53 Downpatrick Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey (+ attic) building on W side of Downpatrick Street, five windows wide to street.

Pitched natural slate roof (in poor condition) with rendered skew to left gable. Three cast iron skylights to each pitch. Two chimneys - one to left gable and one between 4th and 5th windows from left. Left one is yellow brick with projecting moulded brick band and four terracotta vented pots. Right chimney is rendered and coped and has two plain terracotta pots; TV aerial attached. Half round metal gutter turns left across gable to downpipe on rear.

Walls are lined, rendered and painted; render gone in places exposing granite random rubble walls. Changes in render suggest that ground floor right contained a shop front, and faded painted fascia lettering can still be seen.

Main entrance is second opening from left and is approached by a single granite step. Consists of an Edwardian four-panelled painted timber door with glazed upper section (now boarded over with plywood); over is rectangular transom.

All windows are 6/6 sliding sashes with exposed boxes and granite cills with the exception of the right one on ground floor, which is a smaller 3/3 sash (this size due to the rise of the street). Horns to third floor windows only. All have granite cills except that at ground floor right, which are of concrete. Left window at ground floor now boarded over.

Left gable is rendered and blank.

Left third of rear elevation form yard wall to No 51 (see HB16/08/029B); centre third is abutted by the large two storey rear outbuilding of adjoining property (HB16/08/029B). The exposed section of main building is again abutted by a lower two storey return with lean-to roof sloping to party wall with adjoining building. Remaining exposed section of wall at extreme right is smooth rendered. It has a window opening to each floor, both with granite cills. The ground floor window has a timber frame but no sashes and that to first floor has a 6/6 exposed box sliding sash.

The return has lean-to natural slate roof with half round metal gutter supported on brick eaves course and downpipe to left-end of its right cheek. Its walls are coursed granite rubble with brick dressings to the windows. Its left cheek abuts outbuilding to No 51and its rear gable is blank and abutted by a ruinous two storey out-house. Its right cheek fronts the rear yard and its doorway is at extreme right of building (door gone). All windows have exposed frames and painted granite cills. At ground floor left there is the remains of a timber side-hung 2 x 3 paned casement. Roughly to centre is a pair of metal top hung casement windows. At first floor left is a 6/6 sliding sash and to right is a single opening containing a pair of side-hung 2 x 4 paned casement windows.

Right gable of main block is completely abutted by a taller building (HB16/08/029a).

At left on front elevation is a cement rendered yard wall. A large sliding timber door to street provides access to rear. The yard is enclosed by a high rubble wall with lean-to timber outbuildings abutting. At rear is a derelict two storey outbuilding with rubble stone walls and modern openings, which is linked to the main block by the derelict outbuilding abutting the rear gable of the second return. Vehicular access throgh square headed openings in front and rear walls to second yard. These yard buildings are of no interest.

There is a further yard to the rear of the two storey outbuilding; no buildings, walls as elsewhere.

Historical information

Although houses are shown on this plot on the 1834 Valuation map, the accompanying Valuation book notes them as exempt, i.e.. thatched and one storey. The present building is shown on the 1860 Valuation map and cited as “grocery” in the Second Valuation. This indicates a mid-19thC construction date.

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI 1834 Valuation town map (1:1760), VAL 1D/3/3.
3. PRONI 1835 First Valuation book, VAL 1B/ 358B, p.43.
4. PRONI 1860 Valuation revision map (1:500), VAL 12E/114/1/4.
5. PRONI c.1862 Second Valuation book, VAL 2B/3/60B, p.26.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This plain early-mid 19thC building, along with No.51 (HB16/08/029A) forms an important element in the streetscape, Downpatrick Street being one of the principle routes into the town. It retains much of its original plan form and fabric, including cornices, ceiling centres, doors and window shutters and linings; and it has an attractive timber stairwell rising to attic.