37-39 Bridge Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey modern mid-terrace modern bank building c.1990 replacing the former premises, built as a house c.1870.

The First Survey card indicates:

'c.1880. 3-storey. Slated roof. Stucco finish with medallions. 2-storey central oriel with coupled windows divided by columns. Moulded architraves to semi-circular & sg. Headed windows. Paterae, pinnacles & balustrade above cornice at roof level.

Date of visit: 17 September 1969‘

Setting

Centrally located in a historic terrace adjacent to “The Cut”.

Historical information

Now demolished, No. 39 Bridge Street was originally constructed c.1870 and was first recorded in the Annual Revisions in 1877 as a new private dwelling, valued at £50 and let by the Marquis of Downshire to a Dr. Robert Brown McClelland. McClelland resided at No. 39 Bridge Street until his death in October 1901. The 1901 Census records that McClelland (73, Baptist) was employed as a Doctor of Medicine and resided at No. 39 Bridge Street with his wife Christina McClelland. The Census Building Return described the property as a 2nd class dwelling and shop that consisted of six rooms and possessed a number of out offices including two stables, a cow house, dairy and a store located to the rear of the building.

Upon McClelland’s death No. 39 Bridge Street passed to a Mr. William Chancellor, who was also employed as a doctor. The 1911 Census described the house as a ‘surgery and dwelling’ but noted that the house possessed 14 rooms, despite the 1901 Census only recording six. William Chancellor continued to reside at No. 39 Bridge Street until 1918 when the property and the adjoining No. 37 came into the possession of the Belfast Banking Co. Ltd; from that time the building was used as a house for the Bank Manager (in 1918 the first manager to reside in the house was a Mr. J. C. Wray – Ulster Town Directory).

In 1969 Brett described No. 39 Bridge Street as a ‘fine bulging High-Victorian stucco house of about 1880, with a heavy two-storey central oriel, the coupled central windows divided by columns, and four small stucco medallions of a Saracens head with the motto ‘Sapit Qui Reputat’ (‘He is wise who reflects’) the McClelland crest and motto.’ Brett ended his description by noting that the now demolished building possessed ‘particularly good starry iron spikes to discourage loungers leaning on the ground floor window sills’ (Brett, p. 14).

In 1970 the Belfast Banking Co. Ltd. Merged with Northern Banking Company Ltd. To form Northern Bank Limited. No. 39, including the adjoining former red-brick bank building, was listed in 1976 but were demolished c. 1990 and replaced with the current modern bank building that now stands on the site.

NIEA records indicate that planning history before this building was listed related to demolition and replacement. Once it had been listed, it appears that partial demolition was acceptable but that Listed Building Consent to demolish had been granted and in 1976 and resulted in the modern building now occupying the site.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1860
2. PRONI OS/6/3/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1903-1918
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/A – Annual Revisions 1864-1874
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/B – Annual Revisions 1874-1884
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/6/D – Annual Revisions 1885-1894
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/A – Annual Revisions 1899-1910
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/B – Annual Revisions 1911-1922
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7/C – Annual Revisions 1921-1930
9. PRONI Wills Catalogue (16 Oct 1901)
10. Census of Ireland (1901 / 1911)
11. Ulster Street Directories (1843-1918)
12. First Survey Record – HB17/07/020 (1976)

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 two-storey modern mid-terrace replacement bank building c.1990 of no historic interest. The former three-storey stucco building with central oriel has been demolished.