4-6 Rathfriland Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey/ two bay shop, with associated house to left (HB16/07/004A), on W side of Rathfriland Road.

Pitched natural slate roof, with rendered and coped chimneys to left and right ends. Left stack, which is shared with house, has three octagonal Victorian pots; right stack has two similar pots. Semicircular metal gutters on slightly advanced eaves course, with downpipe to right side on façade. All walls are lined smooth cement render with base course in contrasting paintwork.

Principal elevation faces east to street. Left bay is wider than the right. Both are filled with shop fronts. Left one has a modern glazed timber door to centre, with infilled transom over. To its left and right are reeded timber pilaster jambs, and beyond these are the shop windows. Windows have four tall segmental-headed panes, each of which is divided into two by a central horizontal glazing bar. To either side of the windows, framing the shop front, are timber pilasters similar to door jambs. These support a narrow timber fascia with applied plastic letters ‘Lowry’s Chemists’. At first floor of left bay there are three 6/6 sliding sashes with horns, rendered architraves and vermiculated keyblocks (as that to first floor of house), and painted cills.

Right bay has a shop filling ground floor. It central doorway is sheeted over with painted plywood. It has plain timber jambs and a fascia over (now blank). Flanking to left and right are three tall rectangular windows (as those to left bay but with plain horizontal heads). At first floor centre is a 2/2 sash window with painted cill, stop end chamfered reveal and vermiculated keyblock.

Left gable is party wall with house.

Rear elevation has had all openings infilled.

Right gable has an infilled loading doorway at first floor.

Historical information

Valuation revision book entry of 1901 suggests that shop erected around this time. In common ownership with house until c.1998. HMBB slide (c.1970) shows left shop to have had a pair of bolection-moulded storm doors with a glazed transom over.

Primary Sources:
1. Valuation revision map (PRONI: VAL 2D/3/16).
2. Valuation revision book (PRONI: VAL 12B/22/12C, p.23).
3. HMBB slide (c.1970).
4. Photograph dated c.1978 in N.I. Historic Buildings Archive, 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast.
5. Information from owner (in 1999).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This shop and adjoining house (HB16/07/004A) form a typical example of late 19th C urban domestic/ commercial property, illustrating the development of the town at the turn of the century. Extensive modernisation of the interior and other alterations have compromised this building and it is not of special architectural or historic interest.