21 Windsor Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

One and a half storey red brick house, with two-storey octagonal tower, on the corner Arthur Street and Windsor Hill; principal gable faces to the latter.

Gambreled roof has natural slates, scalloped terracotta ridges, overhanging eaves and exposed rafter tails. Abutting left of facade is a two-storey half-attached octagonal tower with steep natural slate roof, wrought iron crown finial and exposed eaves. To front right is a decorative gable dormer, the right pitch of which is a continuation of right pitch of main block. Gable has an A-framed fretted timber bargeboard. One chimney (aligned with ridge) rises from front gable, and a second from rear gable; both have partly rebuilt red brick stacks. Walls are red brick throughout, laid in English garden wall bond.

Abutting ground floor right is a single-storey red brick porch with pitched natural slate roof. It has a terracotta ridge, exposed eaves and decorative bargeboards similar to main roof. In gable of porch is a semicircular headed opening with wrought iron gate. Right cheek is blank. Left cheek has two openings with stop end chamfered brick pier between them.

All windows are 1/1 top-hung plastic set within chamfered openings, with granite cills and segmental heads. To left of porch is a single window. Identical window in gable of main block above porch. Three windows to ground floor of tower (one per cant), and four above, in line with those below with the additional window to left corner.

Right elevation is blank.

Left elevation, along Arthur St, has aforementioned tower at right and window at left.

Rear gable is abutted by single-storey return with monopitch natural slate roof. Its right cheek (which is blank) is a continuation of left elevation of main block. To upper floor of main block is a pair of windows. Rear return not accessed.

Setting

Small front garden is enclosed by a granite chamfered base and a mature hedge. Rear garden enclosed by coursed granite rubble wall with rock faced copings and large sheet metal sliding door.

Historical information

Erected at the same time as nos 17 and 19 Windsor Hill (HB16/26/076, /077) by Alexander Whelan, a well known Newry building contractor. First appears (as vacant) in 1895 Valuation Book, and occupied the following year.

Primary Sources:

1. 3. OS 6" map, 3rd edition (1902) Co Down sheet 46 (PRONI OS 6/3/46/3)
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 12B/22/14J, p.153;
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 12E/125/1/8

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

One and a half storey red brick house, with two-storey octagonal tower. A substantial late Victorian suburban residence, with good brick and terracotta detailing and largely original interior. It is of a relatively late date and not of special architectural or historic interest.