone steps to a sheeted door on its right cheek and a window (now blocked up) on its rear wall. On remaining wall of house is a single 2/2 sash window (now boarded up).

On the rear elevation of the 1½ storey section there are a pair of carriage doors at ground floor and a loading door at first floor.

In front of the house, to left of house door (left bay) part is a garden protected by a low wall and accessed by a stone stile. To right is a paved area serving shop entrance. The rear yard is stone paved and there is a parallel range of single storey outbuildings behind.

Historical information

A building is shown at this location on the 1834 OS 6” map. The fact that it is not cited in the 1838 Valuation (as its value was under £5) suggests that it was probably a one-storey vernacular structure. Cited as ‘Lisnacree Post Office’ in 1861 Valuation and described as “small spruce grove and post office” measuring 6yd x 5yd x 1.5 storeys and valued at £3.10s.0d. It had evidently been rebuilt or raised by this date. Valuation increased to £4.15s.0d in 1882 – this may indicate raising to its present two storeys.

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI – OS 6/3/55/1 (1834 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
2. VAL 1B/390A (1838 valuation).
3. OS 6/3/55/2 (1859 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
4. VAL 2B/3/81A, (1861 valuation) p.51.
5. VAL 12B/19/13B, (1882 valuation) p.94.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Although this building is currently boarded up and vacant, it is still largely complete and original. It appears to have been partially in commercial use since the mid 19th century and its corner location at the main road would have been highly advantageous in this respect. Still incorporating the local shop and house, it is representative of a fast disappearing but once not uncommon building type.