2-4 MAIN ST.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Plain, two storey, part pre- part post 1863, mixed (corner) terrace block, comprising houses and shops with apartments over. No.4, the older section to the S end has been greatly altered in recent years and now has all of its openings blocked, whilst its larger hipped roof neighbour (No.2), has had most of its window frames removed. In between the two [and seemingly part of No.4] is a small portion rebuilt in the 1980s, but which appears never to been completed and is now merely a shell. No.2 is completely derelict and in poor condition whilst No.4 contains a shop in its return / extension. The grouping is set on the corner of Main Street and Downpatrick Road on the N side of the village of Clough.

The ground floor of the N front of No.2 has two doorways and a window to the left, with the window and one of the doorways boarded up. To the right of these is boarded up shop-like window. To the first floor are five smaller window openings which are unevenly spaced and all boarded up. To the right side is a large modern (internally illuminated) sign, which covers one of the windows.

The E gable is blank. The apex of the gable has been removed and the roof space is now exposed to the elements.

The W façade is made up of three parts. That to the far left (No.2) is a former shop with a lower ‘return’ to the S end. This has a door, with plain fanlight, to the left and a boarded up window to the right. To the first floor are four unevenly spaced window openings to the left (all without frames) and a small first floor window to the return.

To the right of this [?and part of No.4] is a (recently) partially constructed shop unit with two small windows to the first floor and a partially bricked up door and window opening to ground floor. This unit is appears to be merely a shell. To the far right (No.4) is a shop unit with all openings now bricked up, i.e. two windows to first floor and a door and a window to the ground floor.

The S façade (No.4) has a modern shop front and has a dilapidated appearance.

The rear elevation of the whole grouping sports a jumble of flat roofed and lean-to extensions. Window frames are all modern and in poor repair.

The building is rendered. The roof is covered with Bangor Blue slate. Rw goods are a mixture of PVC and cast iron.

Surveyor's note - September 2019 - these buildings have been demolished.

Historical information

In 1836 the southern portion (No.4) of this site was occupied by five modest dwellings all of which were exempt from rating. These dwellings were probably single storey. The valuation plan of c.1860 indicates that the southern portion may have been rebuilt and may have compromised of the present two storey structures. The corner portion to the north however is later and is shown on the same plan as a later (c.1905) annotation.

With the building of the corner portion the whole block appears to have compromised of four properties, but at some point [?early 1900s] the two small dwellings in the centre appear to have been divided amongst their larger neighbours, so that by the 1970s the group compromised of only two properties.

When first survey in May 1978, No.4 consisted of a post office with dwelling, and No.2 contained a grocery shop (no with apartment over). No.2 has was partly rebuilt in the 1980s and still contains a shop, whilst No.4 is now derelict.

In 1997 no 2 was given listed building consent for demolition.

Surveyor's note - September 2019 - these buildings have been demolished.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1B/387 1st valuation, Loughinisland, 1836-38
2 PRONI VAL/1D/3/19 valuation plan of Clough, 1838
3 PRONI VAL/2D/3/2 valuation plan of Clough, c.1860 [with annotations of c.1905]
4 PRONI 2nd valuation, Loughinisland, c.1860 [in print]
5 PRONI OS/8/78/1 OS plan of Clough, 1901
6 PRONI VAL/3G/64/1 valuation plan of Clough, 1935-1956

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This building has now been demolished.