North Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

One of a pair of two-storey detached houses, originally two bay, but now with additions, set back on east side of Downshire Road (see also HB16/26/024B).

Hipped artificial slate roof with clay ridge and hip tiles. One rendered chimney rises behind ridge on rear pitch. Semicircular metal rainwater goods.

Walls to principal façade, which faces west to main road, are painted wet dash with smooth render basecourse and stepped quoins. There is no door on this elevation. Centred to ground floor is a pair of narrow fixed pane windows with coloured leaded (circa 1900) transoms over. Both have roll moulded stop-end chamfered timber frames and share a common painted cill. To left and right are single 1/1 sliding sashes with horns and painted granite cills. In line above are three equally spaced 1/1 sashes first floor, half the height of those on ground floor.

Left elevation is abutted to left by a two-storey lean-to. This continues left as part of rear return and will be described later (see under ‘right return’). Exposed section of main block is as facade with stepped quoins, but no openings. Right gable of lean-to, which is painted lined render, faces road and contains main entrance. Single granite step leads to four panelled painted door with beaded muntin, raised and fielded panels and ornate Victorian brass furniture. Above is a modern glass transom. All are inset within an exposed timber frame resting on painted granite plinths. To left, at doorhead level, is a modern coach lamp.

Right elevation is abutted to ground floor by a single storey annex stepped back from facade. Exposed section of main block to left is wet dashed with stepped quoins. Wall at first floor level is smooth cement rendered. No openings.

Annex has pitched artificial slate roof running parallel with side of house. It has a plain timber bargeboard to its façade gable. Painted lined render walls. Façade gable has a pair of 1/1 sliding sash windows with horns sharing a common granite cill. Side wall forms boundary with adjacent property. Rear gable is abutted by a return at rear (see under ‘left return’ below).

Rear elevation of main block is abutted at right by a two-storey return. The exposed wall of main block is wet dashed with smooth render basecourse. There are two top-hung modern timber windows to ground floor left and a modern three-pane timber window to first floor right.

Return has a natural slate roof. Its walls are wet dashed. End gable is blank. Right cheek is a continuation of left elevation of main block. This elevation has four windows to ground floor; all, excepting that at right, are top hung with painted concrete cills. Between third and fourth windows from left, the wall is indented to accommodate side gates. At right end of lean-to is a fixed pane window set inside a sliding sash box; stained glass pieces depicting a Bishop have been glued onto inside surface of this glass. To first floor are three equally spaced top hung timber windows similar to ground floor. Left cheek of return has modern timber and glass door with modern transom over at ground floor left and two modern timber casements to remaining wall. To first floor, roughly in line with ground floor windows, are two modern top hung windows with granite cills.

At left, abutting rear of one-storey annex, is a two-storey return. It has a pitched natural slate roof with rendered chimney to party wall with annex. Walls are painted smooth render. Gable and left cheek are blank. Right cheek has t+g sheeted door with two paned transom to ground floor left and a 6/6 sliding sash window with horns and granite cill to right. To first floor, in line with ground floor window is a 1/1 sliding sash window with horns and painted granite cill.

Setting

To front is mature garden with mature trees and shrubs. To rear yard is a long two-storey outhouse (converted into games room) with pitched natural slate roof and painted rubble walls. Behind it are the remains of two low outhouses, possible once for domestic animals. Land to rear, now under separate ownership, was once the orchard to this property.

Historical information

Shown on 1834 OS 6” map. Occupied in 1838 by one Robert Hamilton. Cited as ‘North Lodge’ from 1902 edition onwards. A 1920s photograph shows the house as it is today, although right return has a more decorative bargeboard. Owner believes that it was once the home of Newry’s town clerk Mr Cronin.

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
4. OS 6" map, 3rd edition (1902) Co Down sheet 46, PRONI OS 6/3/46/3

Secondary Sources:

5. Owner (1998)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

One of a pair of two-storey detached houses, originally two bay. Early lodge retaining most original features