17 St. Colman’s Park

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

One of seven buildings in a terrace which slopes down St. Colman’s Park, this building being the second up from the bottom. All these houses are of identical construction, with pitched natural slate roofs and squared rubble granite walls brought to courses. This building is three storeys high (formerly also with basement) and two bays wide. It is at the same height as no.19, and slightly below no.15.

There is a rendered chimney on its left party wall (shared with no.19), and half-round metal gutter with down pipe at right (shared with no.15). There is a four-panel painted timber front door at right, with a small rectangular transom light over. Its jambs and head are cement rendered (the former stepped). Boot scraper to right of door has been removed.

To left of door is an 8/8 sliding sash window. The brick head of the window to the now-infilled basement is just visible below. At first floor are two 6/6 sliding sash windows in line with ground floor openings. At second floor are three smaller 3/3 sash windows. All the windows have granite cills, and cement-rendered heads and stepped jambs (over brick). There are three-piece keystoned lintels above the ground and first floor window heads.

Wrought iron railings (with urn-topped posts and chamfered granite plinth) run along the front of the house, returning up the side of the entrance way. The passage along the outside of the basement has been infilled.

Both gables are abutted by similar buildings.

This building is deeper from front to back than no.15. Consequently, its back wall projects beyond the general line of the terrace. A modern lean-to extension abuts the entire rear wall at ground floor. The walls above are unrendered. There is a 6/6 sliding sash window at right on first floor and a 3/3 sash to top floor. At left is a 2x3 paned window to half landing between ground and first floor, and 6/6 sash at half landing between first and second floors.

Outbuilding

At the back of the yard is a two-storey outbuilding, set back from the general line of outbuildings associated with this terrace. It has an asbestos slate gabled gable roof and coursed rubble granite walls. The back wall of this building (ie north elevation) is blank. Its east gable faces along the laneway. It has a modern shop entrance at ground floor (comprising a glazed door and side light to right) set within a brick-trimmed arch, with boxed metal roller shutter over. Directly above is a sheeted and painted timber loading door. The yard elevation has a modern porched door at ground floor right, 1/1 top-hung window at ground floor left, and identical window at first floor. The left gable is abutted by the outbuilding of no.19.

Historical information

Shown on 1835 OS map as McAllister’s Terrace; this also included nos 1, 3 and 5 (above no.7), all now demolished. Noted in 1835 valuation as belonging to James McAllister (who also owned HB 16/30/005A&B), but unfinished. This implies still in course of construction, but probably completed shortly thereafter.

Primary Sources:

1. OS 6" map, 3rd edition PRONI OS 9/15/1/3.
2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B.389, pp 40-1.
3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 2B/3/69H, p.131.

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 (+ basement)/two bay granite house in a terrace on St Colman’s Park. The street façade is of considerable architectural merit, being set within a cohesive terrace which forms one side of the square. The building is also of some historical interest as an example of mid-19th century town planning initiated by James McAllister. He also erected the block at the corner with John Mitchel Place (HB 16/30/005A).