20 Castle Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

One of a terrace of three three-storey (+ basement and attic) early Georgian classical townhouses on the east side of Castle Street. This building is in the middle and is three bays wide. The composition of the terrace suggests that this building and no. 22 were erected as a unit.

Gabled natural slate roof with copped verge and brick chimney at left. Cast iron skylight to front pitch. Concealed gutters to façade with metal downpipe at left.

Walls to street façade are random granite rubble with moulded granite eaves course. At centre of ground floor is a grained t+g (herringbone) door with plain transom over. Its exposed timber frame rests upon painted granite blocks and the reveal and head of the opening are cement rendered. To right is a pair of t+g doors (right one has a wicket door) with louvred transoms over, set within a segmental headed coach arch trimmed with ashlar granite. Head of arch infilled with recessed rubble stone with strap pointing. Left of front door is a 2/2 sliding sash window, with a rendered lintel which extends the full width of this bay. Below, just above ground level is a painted timber lintel, probably that of an infilled basement window. There are three 1/1 sliding sash windows to each upper floor, in line with ground floor openings. All windows have exposed boxes, rendered reveals and painted granite cills; those at top are diminished in height and unequal pane size suggesting it was originally 6/3. Between the front door and coach arch is a short length of modern metal railing over a chamfered granite plinth.

Left and right gables form party walls with adjacent properties. Rear walls are as front. Right bay is abutted by a three storey gabled return. Ground floor of rear elevation was not inspected (although coach arch should be to ground floor left. At first floor left is an exposed box 6/6 sliding sash window and at second floor is a similar 6/3 window (it is uncertain whether this window belongs to this property or no. 20). Neither has a cill and top window is diminished in height.

Return has a gabled natural slate roof, with the rendered chimney rising from the wall head of its left cheek. Rainwater goods are half round metal. Right cheek wall is random rubble (painted at ground floor) and blank. Left cheek is random rubble ground floor was not inspected. At first floor are three 6/6 sliding sashes. At second floor are three diminished height 6/3 sashes, all in line with first floor openings. All windows to this elevation have shallow segmental brick heads/arches over but no cills. Rear gable is wet dashed random rubble with small casement window to gable at right. Gable is abutted by a second return.

The second return has a gabled natural slate roof, half-round metal rainwater goods and walls are wet dashed. Right wall is in line with left wall of first return and is random rubble. Right wall at ground floor was not inspected. There is a 1/1 sliding sash to first and second floors; the top one is diminished in height. Both windows have segmental brick heads but no cills. The gable of this return is abutted by a further out building which is of no interest.

Historical information

A building, possibly this one, is shown on John Rocque’s 1760 town map. Definitely shown on 1838 valuation map, when valued as a house at £15. Shown on 1861 OS map along with its returns. Described as three and one third storeys high in 1863 valuation.

Primary Sources:

1. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 1D/3/8C (1838 valuation map)
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 1B/389, p.99 (1838 valuation book).
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 2B/3/69H, p.147 (1863 valuation book).
4. J. Rocque ‘Map of Newry ’1760.:

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

One of a terrace of three three-storey (+ basement and attic) early Georgian classical town houses. Retaining most original features. Well proportioned and elegant.