1 Newry Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey (+ attic and basement) commercial building at junction of Newry Street and Dromore Street. This prominent building is clearly visible from Church Square. Main elevation faces S onto Newry Street.

Pitched L-shaped natural slate roof, gabled to W and N with cast-iron skylight on S pitch (to Newry Street). W gable has broad rendered chimney with moulded coping. There is a second chimney at S end of the N-S ridge (parallel to Dromore Street). Parapet gutters behind a granite coped blocking course.

All walls are smooth cement rendered to ground floor and wet dashed to upper floors. Band rusticated stucco quoins, moulded cill course between ground and first floors, and cill course between first and second floors. Moulded granite eaves course supports a decorative moulded pediment (applied to the blocking course) over each upper floor window on both street facades. The quoins are terminated at blocking course level by panelled blocks with raised and chamfered heads.

S elevation is all modern at ground floor with applied polished green marble plinth, fascia and doorcase. Modern eight panelled door at right. To its left are modern brass plaques and left again are two 2/1 modern picture windows.

There are two windows to each upper floor, each a broad 2/2 (vertically divided) sliding sash (with horns) with an eared smooth stucco architrave. Those on the second floor are diminished in height.

The E (Dromore Street) elevation is detailed as the S one, but with three modern windows at ground floor left and a similar window and door to extreme right. Door is panelled, all raised and fielded and bolection moulded. All windows have iron spikes inserted over cills. To left of right hand window is an Ulster Bank night safe.

There are three equally spaced windows on each upper floor, detailed as those to S elevation. The heads to those to first floor have two stage stucco keyblocks and there are decorative channelled stucco columns (detailed as the quoins), between the windows, rising to eaves.

W gable abuts a slightly lower building and is lined rendered and painted. It continues left (N) as the W elevation of the main block (not inspected) which fronts a narrow rear passage.

The N gable forms the party wall with a terrace of similar height buildings which share a similar eaves course.

Historical information

A building exactly the same sized as this one is shown on the 1776 town plan. Valuation revision book indicates that the buildings on this site were demolished and a purpose-built bank erected by the Ulster Bank in 1919-20. Used as the Ulster Bank for most of the 20thC, closing in early 1990s.

It is uncertain whether this building was completely demolished in 1919 as some features seem much earlier. These include the eaves cornice to street which ties into that of no 3 Newry Street (late 19thC), the basement and some internal doors at second floor rear.

Primary sources:
1. Meade Estate: A Map of the Town of Rathfriland (1776) Now in Norfolk and Norwich Record Office.
2. PRONI: VAL 12B/22/20G.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This prominently situated building has attractive elevations to Newry Street and Dromore Street. It is much altered and retains few features of interest.