20 BRIDGE ST.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey single-bay terraced building with dwelling above shop, built c. 1850; the name of the architect is unknown. Rectangular plan form facing SW having a single-storey monopitched rear return to NE. The building is located on the NE side of Bridge Street, Rostrevor, being one of three buildings of similar height (HB16/06/026A-C) which form part of a terrace of shops along the street, No 20 having a painted timber shop window to its GF.

Pitched natural slate roof has angled black clay ridge tiles and a square eaves cornice with metal RWGs to front elevation and uPVC to rear; half round guttering discharging to circular-section downpipes. Rendered rectangular section chimney to NW is shared with No. 18 having three terracotta clay pots. There is a similar chimney to SE which is shared with No. 22 (HB16/06/026C).

Principal elevation
Main elevation faces SW, is fronted by the public footpath along Bridge Street and consists of a rectangular glazed (former) shop window to SE side of door; painted four panelled timber door with brass furniture and a square headed fanlight above with replacement glazing.

Shop window consists of a square-headed large rectangular painted timber window, three lights in width with a depressed pointed arch spanning over two painted timber mullions. Outer lights have transoms to their bottom 1/3 incorporating an opening casement.

FF has a double hung 6/6 sliding timber sash window to centre, with horns and exposed box frame. Generally painted lined cement render finish to elevation.

Northwest elevation
Building is attached on the NW to No.18 Bridge Street (HB16/06/026A)

Northeast elevation
Limited access to rear NE facing elevation but, where visible, consists of a single storey monopitched roof rear return to right side which opens into a narrow yard enclosed by modern blockwork walling. Rear return abuts longer return of No. 18 (HB16/06/026A) to NW. There is a single reduced bay to original building to left side of rear return having a single top opening timber casement window visible at FF level.

Generally smooth cement render finish to walling of elevation and rear return with uPVC RWGs.

Southeast elevation
Building is attached on the SE to No. 22 Bridge Street (HB16/06/026C)

SETTING
No 20 Bridge Street is one of three similar height buildings (HB16/06/026A-C) which form part of a terrace, mainly composed of shops with dwellings over, located on the NE side of the Bridge Street which runs from Rostrevor’s Square, at its NW end, across a triple span bridge (HB16/06/033) over the Rostrevor River at its SE end. It is located within the Rostrevor Conservation Area.

MATERIALS
Roof: Natural slate
RWGs: Metal (SW) and uPVC (NE)
Walling: Rendered; smooth - painted (SW only)
Windows: Timber sliding sash (SW) and timber casement

Historical information

No. 20 Bridge Street, a two-storey single-bay building, was constructed in the mid-19th century. The Rostrevor Conservation Area Guide records that in 1752 the village consisted of only a few cottages but that by the early-19th century Rostrevor had ‘developed some of its present form with a tree-lined Square and a quay half-a-mile distant.’ Bridge Street, which was originally known as ‘Post Office Street,’ had been fully developed by the turn of the 19th century with many of the current buildings constructed along its length. There was steady growth in the population of the village throughout the century which coincided with the arrival of the tramway from Warrenpoint in 1875 and the construction of the Rostrevor Hotel in the following year (Rostrevor Conservation Area Guide).

A pair of buildings on the site of nos 18-22 Bridge Street were recorded on the Townland Valuation Town Plan (c. 1834). It is not known with certainty whether the structures depicted on this map are nos 18-22 Bridge Street as the layouts depicted do not match those of the current buildings. The accompanying Townland Valuation (1838) notes that the two original buildings were occupied by John Dornan and Christopher Ainsworth. Only Ainsworth’s building was described in detail by the valuer who described it as a 1B class structure (that is a building of medium age that was slightly decayed, but still in good repair) that measured 35ft by 21ft and stood 15ft in height. The valuer also noted that the two original buildings on the site were valued at a total of £15.

Nos 18-22 Bridge Street were first recorded with certainty on Griffith’s Valuation and the contemporary Town Plan (1861). It appears that nos 18-20 were originally built as a single composition, however the building was subdivided by at least 1861 when the valuation plan depicted nos 20 and 22 Bridge Street as a combined property. Griffith’s Valuation set the total rateable value of nos 20-22 Bridge Street at £25 and noted that the building was leased by Robert Martin (of Kilbroney House) to William Calvert, a local grocer. Calvert resided at nos 20-22 Bridge Street until c. 1880 when the property was acquired by David Sinton, who was also employed as a grocer. The Annual Revisions state that Sinton installed a shopfront at the ground floor of No. 22 Bridge Street, resulting in an increase in the value of the site to £28. In 1901 the Census of Ireland recorded nos 18-22 Bridge Street as a single property and described it as a 1st class private dwelling and shop which consisted of ten rooms and possessed extensive outbuildings to rear including a stable, coach house, a cow house, a piggery, a barn, five store and a slaughter house.

The Annual Revisions continued to describe nos 20-22 Bridge Street as a single property with Sinton recorded as occupant until the 1930s. The value of nos 20-22 Bridge Street was slightly decreased to £27 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57). In 1966 nos 20-22 Bridge Street was subdivided into two separate properties. The Sinton family continued to operate a shop at No. 22 Bridge Street, which was revalued at £22, whilst a Ms. Rose Greer resided at No. 20, which was also utilised as a hairdressing salon and was valued at £16. No. 20 Bridge Street was listed in 1981. The NIEA HB Records note that the interior arrangement of nos 18-22 Bridge Street was significantly altered in 1989 when the buildings were converted into three self-contained flats and the ground floor shopfront at No. 20 Bridge Street was removed (NIEA HB Records).

References
Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/54/1 – First edition Ordnance Survey map (1834)
2. PRONI OS/6/3/54/2 – Second edition Ordnance Survey map (1859)
3. PRONI OS/6/3/54/3 – Third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/54/4 – Fourth edition Ordnance Survey map (1919-30)
5. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/2 – Townland Valuation Town Plan (c. 1834)
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/361 – Townland Valuations (1838)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/61C – Griffith’s Valuation (1861)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/19/21A-F – Annual Revisions (1865-1930)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/23 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
10. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/81 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
11. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1918)
12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
13. First Survey Record – HB16/06/026 (1969)
14. NIEA HB Record – HB16/06/026
Secondary Sources

1. ‘Rostrevor Conservation Area Guide’ Belfast: Department of the Environment (N. I.), 1979.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

Two-storey single-bay terraced dwelling, built c. 1850 and originally comprising a ground floor shop, located on the NE side of Bridge Street, Rostrevor. Rectangular plan form facing SW with a later single-storey monopitched rear return to NE. Despite the removal of the original shopfront, the building retains much character to its front facade, which is well-proportioned and modestly detailed, typical of this type of building in the mid-Victorian period. No. 20 has strong group value with its neighbours (HB16.06.026A&C) and the terrace is amongst the most significant buildings in the Rostrevor Conservation Area.