6-8 Dromore Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large double-pile/ three storey 18thC townhouse on S-side of Dromore Street. Its front right portion is two storeys high.

The three-storey main block is four openings wide and has a pitched natural slate roof. Rendered chimney on N gable and another between first and second openings from left. Modern plastic rainwater goods on moulded granite eaves course. Walls are painted lined cement rendered.

Main entrance fills right opening at ground floor. It consists of four panelled (mid-late 19thC) door with bolection mouldings and brass furniture, with plain glazed transom over. Doorcase is of finely dressed granite (late 18thC) topped by moulded granite drip mould. There is a bell pull on wall to right. The two openings to its left are 1/1 exposed box sliding sashes (with horns) and painted granite cills. All other windows on façade are identical. At left is large flat-headed coachway with flat iron gates, leading to rear. There are four windows to each upper floor, diminished in height on second floor. The left ones on each floor are spaced further apart than the others.

The second (two storey) block to the N has a pitched natural slate roof with rendered chimney on W gable. There are two windows on each floor in line with windows at first floor of the main block.

Plain railings and rendered dwarf granite wall enclose the small front area. Urn-topped cast-iron posts to railings and matching gate.

Inside coachway there is a window opening infilled with concrete blocks on the right (N) wall.

Rear elevation is almost completely abutted by the three storey rear pile with the exception of the right bay (as viewed from the rear). This bay has the coachway at ground floor, an additional (probably 19thC) angled link at the first floor (linking across to the rear pile), and a modern rectangular single pane casement window at second floor.

The roof of the rear pile is similar to the first pile with two rendered chimneys; one to the centre of the ridge and from wall head to right of centre. A clay ridge tile on the rear pile (S block) is inscribed “ S. MURPHY”. The owner claims there is also a date of 1690 on this tile, but it is no longer readable. Its S gable has two windows to each floor except were angled link fills the right opening of the first floor. At ground floor there is a 1/1 sash window (horns) at left and a pair of six paned timber casements with an external iron grille at right. The first floor left window is a modern 1/1 casement in an original opening. To its right is the link, which has a modern timber 4 x 2 window and flat roof (of no interest). The two second floor windows are modern casements, with a vent in gable apex.

Rear elevation of the rear pile has unpainted cement rendered walls. It has the following from L-R at ground floor: modern (post-war) cube porch with rendered walls and concrete roof, modern door on right cheek. Over is a window opening, the cill of which has been raised to accommodate the porch. It contains a modern stained timber window. To left of centre is a large 2/2 modern casement window lighting the kitchen and to right is the back door. The late 18thC door consists of four raised and fielded panels with two glazed upper panels.

There are two windows on left side of each upper floor, and one between first and second floor (stairwell) at right, with same above between first and second floors. All are 1/1 exposed box sashes (with the exception of that to first floor left, which has been replaced with a modern 1/1 casement). Those at second floor are diminished in height.

The left (E) gable of the rear pile has infilled window opening to attic.

Outbuildings

There are an assortment of rubble stone and natural slate outbuildings at the rear; a small house yard, a yard beyond fronting Back Road and a large enclosed garden. Of the various outbuildings, two are particularly prominent as they also front Back Rd, to NW of the house.

1. That nearest Dromore Street is a single-bay/ three storey building with pitched natural slate roof, tiled verges, but no gutters. Random rubble granite walls and brick eaves. All openings to upper floors have brick relieving arches. The road (N) elevation has, to F/F, two window openings to middle and loading door to either end. Second floor has four window openings, in line with openings below. Left (E) gable is blank. Abutted by a lower rubble stone building, now roofless. Yard (S) elevation is abutted by a single storey building at G/F left. Loading door at right, one to each floor. Top floor also has three small (replacement) windows. Right (W) gable is blank. Wall continues right as wall to another outbuilding.

