The Coach Inn

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A block of two-storey mid-terrace buildings modernised and consolidated into a single public bar with nightclub; originating from c1830. Rectangular plan form abutted to the rear by a large modern block. Located on Church Square, north of Banbridge town centre, opposite the Crozier Monument (HB17/07/011).

Replacement pitched natural slate roof; replacement rainwater goods. Replacement cement ruled-and lined rendered walling; long-and-short quoins; chimneystacks removed. Replacement timber framed windows the ground floor; replacement uPVC windows to the first floor. Replacement timber panelled doors with timber door surrounds.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is asymmetrically arranged. Modern pub-frontage to the ground floor centre flanked by single windows with secondary entrance to the far right. Eight first floor windows. (See surveyors notes).

The left gable is abutted by an adjoining building which has been consolidated into the main block.

The rear elevation is completely abutted by a double height modern block.

The right gable is abutted by adjoining building (HB17/07/009).

Setting

The building forms part of a mixed terrace in the north part of the town, looking on to Church Square and surrounded by historic buildings.

Roofing: natural slate
Walling: render
Windows: timber
RWG: uPVC

Historical information

The Coach Inn comprises nos 15-19 Church Square, four two-storey houses (one address located to the rear of the terrace) that date from c. 1830 and were converted into the current pub c. 1970. The terrace originally appears on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1833 and the Townland Valuation town plan (c. 1830) which depicts three buildings valued between £6 and £18 (the two dwellings situated next to Crozier House (HB17/07/009) are depicted as a single property on the c. 1830 town plan and were valued at £18).

By Griffith’s Valuation (c. 1863) the four properties continued to be described as private dwellings, were individually occupied and were valued between £10 and £14. At that time the properties were numbered 6-9 Church Square, No. 6 located next to Crozier House, whilst No. 9 currently abutted the Riverside Inn (HB17/07/021); nos 6 and 7 Church Square, the two properties next to Crozier House, had been divided into separate houses by the 1860s.

The four two-storey buildings continued to be utilised as private dwellings throughout the late-19th and early 20th-century. No. 7 Church Square was the first property to be converted into a public house at some period between 1885 and 1894. By the First General Revaluation of property in Northern Ireland in 1935 No. 6 (by then renumbered to No. 15 Church Square) continued to be utilised as a licensed house whilst the adjoining terrace were utilised as private dwellings. It was not until the mid-20th century that the rest of the terrace was converted into public houses, however between 1956 and 1972 each property continued to be recorded separately and were owned by different proprietors.

In the 1970s nos 15-19 Church Square were converted into a single property which became The Coach Inn, however this conversion resulted in the complete loss of all historic fabric; a photograph of the original terrace dated c. 1912 (photograph 12) shows that the roofline of the terrace, which had previously been irregular, was made level to facilitate the construction of the current public house. The alteration work resulted in the current single block which was listed in 1987 and continues to operate as a public house.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/1 – First edition Ordnance Survey map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1860
3. PRONI OS/6/3/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1903-1918
4. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/3 – Banbridge Town Plan c. 1830
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/64/A – Griffith’s Valuation c. 1862
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/A – Annual Revisions 1864-1874
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/B – Annual Revisions 1874-1884
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/D – Annual Revisions 1885-1894
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/A – Annual Revisions 1899-1910
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/B – Annual Revisions 1911-1922
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/C – Annual Revisions 1921-1930
12. Ordnance Survey map 220-8 (1969-70)
13. First Survey Record – HB17/07/012 (1969)
14. Ordnance Survey map 220-8 (1969-70)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A block of two-storey of buildings modernised and consolidated into a single public bar with nightclub; originating from c1830. Extensively modified and extended, the exterior and interior have no apparent historic fabric of interest remaining.