Former Police Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large two storey, hipped roof Neo-Georgian police station of c.1932, built to standard designs by the N.I. Ministry of Finance design office. The building is set on the W side of the Newcastle Road to the S of the small village of Seaforde. The building is now converted for use as a private dwelling.

The front façade is asymmetrical and faces E. To the right of centre to ground floor is a panelled double door set within a semicircular arch headed recess. To the tympanum is an oval panel, (which once held the RUC badge), set on a scroll motif. To either side of the door is a matching semicircular arch recess. Within each is a further recess within which is set a top hung steel window frame with 8 over 16 Georgian panes. These three recessed arches all sit in a panel which projects forward slightly. To the left are three evenly spaced steel windows frames with 8 over 12 Georgian panes. To the first floor are seven equally spaced window openings each with steel framed windows. The frames have a top opener over one side opening casement and one fixed light. Each has Georgian panes with 4 over 12. The upper windows rest on a moulded string course.

The N side elevation has two evenly spaced windows to first floor resting on the string course, as before. To the left of the ground floor is a top hung window as before while to the right is a modern window to the kitchen

The S elevation has one first floor window set to the left side on a string course, as before. Directly below is a door with moulded surround set within a shallow recess. To the upper section of the moulding is a plain panel (without inscription) and in line with this are two pain panels set at the spring point of the arch to the shallow recess.

To the left and right of the rear elevations are single storey extensions. To the left between the extensions is a door with a fanlight with eight Georgian panes. To the right of this is a small fixed window. To the right of this are two top hung windows as before with 8 over 12 Georgian panes. To the extreme right is a small top hung window with 2 over 6 Georgian panes. To the first floor is a small top window, as before. It rests on the moulded string course. To the right is a tall window set at an intermediate level which lights the stairs. To the right are four windows arranged alternately large / small / large / small– all top hung and resting on the string course.

The roof is hipped and slated and has a pronounced overhang to the eaves. Cast iron swan neck rain water pipes drop from the gutter to hopper heads. To each side is a tall chimney stack. To the middle of the rear roof is one further chimney stack.

The rear yard is enclosed with a high wall

Historical information

This police station was built in 1932-33 to a standard Ministry of Finance design [?by T.F.O. Rippingham]. It replaced an old RIC / RUC barrack which was housed in what is now a private dwelling to the north (195 Newcastle Road), which appears to have been in use since c.1900.

The new station seems to have remained in operation until c.1968-69 (it disappears from the street directory after this date). Subsequently the building was bought by a doctor [?and used as a surgery]. It is now a private dwelling.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/3G/95/1 Valuation plan of Seaforde, 1935-56

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Good example of a large two storey, hipped roof Neo-Georgian police station of c.1932, built to standard design by the N.I. Ministry of Finance. The property is now a private dwelling.