36b & 37 Merchant's Quay

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-storey building arranged symmetrically about a central arch set in a terrace fronting the west side of Merchant's Quay.

Pitched artificial slate roof with rendered chimney on left gable; skylight to rear pitch. Asbestos rainwater goods over moulded eaves course.

Facade walls are cement rendered, painted green. At ground floor is a cement pilaster at each end, which terminates at bottom of first floor in a scroll surmounted by mini gablet. Above are painted stepped quoins. Moulded string courses delineate each floor and also run between window openings. On first and third floors, the stringing continues around openings as hood moulds.

In middle of ground floor facade is a coach arch with ashlar granite jambs and semi-elliptical head over projecting spring stones. To left of arch is entrance to shop. The door is modern within a plastic pilastered entablature. To its left is a modern one-pane window within an original hood moulded opening with fascia over. To right of coach arch is another shop front, the mirror image of that to left; however the corresponding window to its right has been enlarged and its hood moulding removed. Each of the upper floors is four windows wide, with all openings in line. All these upper floor windows are modern timber 1/1 top hung casement with stop-end chamfered reveals.

The left and right gables are abutted by slightly lower buildings to each side (HB16/28/073B to left); the exposed sections above are rendered with lined cement.

The rear elevation is of coursed random rubble with dressed quoins. All window openings have one-piece granite jambs, lintels and cills. The rear of the coach arch has a semi-elliptical brick voussoir. Abutting at left and right of this arch are modern monopitched one-storey sheds which obscure ground floor openings. There are three window openings on each of the upper floors, all in line. Modern single or double-paned timber frames survive in some, others are boarded over; several have metal bars. At right on landings between upper floors are 2/2 sliding sash windows (the lower without cill).

Historical information

No sizeable building is cited at this location in the 1863 Second Valuation. Precisely when thereafter it was erected is uncertain, as the Valuation Revision books only cite stores, but do not give dimensions. It was probably an office and store for the timber yard at the rear, to which a spade factory (HB16/28/073B) was added by Messrs Carvill in 1869. The 1903 Valuation splits the building into a shop and house, suggesting the possibility of a refurbishment around this time.

Primary Sources:
1.Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI – VAL 2B/2/39C, p.75;
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 12B/15/1A, p.90 (entry 31b);
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI - VAL 12B/22/18B, p.141.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Primarily of interest because of its size and proportion. Makes a definite contribution to the historical character of this part of the Conservation Area.

General comments

No 37 was recorded in the first survey as part of HB16/29/012.