Griffith's Shop

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached split-level late-nineteenth century former shop, comprising single-storey shop with two-storey perpendicular section to rear. Rectangular on plan, located on the north side of Church Street, west of Bessbrook village centre. Detailing to shopfont is early twentieth century.

Pitched natural slate roof inset with timber-framed five-light rooflights throughout (some boarded over), roll-top teracotta ridge tiles, red brick chimneystack centrally placed to two-storey section; cast iron rainwater goods. Walling is random coursed granite rubble with cement ribbon pointing, with the exception of the shopfront, which is rendered. Windows are timber framed, with brick reveals and granite cills, and are detailed with elevations.

Gabled shopfront, facing south, with symmetrical composition comprising pediment with heavy moulded surround, inset with raised painted plaster letters: 'GRIFFITH / DRAPER / MILLINER'. The pediment is supported by an iron beam with maker's mark 'Bell / Belfast' and on either side by wide pilasters with contrasting moulding corresponding to capitals and plinth with additional geometric detailing, flanking two large timber-framed display windows (boarded over) with multi-paned top panels, resting on rendered stallrisers with decorative ventilation grilles. Central recessed porch, with glazed side walls as main front, geometric tiled threshhold and timber sheeted ceiling divided into sections with timber ribs. Replacement timber and glazed door with leaded stained glass overlight. Shopfront secured by modern metal grilles and gate.

West elevation is blank, with the exception of a replacement timber door to two-storey section, in original timber frame with two-light overlight.

Rear elevation is blank, and abutted at ground floor by a later twentieth-century concrete block outbuilding.

East elevation openings are located to the two-storey section only, comprising three replacement hardwood six-light windows to ground floor, and three original six-light top-hung casement windows to first floor. The single-storey section is blank.

Setting: Set back from the street, with tarmac pavement extended to the perimeter; closed access entry to east; the rear and west elevation bound the yard and the garden of the adjoining property, a detached late nineteenth-century two-storey house with several other outbuildings to rear.

Roof: Slate
RWG: Cast iron
Walling: Random coursed granite rubble
Windows: Timber

Historical information

Constructed c.1894 the building is first shown on the third edition OS map (1906), without the present mono-pitched proportion to the north. The valuation records and accompanying maps are very unclear but it would appear that the building, which was given a rateable value of £13 in the Annual Revisions (1894-1909), was occupied by a draper William Barr and comprised a house, shop, shed and yard. The adjacent detached house just to the west, and the associated linear range of outbuildings, were built c.1909, and occupied by another draper, Margaret ‘Madge’ Pearson, who was a widower originally from Cork (1911 Census).

The shop passed from William Barr to his wife Sara in c.1923, followed by a Peter Gibbons in 1927. Once again the valuation records and maps are unclear but evidence in the First General Revaluation (1935) suggests that in c.1930 both of the properties were acquired by another draper, Elizabeth Griffith, and their rateable values combined to give a figure of £73. By this time, the stores to the rear of the shop had been added.

Griffith’s shop, which operated as a credit drapery but also sold boots and hardware, was described by the valuer as ‘…a really good building, well finished and well maintained...’, having ‘…a good modern front…’ and ‘…good internal fittings…’. The interior was described as being ‘…spacious and lofty…’, wood-lined throughout with tiled floors and stock rooms located to the rear and on the first floor, the latter being accessed via the spiral staircase. In addition to the drapers shop, the narrow range of detached outbuildings to the north-west were used as garages and stabling for the private carriages and hearses of an undertaking business.

Contemporary maps show that neither the footprint of the shop, or that of the house, has been altered since at least the 1950s, as shown by the fifth edition OS map (1956). The larger detached outbuilding to the north was added at some point during the latter-half of the 20th century.

Bessbrook was developed by John Richardson during the mid 19th century as a self-contained industrial colony, the planned layout being based upon the most advanced ideological social thinking of the day. As a direct result of the American Civil War in the 1860s, Bessbrook became an important centre for linen production. During this boom period, much of the town was developed, primarily using granite quarried from Richardson’s own land, with over 600 houses built between 1845-88. Workers houses, along with other facilities, were provided by the Bessbrook Spinning Company, which included a school, butchers shop and dairy.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/2/26/1 First edition OS map (1834-5)
2. PRONI OS/6/2/26/2 Second edition OS map (1861)
3. PRONI OS/6/2/26/3 Third edition OS map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/2/26/5 Fifth edition OS map (1956)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/2/37D Griffith’s Valuation (1862)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/56/1/2 Annual Revision Map (1897-1909)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/15/6E-J Annual Revisions (1883-1929)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/15/4A Annual Revisions (1924-29)
9. PRONI VAL/12/F/2/6/2 Annual Revisions (1930-35)
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/56/3/1 Annual Revision Map (1909-c.1935)
11. PRONI VAL/3/G/38/1 First General Revision Map (1936-56)
12. PRONI VAL/3/C/2/12 First General Revisions (1936-56)
13. PRONI VAL/3/D/2/6/D/3 First General Revisions Valuer’s Binders (1933-36)
14. Census Records (1901 & 1911)
15. Historic Photograph showing shop, c.1900 (http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000320027)

Web Sources
1. ‘Bessbrook Conservation Area’ DOENI (http://www.planningni.gov.uk/downloads/conservation-bessbrook.pdf)

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
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Late nineteenth- century single-storey former draper's shop, constructed in Newry granodiorite stone, located on the west side of Bessbrook village. Originally of nineteenth-century origin, enclosing one side of a nineteenth-century house and farm complex, the building is characterised by an impressive mid-C20 neo-classical shopfront, still largely intact. Retaining much of it's original shop interior including high ceiling with roof structure and roof lights, cast-iron spiral staircase, sheeted timber walls and partitions and decorative glazing and lettering, the shop has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s. Located in close proximity to Charlemont Square(HB16/22/01-04) and other buildings associated with the Bessbrook Spinning Company , the former draper's shop was originally constructed in the latter years of the 19th-century, following a period of great expansion within the village. It is a relatively rare example of a mid- 20th century neo-classical shopfront and is of significant local historic interest.

General comments

Second Survey scoping ref N16/22/007