18 Church Square

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey/one-bay later 19th C shop set in a terrace on E side of Church Square.

Pitched artificial slate roof which continues right over the adjacent property. Rendered chimney to left gable. Half-round metal gutter with downpipe to left of façade. Plastic ogee gutters to rear.

Front elevation is painted render with an advanced eaves course. Ground floor is filled by a symmetrical timber shop front. Slightly recessed central door is modern (sheeted timber with a top glazed panel). It has an original two paned transom over; the head of each pane is semi-elliptical, with the spandrels incised. Flanking each side of doorway are shop windows. Each window is divided horizontally by a timber glazing bar. Top portion has three tall fixed panes separated by thin timber glazing bars; each pane has a semi-elliptical head and incised spandrel (as transoms). The lower half of each window has a single large pane (it is likely that there were once three panes as above). Projecting painted timber cills.

On either side of the doorway, and framing the outer ends of the shop front, are tall thin moulded timber pilasters resting on painted granite base blocks. Pilasters have a small abacus; frieze and moulded timber head (the left one is now gone and replaced in plain timber). They support a plain painted timber fascia onto which a modern plastic fascia panel has been affixed (`D McDowell/ Confectionery – Accessories/ FILLING STATION`) Over is a run moulded cornice in painted stucco.

There are two first floor windows, both 6/6 sliding sashes (no horns) with exposed boxes and painted granite cills (most of the crown glass survives). Between the two windows, level with cills, is a modern security alarm box. Electrical cabling crosses façade at eaves level.

A taller building abuts left gable. Right gable of main block forms party wall with the adjacent building.

Rear elevation is lime rendered (mostly gone) rubble stone and completely abutted at ground floor by a modern single storey return. Main wall has two brick dressed windows with granite cills. One is at left between ground and first floor and the other is at first floor right. Both have been infilled with concrete blockwork.

Extension is in concrete blockwork and has a shallow monopitched corrugated metal roof. Its rear gable has a flush plywood door and its left cheek (to coachway of no.20 Church Sq.) has two small modern casement windows. Its right cheek is blank and abuts the yard wall of no 16 Church Sq.

Large linear yard to rear.

Historical information

Although this site was built over in 1776, the Valuation revision book suggests that present building, and that adjoining to S, date to 1874.

This building was a petrol filling station with single pump to the street. Known locally as Dougie McDowell’s, it closed in April 1999 when roadside petrol pumps became unlawful.

Primary Sources:
1. Meade Estate: A Map of the Town of Rathfriland (1776) Now in Norfolk and Norwich Record Office.
2. PRONI Valuation revison books, VAL 12B/22/20A, p.115.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

The shopfront is the only element of interest that remains. The rear and interior retain no features of interest.