Killevy Post Office and Outbuildings

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid 19thC two-storey building with canted bay, prominently sited on the corner between Drumintee Road and Railway Road. It has been extended to each elevation.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiling. There are two brick chimneys - one to left side of front pitch of NW elevation, and one parallel with ridge of NE elevation. Both have cement rendered upper coping but retain original moulded cornice bricks and central moulded brick band. Boxed eaves support ogee metal rainwater goods, with downpipe to NE elevation, set on party wall between the original building and extension.

All walls are red machine brick, laid in English garden wall bond. All openings (with exception of those to shopfront) have granite cills and brick jack arches to head. NE elevation has the new extension to left-hand side, then former house then original shop front.

Left bay is a new extension. Ground floor has a central shopfront flanked by brick piers and doors. New traditional-style fascia board over: “Killeavy Post Office”. In front is a red pillar box and K6 telephone kiosk (HB16/13/021B).

Next two bays were formerly living quarters. Right bay is public house. To ground floor from left is: (1) a canted bay with natural slate roof and chamfered base course. Windows to all three cheeks are 1/1 sliding sashes with horns, set in stop-end chamfered reveals and with granite cills; (2) a six-panelled timber door with plain transom over. It has two granite base blocks flush with wall, and a moulded timber canopy resting on moulded granite corbels over.

Ground floor has a modern traditional-style shopfront matching design shown in first survey record. Timber fascia board with hand-painted lettering is supported on fluted timber pilasters which frame the shop-front top-hung casement window. The canted corner contains the main entrance which is recessed with stop-end chamfered reveals. Original decorative timber brackets supported on moulded granite corbels fill the head of the opening. It contains a pair of modern three-panelled doors with transom over, and four-panelled timber sidewalls. Threshold is tiled, reached by a single granite step. It has a cast-iron folding lattice gate. Soffit is modern t+g pitch pine.

First floor windows have window baskets, between each is a reproduction light fitting. Two new traditional-style metal hanging signs to either side of canted corner and a third one above the shop on the NE elevation.

To first floor: extension and original elevations are each three windows wide and the canted corner has a single window. All are 1/1 top-hung casements (mimicking sashes) with lower panes in decorative frosted glass.

NW elevation has two large casement windows to ground floor set within shopfront. To their right is a six-panelled timber door and plain transom (as NE elevation). To its right is a window as those to first floor, diminished in height. It was formerly contained within a single storey abutment. This has been raised and is now incorporated within extension.

The right bay is a new extension incorporates a shop. Central window with granite cill, flanked by fluted timber pilasters on granite blocks. To left and right is a brick pier flanked by timber six-panelled double doors. Traditional style timber fascia board. Three windows above, with granite cills, as rest of first floor.

Left gable is rendered.

Rear elevations are rendered and of no interest.

Right gable is cement blockwork and blank.

Outbuilding

Outbuilding to SE is single storey with pitched natural slate roof and granite rubble walls. A timber eaves course supports cast-iron rainwater goods. Principal (SE) elevation has five openings - two doors placed between three alternate windows. All windows are side-hung timber casements with concrete cills. Doors are t+g sheeted.

Right and left gables are blank.

Rear is incorporated into modern kitchen areas at rear of main building.

Historical information

A building is shown at this location on the 1835 map and subsequent editions. Unfortunately it cannot be related to the itemised buildings in the various valuation books. Its all-brick construction suggests a later 19th century rebuild.

The post office was relocated in the late 1990's.

Primary sources:
1. First edition OS 6" map, Co Armagh sheet 29, 1835 (PRONI - OS 6/2/29/1).

Secondary sources:
1. Protecting Historic Buildings file.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This building has been extensively altered. Although it retains most of the original external features, the historical plan form and interior have been lost. It is of relatively late date and no longer of special architectural or historic interest.