Site of former 46-48 Irish Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Site, on the sloping E side of Irish Street, formerly occupied by a pair of three storey terrace houses of probable mid 18th century construction, demolished c.1991 with new dwellings built in place.

The buildings were described in the first survey of March 1976 as, 'Three storey block of two houses. Roof slated. Chimneys rendered. Wall rendered, lined and painted blue and brown. Bevel quoins. SW face has four second floor and four first floor drop hung windows. Ground floor at lower level [i.e. No.46] has drop hung window [with] horizontal astragals and doorway [with] sheeted door, decorative fanlight. [No.48] has same drop hung window and doorway. Door panelled, plain fanlight. Steps to doors.

Condition poor. Front about 22ft.

Historical information

This site is shown occupied on the town plan of 1708 and all others thereafter. The front elevation of the buildings described above suggests they were constructed in the mid 18th century, perhaps c.1750s-60s. The valuation records of 1838* indicate that the properties were then occupied Robert Gregory and Edward Smith. Both houses were demolished in c.1991 and new 'neo-Georgian' dwellings now in place.

References- Primary sources
1 Down County Museum ‘A plan of Downpatrick’ (c.1708)
2 PRONI D.477A ‘A survey of the town of Downpatrick in the county of Down and province of Ulster in Ireland’ by James Maguire (c.1708)
3 British Library, Addit. MS 9750, ff.71b-72 ‘A plan of the town of Downpatrick (c.1720)
4 British Library, Addit. MS 21, 131, f.90 ‘A plan of the town of Downpatrick 1729’
5 Walter Harris, ‘The ancient and present state of the County of Down’ (Dublin 1744)
6 PRONI OS/6/3/37/1 OS map, Down sh 37, 1834
7 Ordnance Survey memoirs of Co Down (IV), ed Angélique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1992), pp.38-61 [Dec. 1836]
8 PRONI VAL/1B/378 First valuation, Down, c.1838 [*Unfortunately this valuation does not supply either dimensions of buildings within Downpatrick or any indication of their age / condition; it merely gives a list of the occupants names and the rateable value of each property.]
9 PRONI VAL/1D/3/7 First valuation town plan of Downpatrick, c.1838
10 PRONI OS/8/9/1/1-24 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1859
11 PRONI Second valuation, Down, 1863 (in print). [The map to accompany this valuation is missing.]
12 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1 Revaluation manuscript books, Downpatrick, 1864-1901
13 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1/1-24 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1864-1901 [12 sheets missing]
14 PRONI OS/8/9/2/1-3 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1901
15 PRONI VAL/12E/120/2/1-3 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1906-35

Secondary sources
1 Lady Dunleath, P.J. Rankin, A Rowan, ‘Historic buildings…Downpatrick’ (Belfast 1970), p.15-16, 18-19
2 Anthony M. Wilson, ‘Saint Patrick’s town’ (Belfast 1995)
3 R.H. Buchanan and Anthony Wilson, ‘Irish historic towns atlas no.8: Downpatrick’ (Royal Irish Academy 1996)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Site, on the sloping E side of Irish Street, formerly occupied by a pair of three storey terrace houses of probable mid 18th century construction, demolished c.1991 with new dwellings built in place.