Site of former 54 Irish Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Site, on the sloping E side of Irish Street, formerly occupied by a two storey terrace house / shop of possible late 18th century construction, demolished in 1991 with new dwelling(s) in its place.

The building was described in the first survey of March 1976 as, 'Two storey house and shop. Roof slated. Concrete brick chimney. Wall rendered and lined. Front has two first floor drop hung windows, Georgian panes. Ground floor has combined door and shop window below recessed signboard. Door sheeted with plain fanlight. Window has twelve Georgian panes. Three steps to door.

Condition poor'.

Historical information

This site is shown occupied on the 1708 town plan and all others thereafter. The front facade of the property described above suggests that it may have dated from the late 18th century. The valuation returns of 1838 state that at that stage the building was occupied by a John Fitzpatrick*. The shop front appears to have been a later insertion (possibly mid to late 19th century). The building was demolished c.1991.

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 two storey terrace house / shop of possible late 18th century construction, demolished in 1991 with new dwelling(s) in its place.