38 & 39 Merchant's Quay

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-storey/ two-bay warehouse fronting Merchant's Quay and facing east towards the Newry Canal. Of the original structure, only the front wall survives, everything else having been demolished and rebuilt with modern materials.

The gabled roof has artificial slates and metal rainwater goods. The walls of the facade are of coursed and snecked squared granite rubble, all repointed with cement. The left quoin has been rebuilt with concrete blocks (originally this was an infill building, so there were no quoins). The frontage has a number of door and window openings on all floors vertically in line with one another. All the windows have finely dressed granite cills and first and second floors have keystoned lintels.

The ground floor has eight openings - from left to right: (1) wide rectangular window with finely dressed granite jambs and one-piece lintel, and modern metal panel infill; (2) sheeted modern metal door; (3) metal roller shuttered opening (two window bays wide) extending through first floor and with brick jambs and infilled semicircular head with decorative metal grille to front; (4) as no.2; (5) as no.1; (6) as no.2; (7) large metal-gated arch similar to no.3 to passage to rear of building (8) as no.1.

At first floor level there are eight openings, all with metal infill panels - from left to right: (1) and (2) window; (3) head of ground floor arch; (4) and (5) loading door aligned with the one above; (6) as no.1; (7) as no.3; (8) as no.1.

The second floor has 10 openings, all infilled with metal panels - from left to right: (1) - (4) window openings; (5) and (6) loading door; (7) - (10) as nos 1-4. The third floor has openings in line with those below: (1) - (4) are 1/1 top-opening metal casement windows; (5) and (6) loading doors with metal infill panels; as (7) - (10) as nos 1-4. Above each line of loading doors is a modern slated gable with barge boards and finial; the apex hole through which the cantilevered hoisting beam projected is infilled. Metal tie rods have been inserted across all upper floors.

The right gable is abutted by a higher building. The left gable is abutted by a lower modern building; the exposed section is cement rendered.

A modern extension abuts the rear facade, leaving only the top floor exposed. The rear wall has been completely rebuilt, the top floor in red brick. There are no exposed openings to the rear of the main block The extension has a flat profiled metal roof, sloped along its facade and with two mock dormers. The passageway from the front emerges through its side wall at left. Along the facade of this extension are two modern shop frontages.

At front, on the canal side of the road is a large metal weighbridge which may have been associated.

Historical information

This building does not appear on the 1830s Valuation book or map. It is first cited in the 1863 valuation, the two units (described as store) being leased by William B Glenny to Alexander Arbuthnot and John Nesbitt (no.38) and Hugh J Wallace (no 39). It is thus of mid 19th century date. The Valuation maps show that each unit had a rear return, now demolished.

Primary Sources:

1. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 2B/2/39C, p.76
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 12B/15/1A, p.90
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 12E/125/1/16.

Secondary sources:

4. Eamon Larkin (Milligan, Reside & Larkin, architects).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Nevertheless what remains is well proportioned and a reminder of Newry’s role as a trading centre.

General comments

No 38 was recorded in the first survey as part of HB16/29/012.