7 Church Square

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-bay three-storey town-house (now commercial premises) built c.1840; irregular plan form with coach entrance. Located at the junction of Castlewellan Road and Church Square adjacent to the Crozier Monument (HB17/07/011) in the centre of Banbridge town.

Pitched natural slate roofing with clay ridge tiles; cast-iron rainwater goods; partially rendered chimney, no pots. Ruled-and-lined walling (roughcast to the rear). 6/6 and replacement 1/1 timber sliding sash windows first floor right (exposed boxes to second floor); painted masonry cills. Replacement door and rectangular overlight.

The principal elevation faces northeast and is asymmetrically arranged. The ground floor comprises a square-headed coach entrance to the left and replacement shop front to the left with illuminated signage over. The first and second floors are four windows wide.

The left gable abuts adjoining building, 1 Castlewellan Road (HB17/07/012). Single door located left of centre in coach entrance; sheeted lower portion with blank upper panels.

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged; three windows wide. Ground floor comprises coach entrance to the right; left blank. Projected lean-to first floor with two square casement windows. Three second floor box sash windows. uPVC replacement rainwater goods.

The right gable is abutted by adjoining building (HB17/07/014).

Setting

The building forms part of several terraces at this end of Church Square. A two-storey roughcast rendered outbuilding with natural slated roof located in the rear yard (interior in advanced state of decay) beyond which is a small car park bounded by the River Bann. Opposite the terrace is a large modern brick wall enclosing the police station. Northwest of the site are further historic structures.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: render
Windows: timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

No.7 Church Square (Formerly No. 3 Church Square), a three-storey townhouse, was originally constructed in the mid-19th century. It was first depicted on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps in 1860 which recorded that it was built between the adjoining No 2 Church Square (HB17/07/013) and No. 1 Castlewellan Road (HB17/07/012) which had been constructed by the 1830s. By Griffith’s Valuation in c. 1863 No. 3 Church Square was occupied by the Rev. John Montgomery of Banbridge First (Non-Subscribing) Presbyterian Church who let the property from William Waugh, a local linen merchant and landowner; No. 3 Church Square was valued at £20 at that time.

The Rev. John Montgomery resided at Church Square until his death in 1867 at which time a Mr. E. C. Robinson took possession of the site (PRONI Wills). Robinson continued to let No. 3 Church Square from William Waugh until 1873 when ownership of the house passed to J. C. Stuart who also owned a number of properties in the town of Banbridge (Ulster Town Directories). In 1877 Mary Chapman, a local landowner, came into possession of the dwelling. Chapman resided at Church Square until her death c. 1901 when her sister Jane Chapman was recorded as occupant in the Annual Revisions.

The 1901 Census notes that Jane Chapman (68, Unitarian) lived with her sister Elizabeth (66) and derived her income from the lease of houses and land in the Banbridge area; the census building return described No. 3 Church Square as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 13 rooms and possessed a stable and cow house to the rear of the site. Jane Chapman died in 1907 at which time occupancy of No. 3 Church Square passed to a Mr. James Crozier whose family had occupied the adjoining No. 2 Church Square since 1881. The 1911 Census notes that Crozier (47, Presbyterian) was employed as a tanning flesher and resided at No 2. Church Square with his wife Mary (44) and their eight children; No. 3 Church Square was utilised by Crozier as a store and shop for his tanning business. James Crozier continued to reside at Church Square until his own death c. 1921 when his wife came into possession of his property

The first general revaluation of property in Northern Ireland records that Mary Crozier continued to occupy No. 3 Church Square by 1935, however her son James was recorded as occupant of the adjoining No. 2 at the same time; by that time the value of No. 3 had been increased to £23. James Crozier had come into possession of both nos 2 and 3 Church Square by the second revaluation in 1956. In 1969 Brett described No. 3 Church Square as one of a number of ‘ordinary … dwellings and shops, mostly c. 1830’ and noted that they were ‘dependent for their charm on the quality of the paintwork.’ No. 3 Church Square was listed in 1977.

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/B/348/A – Townland Valuations c. 1830
5. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/3 – Banbridge Town Plan c. 1830
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/64/C – Griffith’s Valuation c. 1863
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/A – Annual Revisions 1864-1874
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/B – Annual Revisions 1874-1884
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/D – Annual Revisions 1885-1894
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/A – Annual Revisions 1899-1910
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/B – Annual Revisions 1911-1922
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/C – Annual Revisions 1921-1930
13. PRONI VAL/3/B/4/3 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1935)
14. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/6 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1956-1972
15. PRONI Wills Catalogue (28 Apr 1867; 13 Feb 1907)
16. Ulster Street Directories (1843-1918)
17. Census of Ireland (1901 / 1911)
18. First Survey Record – HB17/07/0143 (1969)
19. Ordnance Survey map – 220-8 (1969)

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘List of historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in the Borough of Banbridge’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1969.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A four-bay three-storey town-house (now commercial premises) built c.1840. The building forms part of a mixed group of terraces erected around the same time, which create a historic townscape illustrating the early development of the town. Although the general proportions of the building have been retained, the ground floor alterations detract from its historic character. Only the façade survives to represent its original aspect and although significant in the locale, loss of fabric and detailing, together with modern alterations, has compromised its architectural and historic interest.