RUC Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey 20thC inter-war police station in Neo-Georgian style, on E side of Downpatrick Street. W facing façade.

Hipped natural slate roof with two cast iron sky lights on the rear pitch. Deep overhanging eaves with sheeted soffit support ogee metal gutters. Coped wet dashed chimney on ridge aligned parallel to façade. Two stage stepped wall head chimneys (detailed as before) break eaves on each side elevation and are tied to the main roof by small pitched roofs.

Walls are wet dashed with smooth chamfered basecourse and moulded concrete cill course to first floor. Front elevation is symmetrical and five openings wide at ground floor. The wall around the central three openings advances slightly under the cill course. Each of its three openings is set within a recessed semicircular headed opening with smooth rendered tympanum and linking all three is a plat band at spring of arch level. The central opening contains a 1/1 (top sash smaller) sliding sash window with horns; it has an English detail in the form of a timber cill to the front of the box and a stooled painted granite cill, with original wrought bars over. The other two openings contain doorways; each six panelled door is original but has been sheeted with plywood. The left one (into police station) has a peephole and mounted on tympanum over is a metal traditional police lamp, no glass (once blue glazed). The right door leads into barracks.

The remaining two openings at ground floor (one at either side) are sash windows, as one to centre, but without the tympanum. At first floor there are three central 1/1 sash windows, their heads at eaves level. All the front elevation windows are likely to have had glazing bars: 6/9 panes to ground floor and 6/6 at first floor.

Left elevation has a 6/9 sash with a semicircular tympanum at ground floor right and a 6/6 sash over. Remainder of wall is blank.

Rear elevation has at ground floor (L-R); a cube porch with dashed wall and concrete roof, with door to rear. A uPVC kitchen window, a plywood kitchen door (in original opening). Next is small 2/2 sash window (lighting the cupboard below stairs). A 6/6 sliding sash window and at right side is a small infilled high level window (to former cell).

The right elevation has two 1/1 sliding sashes (as façade) to either side, left one with a semicircular tympanum over. At first floor left is a 1/1 sash.

To front is a rubble stone garden wall with gate piers, above which a modern security fence and sentry post have been constructed. To rear is a large modern complex.

Historical information

UAHS information states that the architect is T.F.O Rippingham.

Secondary Source:
1. P.J Rankin “Hilltown and Rathfriland List” (UAHS) 1978-9

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This small attractive 20thC inter-war RUC station is well detailed example of a classic Neo-Georgian type. It is little altered, retaining all original external finishes and details, and internally it retains much original fabric including a stairwell and doors, cupboards, lockers with brass knobs.