65 Canal Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

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

Pitched natural slate roof with skylight to front and back pitches. Rendered chimney between first and second bays from left. Half round metal gutters to front and back.

Wall to street facade of squared granite rubble 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 right is the entrance to the house. It is set within a semi-elliptical headed opening which has vee-jointed ashlar jambs (now painted) and voussoirs (with keystone and imposts); its right jamb is shared with the coachway belonging to the adjoining house (no.63). This opening contains a stained timber door with six raised and fielded panels and beaded muntin. The door is flanked by a pair of granite Tuscan columns (on square plinths) which support a moulded granite entablature over which is a radial timber fanlight. At left on ground floor is a slightly wider coach arch of similar profile and dress. Its head is now obscured by the timber fascia of the adjoining premises (no.67). This opening contains a pair of painted t+g sheeted doors. Between the front door and coach arch is a window opening, now sheeted over. Internal inspection shows it to contain a 8/8 sliding sash window. 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 abutted by a lower building. The exposed section of wall is smooth cement rendered and has a small 2/2 sash window in the apex at attic level. The right gable forms the party wall with no.63.

The wall of the rear elevation is of unrendered random rubble granite. The right hand bay is instepped slightly from the rest of the block. Where the coach arch emerges at the bottom of this bay has been abutted by a building belonging to no.67. At ground floor left, a small link block abuts the original yard door opening. This link leads through to a one-storey hip-roofed annex of no interest. Between the two openings is a 6/6 sliding sash window (again, all windows on this elevation have stepped jambs and heads of brick, cement rendered reveals and granite cills). The left-hand bay contains spoked 3/6 sliding sash windows to the half landings between ground-first, and first-second floors (both are now in very poor condition). A small semicircular fixed light illuminates the half landing between the second and attic floors. The two bays to the right each have a 6/6 sash to both their floors.

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 Samuel Ledlie, and described as 20’6” 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
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Left-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.