177 South Promenade ('Widows' Row')

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small, picturesque two storey house, one of a terrace of 12 (‘Widows’ Row’), built in 1843. The terrace is set on the SW side of South Promenade at the southern extremity of Newcastle, and was built for the families of local fishermen who perished in a storm off the coast in January 1843.

No.177 is set in the middle of the terrace and is currently (1999) undergoing major renovation and extension. The front (NE) façade has a modern glazed door to the right on the ground floor. To the left of this is a window with modern frame. To the first floor left is a similar window set within a gabled half-dormer. The front façade is finished in ‘salt & pepper’ pebbledash render.

A large modern two storey flat roofed extension, which rises to roof ridge level is currently under construction at the rear.

The gabled roof has an overhang and is currently being completely renewed. The rafter ends are exposed. Single rendered chimney stack (shared with neighbour to S). No rw goods. Cement rendered wall enclosing small garden to front.

Historical information

‘Widows’ Row’ was built in 1843 for the families of local fishermen who perished in a fierce storm off the coast in January of that year. In all 46 Newcastle men were drowned, leaving behind 27 widows, 118 orphans and 21 dependants. An appeal, and a substantial donation from the trustees of the Annesley Estate, raised enough money to build these12 small houses, henceforth known as ‘Widows’ Row’.

Each house originally consisted of two rooms, one to each floor, but in recent years most of the properties have been greatly enlarged with the addition of modern two storey extensions to the rear.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.1503 Annesley Papers.
2 PRONI OS/6/3/49/2 OS map, first rev., Co. Down 49.
3 PRONI Second (‘Griffith’s) valuation, Kilcoo, 1863.
4 PRONI VAL/12E/111/1 Valuation town plan of Newcastle, 1864-1906.
5 PRONI OS/8/136/1-4 OS plans of Newcastle, 1901.

Secondary sources
1 Mourne Observer (1962) “Newcastle fishing disaster of 1843”. [Newspaper article- exact date of publication not known.]
2 P.J. Rankin, 'Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in the Mourne Area of South Down', (Belfast UAHS 1975), pp.74-76.
3 Grenfell Morton ‘Victorian and Edwardian Newcastle’ (Belfast 1988), pp.14-15.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

One of a terrace ('Widows' Row') of 12 small, picturesque two storey houses built in 1843 for the dependants of local fishermen who drowned in a disaster of that year. Although substantially altered to the rear, the terrace as a whole retains significant original character and detailing, including the gabled half-dormers to each dwelling, 'vernacular Georgian' multi-paned windows and the low stone boundary wall enclosing individual gardens to the front. This property is currently (1999) undergoing major renovation and a substantial extension is being added to the rear. Little original internal detailing remains, windows and doors are modern.