1 Trevor Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey (+ basement and attic) late 18thC double pile townhouse set in a terrace on east side of Trevor Hill. This building is five openings wide.

Roof is double pitched and natural slated with central valley, and hipped stairwell roof to centre of rear pitch. Four chimneys all cement rendered with projecting coping and pots. One to each front gable, one rising from the ridge, to the right of central bay in roof valley and fourth rising from eaves level at rear left. Painted semicircular metal guttering on modern timber eaves fascia.

Wall to façade is granite rubble brought to courses. Four granite steps rise to main entrance at ground floor centre. Pair of modern two panel (fielded) doors, over which is a semicircular Y-tracery timber fanlight. Flanking the door are two three paned sidelights with granite cills and heads. Fanlight has a voussoired head with projecting keystone.

All windows to facade are inappropriate modern painted 6/6 paned with top hung transom (unless otherwise stated) and granite cills. At ground floor left are two windows, and to right of door is a single window. To extreme right is a pair of modern framed and sheeted timber doors with separate glazed lights in their upper section. These are set within a segmental headed coach arch with granite voussoirs and projecting keystone. Basement openings are obscured by planters blocking basement area at ground level. To centre at F/F level is a Venetian window with central Y tracery head over a 6/6 window and granite posts separating the three paned fixed sidelights. Sidelights have a cyma-recta moulded granite cornice over. The Y tracery window is set within a voussoir headed opening with a projecting keystone. There are two windows as ground floor to first floor left and right all in line with the openings below. At second floor, to centre of façade, is a segmental headed six paned fixed window with Y tracery head, and two windows to left and two to right, in line with openings below (but diminished in height).

Modern plain metal spiked railings enclose the front steps and basement area to front, these rest on a granite dwarf wall, rising from the railings at the base of the front steps are two modern signage posts in wrought metal.

Rear elevation: The original building is now abutted by a large modern extension, which fills entire back yard and incorporates an outhouse. The original back wall has a central projecting stairwell with hipped roof. Walls are as facade, but nearly all openings have been widened to provide internal balconies (see internal description). One original window remains on extreme left at second floor level. It is a four over two sliding sash with no horns, but has been blocked up from inside.

Historical information

Erected as a dwelling in the period 1770-75 by Andrew Thompson, a Newry merchant. Mr Thompson had warehouses on Merchants Quay and was at one time Captain of the ‘Newry Rangers’ or mounted Volunteer Corps in the 1790s. John Thompson, his son, was shot and killed in a dual at Violet Hill Newry on 11th October 1793.

None of the 19th century valuation books record any significant alterations to the building.

Photographs in Jope show the façade of this building. Its eaves are cyma-recta moulded masonry and not the modern timber ones we see today. Furthermore, the windows are shown to be sliding sashes. Those to ground floor were 6/1 (originally 6/6), those to first floor are 6/6 and those to second floor are 6/3. An interior photograph shows the dog-legged staircase to have been lit by a 19thC stained glass window. Jope also contains a plans of the ground and first floors. These show basement stairs below the main staircase and corner fireplaces to the front and rear rooms at ground floor right. Practically all original room divisions are now gone. Jope states that the front hall and stair hall had dentilled cornices. The stair hall had a dado rail. The original panelled doors had moulded and eared architraves. The front left room had a moulded dentilled cornice.

The HMBB first survey slide (c1969) shows the building to have its present modern roof with overhanging timber eaves. The original front door is eight panelled, three bottom panels, three middle panels and two horizontal top panels, all raised and fielded. Original doorframe intact, with three paned side lights.

Sources:
1. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 1B/389, p.51 (1838 valuation).
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 2B/3/69G, p.56 (1856 valuation).
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 12B/22/16 (valuations).
4. M. Jope (ed.) 1966, An archaeological survey of Co Down, pp.424-5, plates 178, 200, 207 (Belfast: HMSO).
5. HMMB survey slide dated November 1969.

Secondary Sources:
1. F. Crossley, “History of Newry Masonic Lodge no.77” Newry c1910.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Three storey (+ basement and attic) late 18thC double pile townhouse set in a terrace on east side of Trevor Hill. This is a large and imposing town house with symmetrical granite façade and fine granite surrounds to openings of central bay. However, its conversion to a restaurant and night club completely altered the interior and the loss of original windows and doors to the façade seriously detracts from its quality.