15B Merchant's Quay

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey/ four-bay commercial premises fronting onto Merchant's Quay, with a two-storey/one-bay return to rear.

The roof of the front building comprises two gabled pitches (with central valley and blocked ends), covered with asbestos slates and without chimneys (these having been removed). There is a skylight to the front pitch of the rear gable. The rainwater goods are metal.

The walls of the main facade, which are on a projecting stone base, are lime rendered, with a painted granite string course between the ground and first floors. The render has banded rustication on the ground floor and is lined to mimic ashlar on the floors above.

The front pedestrian entrance is raised above street level and is entered by a flight of four granite steps parallel with the facade. There is a low parapet to their right, and a concrete ramp has been added at the bottom of the steps. In the wall at the start of the steps is an opening, now partially blocked, in to a basement. The main door has six raised and fielded panels with bolection-mouldings and also a beaded muntin, letterbox, door knob and knocker. An overlight contains seven sub-rectangular lights. The door opening is off centre on the façade. It has a granite surround with pilasters, frieze and entablature. Above and to its right is a projecting sign. On the facade to its left are two semicircular headed 1/1 sliding sash windows in moulded reveals, with granite cills, decorative rendered voussoirs above, and rectangular fielded apron panels. Immediately right of the doorway, at street level, is a semicircular headed coach arch with painted v-jointed ashlar voussoirs. This opening has been glazed over to form a shop front, with boxed roller shutter, plastic sign to front and smaller projecting sign above. At right hand end of facade is a large vehicle entrance, with flat head, leading to the rear yard. Above it is a large sign reading "R.W. Toase Ltd Established 1929". Above, and filling the end bay of the facade is a large metal hoarding; this obscures two windows and loading door at first floor level (see below).

At first floor level on the main section of the building are four equally spaced windows, all 6/6 sliding sash (without horns), with moulded architraves, entablature, and bracketed painted granite cills. At second floor are four small plain windows in line with those below. The first and third from left are modern two-paned casements, with left openers. The second window from left is a 3/3 sliding sash (with horns), and the one on the right a 2/3 sliding sash (replacement top sash). These two windows appear to retain some original glass.

A slightly lower building abuts the right gable. The section projecting above is of random rubble granite. It has no openings, except under the vehicle arch, where there is a fixed single-pane window. The left gable is cement rendered and also devoid of openings.

There is a large metal weighbridge flush with the ground just inside the vehicle entrance. At rear, the walls of the main block are of unrendered brick, except above the vehicle entrance where they are of random rubble granite; the two materials abut one another along a vertical join. A two storey gabled return abuts at an angle to the centre of the main block. Abutting this return and the rear wall of the main block as far as the vehicle entrance, is a single storey modern extension.

The rear elevation of the main block is much altered by the alteration of existing window openings and insertion of new ones. Only two original windows, both 6/6 sliding sash, survive: one at first floor, the other on the half landing between first and second floors.

The two-storey return has a fibre-cement slate roof and cement rendered walls. It has two 3/3 sliding sash windows at first floor on its side facing the yard, and a casement to each floor of the gable. The abutting extension has cement rendered walls, flat felted roof, two modern windows on the side wall, and modern door on the end wall.

Historical information

The first valuation, dating to 1836, states that what is now the store was then also a store, occupied by Maguire and McParlane. The dimensions given in a slightly later update of this valuation accord with its present-day measurements.

The main block appears to have been occupied by Denis Maguire, owner of Newry Distillery (Monaghan St) in 1836. However, it is recorded in a revision of this valuation as being occupied by the National Banking Company in 1838. Again, its dimensions accord with today.

By the 1863 Valuation, both premises are under the one ownership (James Hening). The subsequent Valuation revision books suggest that the present vehicle arch was not cut until after 1930. This done by the Toase family, who occupied the premises from around this time.

A Lawrence photograph of c.1870 shows the store to have had a projecting beam over the eaves, above the loading doors. The façade of the main block is much as it is today, except it then had its two chimneys.

Primary Sources:

1. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI – VAL 1B/ 246A, p.75 (nos 11 and 12);
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B/246B, p.97 (nos 12 and 14); VAL 1D/3/8F;
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 2B/2/39B, p.61 (nos 14 and 15);
4. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 12B/15/1A-G; VAL 12B/22/18A-D.
5. W. Lawrence photograph – WL 1179.

Secondary Sources:

1. Personal Communication, Mr Toase Snr.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey/ four-bay commercial premises in render. This building is of note in terms of its external appearance (in particular the door surround) and some surviving internal features. The juxtaposition of house and store is also of interest.