28 Canal Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three and a half storey (+ basement), four bay former townhouse on west side of Canal Street.

Pitched natural slate roof is concrete coped to gables and has a rendered chimney to left of rear pitch and to left gable of front pitch. Two cast iron skylights to each pitch. Semicircular metal rainwater goods with downpipe to right of facade.

Wall to east elevation (façade) is painted lined render with raised basecourse chamfered between basement and ground floor. Building would be symmetrical but for the fourth bay (to right). First and third from left are two openings wide and are symmetrical about the entrance bay (second from left) which is one bay wide, the fourth bay also has one opening.

Six granite steps (diminishing in width) rise from street to granite threshold at front door on second bay from left. These are flanked to each side by a quadrant sweep of plain spiked railings, resting on a granite coped rendered plinth. Stained timber door has a segmental headed leaded top panel, four fielded bottom panels (three vertical over one horizontal) and a large brass letterbox. Above is a plain glass semicircular headed transom light. Raised stepped painted granite door jamb and has a semicircular head of granite voussoirs and a raised keystone. Door reveal is lined with timber flush panelling. To left of front door is a modern plastic plaque stating name of occupant.

All windows to weest elevation (façade) are painted timber fixed pane with top-hung transoms over. First and third bays at ground floor each have two windows. Those to third bay have leaded Art Nouveau transom lights. Fourth bay has a semicircular headed blind arch inset with lined cement rendered walls and a three paned casement (each with plain transoms over) between basement and ground floor. Above, just below first floor level, is a pair of six paned casement windows with spiked security bars over.

Basement openings, from left to right are as follows: On first bay is a tripartite window made up of a 2/2 sliding sash flanked by two 1/1 sashes, all set in a single opening with painted granite cill. To second bay, below front steps is a two paned timber casement. To third bay are two, two paned casements with transoms, in line windows above. Basement passage is paved and to right (at infilled coach-arch) it is raised to just below ground level. Railings to front steps continue to left and right, enclosing basement area.

To each upper floor are six equally spaced windows as those to ground floor. Those to second floor diminish in height and right four have leaded Art Nouveau style transoms over. All are painted timber.

Wall to south gable is painted lined render. In apex of gable is semicircular headed modern timber window (lighting the half storey) and granite cill. Right gable is abutted by a lower building, wall above is lined rendered as left with a single two paned segmental headed (leaded fanlight) and similar half storey window.

Rear elevation is abutted at left two bays by a three storey link block to former school building at rear (all of no interest). Basement is at ground level due to the sloping topography of the site.

Remaining wall is painted lined render with raised base course. At basement the return abuts first and second bays from left. To left side of third bay is a projecting porch. Porch has a flat roof behind a parapet. Its walls are painted lined render and its door is three panelled painted timber (top panel glazed, bottom two linen fold), with side lights and three paned transom. Each side light has a moulded render cill. To either corner is a panelled pilaster supporting a dentiled semicircular broken pediment to parapet; which rests of a dentiled cornice to right cheek. Right cheek is rendered as front with a two paned casement window with single glazed transom over, and moulded render cill.

At basement level to right of porch is a small modern two paned casement window with concrete cill. To right bay at basement is a modern six paned horizontal timber window. To second bay from left at ground floor is a two paned casement with single transom over, with a similar opening above to second floor and above on third floor is a modern escape door leading to roof of link block. On third bay, to left over porch, is a two paned casement with leaded transom, with a two paned casement to second floor and a two paned casement window with transom above (each serving stairwell). To right side of this bay is a single window to each half landing level, one between basement and ground floor, one between ground and first and a third between first and second. All are two paned casements with leaded transoms. Right bay has two windows to each floor, those at ground floor are 1/1 modern casements with concrete cills and equally spaced. Those to first, and second floors are similar windows but right windows are off-set to left.

Historical information

Said to have been built for Mr Ogle, an Armagh merchant who had set up a shipping business operating from Newry and trading principally in sugar from the West Indies (hence the name Sugar Island). The building is shown on 1835 OS town map, and described in 1838 Valuation as a dwelling measuring 56ft x 33ft x 33ft and occupied by Isabella Jefferson. Cited as Convent of Mercy on 1861 town map. Dimensions in 1863 Valuation accord with those of 1838. A laundry and school are associated with the premises at this time.

Sources:

1. PRONI – VAL 1D/3/8E (1835 map);
2. PRONI – VAL 1B/246C, p.54 (1838 valuation);
3. PRONI – VAL 12E/125/1/7 (1861 map);
4. PRONI – VAL 2B/2/39B, p.33 (1863 valuation).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial mid Georgian town house retaining a number of original features and with character but degraded by the loss of chimneys and the replacement of windows.