24 Downs Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large two storey seafront house of 1890-1900, with decorative 'wrap around' cast iron balcony, set at the end of a terrace on the E side of the Downs Road.

The front (E) facade is not quite symmetrical, though it appears so at first glance. To left of centre at ground floor level are timber panelled double doors with sidelights each with panelled aprons and three pane fanlight with shallow segmental arch head. The doorway has a moulded surround. To either side of the doorway is a full height, hipped roof, canted bay. To each floor of each bay is a sash window with segmental arch head and splayed flush cill. Springing courses to each bay with another course above windows to upper floor which continues across whole facade. Between the bays at first floor level is a panelled and glazed door with segmental arch head fanlight.

The N facade has two bays similar to those on the N . Across both front an N is a decorative cast iron balcony supported on thin cast iron columns.

To the rear is a large two storey gabled return which was largely rebuilt recently. To the N facade of the bay there is a centrally placed bay as to main N facade (except with regular projecting cills). To the left of the bay at ground floor level is a panelled and glazed door with with a similar moulded surround as front doorway which rises high above the door with a moulded crucifix in the space above the dooway opening and the top of the the surround (i.e. where one would expect to find a fanlight). To first floor level above this is a sash window as before but with margin panes with coloured glass. To the right of the bay are two similar windows (one to each floor), but without margin panes.

The gable of the return has a gabled garage attached at first floor level. To the left on the first floor is a sash window with segmental arch head to frame only. To the first floor on the S facade are five windows to the first floor of varying size and all with modern frames. The writers were only able to observe the lower half of this from a distance. To the far left there is a single storey lean-to which stretches from the S side of the garage section to the far right.

The exposed left section of the main rear facade is a sash window as on gable of return. There is a similar window to the ground floor and the first floor to the exposed right section of the main rear facade.

The entire facade is finished in lined render with a dentilled eaves course to front and N (and N of return). Chamfered quoins to main house. The whole facade is painted. The roof is covered in natural slate with three rendered chimney stacks with corbelling and octagonal pots. Metal rw goods. Low rendered wall to front and N.

Historical information

This house was built c.1890-1900 for John Henry King a Newcastle solicitor and originally had its own walled garden to the north. It was acquired by the local RC parish in c.1940 as a residence for the priest(s) a function it still fulfills, with parish offices now located on the ground floor as well. The walled garden to the north appears to have survived until the 1960s, when the land was acquired by the parish as the site for the new church.

The rear return was rebuilt, and the property completely renovated/restored, in 1998-99.

References- Primary sources
1 UFTM W.A. Green Collection WAG 3A Photograph of Downs Road etc. c.1910-20.

Secondary sources
1 P.J. Rankin, 'Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in the Mourne Area of South Down', (Belfast UAHS 1975), p.77.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Large two storey 'shore front' house at the end of a terrace, with full height hipped roof bays and a decorative cast iron balcony/veranda. The return to the rear was rebuilt recently.