45 Downshire Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Right one of a terrace of three two-storey (+ semi-basement and attic)/ three-bay buildings on east side of Downshire Road.

Pitched natural slate roof with three modern skylights to rear pitch. Rendered chimneys to each gable (that to left shared with the adjacent property). Rainwater goods are half round metal.

Main façade, which faces west, is of unrendered, regularly-coursed squared granite rubble, with raised rendered eaves course. Main entrance is to middle of front elevation. Five granite steps rise to a granite-paved vaulted platform over basement passage. Enclosing each side of steps and platform are metal railings with simple decorative spikes (each inset into the stone); there are three uprights to each step and four grouped on bottom step. These seem once to have also enclosed the basement passage.

Front door is painted timber with six raised and fielded panels with bolection moulding. The muntin, frieze-rail and lock rail are all beaded and it has appropriate modern furniture. Door is set within a pair of painted pilasters which support a painted timber entablature over which is a rectangular leaded transom with hoops, anthemion to border and a Grecian-revival scrolling centre panel. Door surround is rendered, with a moulded render architrave and scrolled foliated brackets to cornice over. Under the head of the opening is a modern electric light.

All windows to façade have rendered heads, stepped rendered jambs, granite cills and horns to sashes. To left and right bays on ground floor are single 6/6 sliding sash windows. To middle bay of basement (below front steps) is a modern six panel painted door. To left and right bays, in line with ground floor windows, are single 6/3 sliding sashes. These windows have modern security bars over. To first floor are three 6/6 sliding sashes, in line with ground floor openings but diminished in height.

Right gable is lined cement render with a small 2/2 sliding sash window centred to attic gable. Left gable forms party wall with adjacent building.

Basement to rear elevation is at ground level due to the sloping topography of site. Walls are lined cement render with raised eaves course. To central bay of basement is a modern six panelled painted timber door with decorative light over. All windows to rear without horns. To left and right are single 6/3 sliding sash windows. There is a single 6/6 sliding sash window to ground floor left and right bays and a modern four panelled partially glazed timber door to centre. There is an identical configuration to first floor, although the right window has been replaced with a pair of narrow sliding sashes sharing a central sash box (room behind is subdivided). Directly below this window a small modern one-pane window has been inserted. Top openings diminished in size. A modern metal escape stair rises from ground floor left to the upper floor doors.

Basement area is cement paved and enclosed by unpainted rendered walls.

Setting

Front garden is enclosed to front and right by a low rendered wall. There are modern one-piece polished granite gate posts to either side of path to front door. Modern spiked gates and railings enclose front, sides and sides of path. Garden contains small gravelled beds planted with small shrubs and an inappropriate, modern signpost advertising the occupant.

Rear yard is enclosed by unrendered rubble walls to left and right and open to rear. Outhouses at rear are now gone.

Historical information

Designed by Thomas Duff and erected in early 1820s as part of Downshire Rd development. Shown on 1834 OS map and cited as Paternoster Row in 1838 valuation. Occupied at that date by William P. Brabazon. Duff himself lived in the adjoining house (no.47).

Primary Sources:

1. OS 6" map, 1st edition (1834) Co Down sheet 46, PRONI OS 6/3/46/1
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B/389, p.56
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1D/3/8A.
4. Archaeological Survey Co Down, p.428 (entry 417.25).

Secondary Sources:
5. HMBB survey card dated 13 Nov 1969.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Right one of a terrace of three two-storey/three-bay buildings. A well proportioned terrace by a well-known local architect, in virtually original condition and an early example of town planning.