2. The second building is further down the road. It is of similar construction to the first outbuilding, but without brick relieving arches. Its road (N) elevation has a pedestrian door to left and a wider door to right. Loading door between them at F/F and a small shuttered opening at F/F right. Left (E) gable is blank, but traces of an infilled loading door to F/F. This section was abutted by a lower gabled building of which only the ghost now survives (and a large segmental headed coach arch to Back Lane). Yard (S) elevation has door to G/F left (steps down from ground). Small window opening to G/F right. Both these openings have feather-and-wedge split granite lintels. Upper floor blank. Right (W) gable is blank. Abutted by a lower gabled outbuilding in ruined condition. Its road elevation has various openings. This building is abutted to N in turn by a monopitched building, now ruinous.

Historical information

McCracken states that John Hawkins granted a tenement on Dromore Street to Redmond Murphy. Hawkins was awarded the lands by Charles II in late 17thC. The 1776 town map shows this site to be marked out and numbered “83” in the tenant to be “John Murphy of Newry Street” but this building is not shown. McCracken states that the Murphy family erected the house in the late 18thC. The Murphy’s were a prominent local family, and in 1792 a Murphy was the keeper of the town inn (Church Square) when Wolfe Tone visited the town (quoted in McCracken),

“Stop at Murphy’s Inn… ….Stopped short by the intelligence that the landlord will give us no accommodation. The fellow absolutely refuses. He has cold beef and lamb chops but will give us neither and turns off on his heels. The dog is a Quaker. Got a Mr Murphy at last, brother of our ‘hospitable’ landlord and a decent man. He seems very much ashamed of the behaviour of his brother.”

Bradshaw’s Directory lists Samuel Murphy (gent) in the town in 1818. This house is described in the First valuation book (1834) as belonging to Samuel Murphy and with the relatively high valuation of £33.8s.0d. The measurements of its components are: 18ft x 22ft 6in x 17ft; 24ft x 30ft, 9ft x 20ft (over gate), and return 48ft x 22ft x 30ft (i.e. rear part of double pile). All the existing outbuildings are shown by this date. However the 1836 valuation map shows this building without its left bay (over coachway).

The house is said to be haunted. The present occupant (in 1999) believes that the Murphy family had linen mills in Belfast. Mr Joseph Murphy (the last in the line) died in the 1870s, he was the last of the towns Quakers. On his death, their meeting house on Newry Street was closed (HB16/08/037). Bassett states that “Mr Murphy, (was) a man who had a great taste for antiquity, and to whom the Belfast Museum is indebted for much valued contributions”. The late 19thC details within the house probably date from the time when the property changed hands after Mr Murphy’s death.

Before WW2 the house was occupied by Dr. Elliott who used the front left room as a surgery. His timber name plate is still in the building. The present occupants have had the property since the 1950s and ran a television repair shop in the front left room until 1999.

Primary Sources
1. Meade Estate: A Map of the Town of Rathfriland (1776) Now in Norfolk and Norwich Record Office.
2. PRONI 1834 Valuation town map (1:1760(, VAL 1D/3/3.
3. PRONI 1835 First Valuation book, VAL 1B/ 358A, p.148; /358B, p.75.
4. OS 1:500 scale town map, Rathfriland (1860), (PRONI OS 8/24/1/7)
5. PRONI c1862 Second Valuation book, VAL 2B/3/60B, p.71.
6. 1836 Valuation Map. Copy in public library, John Street, Rathfriland.

Secondary Sources
1.T. Bradshaw. “Bradshaw’s General Directory 1820”.Newry 1819.
2.G.H.Bassett “County Down A Guide and Directory 1886”. Friars Bush Press, Belfast 1988
3.C Cartmill “Reminiscence in and around Rathfriland” in Public Library, John St. Rathfriland
4.J.A.McCracken “Rathfriland in Bygone Days”. In Public Library, John St, Rathfriland.

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
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This late 18thC house has an attractive door surround and an unusually asymmetrical front elevation. It demonstrates development from when it was first built and through to the late 19th C. Internally it retains much original fabric including plan form, doors, panels and a staircase. Furthermore it has many attractive late 19thC features including an exceptional bathroom suite with an original toilet still in working condition. To rear is an interesting arrangement of yards, outbuildings and a walled garden, which being original, add much to the character of the house.