63 Canal Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Right-hand one of a pair of three-storey (+ attic)/ three-bay houses fronting the east side of Canal Street.

Pitched natural slate roof with rendered chimney to south gable. Half round metal gutters to front and back.

Wall to street facade of strap-pointed squared rubble granite brought to courses, with projecting finely dressed eaves course. The window openings are trimmed with brick (stepped to the jambs) and have granite cills; their reveals are cement rendered.

At ground floor left is an elliptical headed coach arch; it has vee-jointed ashlar jambs and voussoirs (with keystone and imposts). It contains a pair of modern stained timber doors (one with a wicket gate). To its immediate right, and sharing its jamb, is the entrance to the house. This comprises a similarly arched and dressed opening. It contains a modern stained timber door (with timber panel to right), flanked by a pair of granite Tuscan columns (on square plinths) which support a moulded granite entablature over which is a stained glass fanlight. To the right of this door is a window opening containing a pair of 1/1 sliding sash windows with broad central mullion (based on the adjoining house it would originally have had a single 8/8 sash).

At first and second floor are three 6/6 sliding sash windows in line with the ground floor openings; the upper set is diminished in height.

The left gable is the party wall with the adjoining house of this pair. The right gable forms an obtuse angle with the façade. It is abutted by a lower building and its exposed section is blank and smooth cement rendered.

The rear elevation has a pebble dashed wall. Its eaves have been raised to almost the height of the ridge line to accommodate an additional floor. The extreme left side of this wall is abutted by a modern three-storey flat roofed return. At ground floor centre is a modern partially-glazed door. To its right is the arched passage through to the street. To its left is a 6/6 sliding sash window. At centre, directly above the door, is a spoke-headed 3/6 sliding sash to ground-first and another to first-second floor half landings. The right bay has a modern door and casement window at first and at second floor; the door leads onto a balcony and to a metal fire escape from the top of the building. The left bay has a 6/6 sash window to each floor. The half landing to the new top floor is lit by a modern two-paned casement window. There is a door and casement window at right, and a casement at left. Only the spoke-headed half-landing lights and 6/6 sashes retain their granite cills; the rest are of concrete.

Historical information

Bernard Scale’s 1763 map of Armagh shows houses hereabouts, but as they are drawn schematically, it is uncertain if they represent the existing block or an earlier building. The existing house is cited, along with no.65, in 1836 Valuation Book. Owned by Francis Ogle, and described as 24’ x 31’6” x 37’, with a further 8’ wide section over coach arch. On balance, this house is probably late 18th century/ early 19th century in date.

Primary Sources

1. PRONI – D 671/M9/5 (Scale map)
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B/246A, p.65
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B/246E, p.53
4. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1D/3/8E
5. Archaeological Survey Co. Down, p.427 (entry 417.19)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Right-hand one of a pair of three-storey (+ attic)/ three-bay houses. Of distinctive style and proportion, with a classical door surround. Its character is enhanced by adjoining house of almost identical design. Probably of early date and retaining special architectural and historic interest.