32 Hill Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey (+ attic) corner building at the left end of a terrace of three classical Georgian houses on the corner of Hill Street and O'Hagan Street.

Roof is pitched, natural slate with two modern skylights to rear pitch. Large cement rendered chimney (with moulded coping) to left gable. All gutters are metal and semicircular in profile, with metal downpipe to left of facade.

Wall to facade is painted, lined cement render with projecting granite eaves course and stepped, unpainted v-channelled granite quoins to left corner. At ground floor is a modern 'conservation' shop front. Main entrance is within shop front and to left. It is a modern glass and timber door with a semicircular transom over. To its right are four windows, each with semicircular heads. They are separated by decorative timber mullions and have plain timber spandrels. The stall riser is plain cement render. Door and windows are all set within a pair of granite pilasters with moulded brackets supporting a raised timber fascia advertising the business. Above in the wall over fascia is a modern hanging sign, and to the right is a security alarm box. There are three equally spaced 6/6 sliding sash windows with horns to first and second floors; diminished in height, all have unpainted granite cills. First floor windows have metal balconettes, those to first floor are decorative, those to second floor are plain.

Wall to left gable (to O'Hagan Street) is painted, lined cement render with stepped granite quoins to right corner. At ground floor is a shop front with details as facade, but divided into two sections by additional pilasters and containing a six panelled modern (escape) door and three windows to the left, and three windows and an ATM to the right. Attached to wall above fascia is a hanging sign, and a modern street lamp. First floor is plain. At second floor is a central 6/6 sliding sash window. In gable centre at attic level is a second similar window.

Right gable forms party wall with no.34 Hill Street.

Wall to the rear elevation is painted, lined cement render. There are no doors in rear elevation. At ground floor right is a single 6/6 sliding sash window. There are two similar windows to first floor, one to right (above ground floor window) and one to left. At second floor are three 6/6 sliding sashes, those to left and right are in line with openings below and the third is roughly central. All have balconettes as façade.

Historical information

Shown on the 1835 OS map. Valued at £40 in 1838 valuation. Described in 1863 valuation as three and one-third storeys high plus basement.

Primary Sources:
1.PRONI – OS 9/15/1/1 (1835);
2. PRONI - VAL1B/389, p.44 (1838 valuation);
3. PRONI - VAL 2B/3/69G, p.26 (1863 Valuation).

Secondary Sources.
1.Archaeological Survey Co. Down, p.428 (entry 417.29).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Three storey (+ attic) corner building at the left end of a terrace of three classical Georgian houses. This building has undergone a radical remodelling including the installation of a large shop front and reorganisation of much of the interior.