Downe Hospital (main block)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two and three storey classical style infirmary building of 1834 by John B. Keane, (now part of Downe Hospital), much extended / rebuilt at the rear in the mid to later 20th century. The building is set on a commanding rise to the S of Pound Lane, to the S of Downpatrick town centre.

In its original form this building consisted on a long rectangular front wing with three, three [?and two] storey rear returns. The returns appear to have been linked to each other at the S end, thus enclosing two ‘courtyards’. Today the plan has been greatly altered, with the ‘courtyards’ now covered by larger rebuilt SW return and various other 20th century extensions. To the W the building is now also linked, via a flat roofed single storey section, to a modern style, brick built block. The window frames throughout the building are all modern bar one.

The front elevation faces roughly N and is symmetrical. To the centre is a shallow full height bay topped with a gabled pediment. To the ground floor of this bay is a large ‘tripartite’ window with modern frame plain lintel and cornice. This window was originally the main entrance to the building. To the first floor of the bay is a smaller tripartite window with surround as ground floor window but with pediment over the central light.

To the left and right of the bay are three windows to each floor with hoods on brackets to those to first floor. To each end of the front elevation is a tall projecting bay gabled which rises significantly above eaves level (it actually contains an ‘attic’ level). To the ground and first floor of each bay are two windows which correspond to those to rest of elevation outside of the centre bay. Above the first floor windows the main eaves course continues across the bay and ‘resting’ on the eaves course is a semicircular recess which was originally an attic level ‘eyebrow’ window opening. There is a thick moulded course between ground and first floor level with rusticated render beneath this and lined render above. The eaves course between the bays has widely spaced dentils. In-out quoins.

The E elevation consists of the three storey E return with various modern extensions to left (S). The façade of the is symmetrical. To the centre of the ground floor there is a doorway with ‘fanlight’ recess, small sidelights, all contained within a large semicircular arched recess. To first floor directly above this is a tripartite window and to the second floor (i.e. the ‘attic’ level) is an eyebrow window with small gable over. This window alone appears to have retained its sash frame. To either side of the central openings there are three windows to each floor. The façade is finished in lined render.

The W elevation has a complex appearance. It is dominated by the E façade of the three storey E return, which was rebuilt (in a larger form) in 1930-32. The W is two storey façade of the return is plain and has seven windows to the first and second floors and four windows to left on the ground floor. To centre right on the ground floor the façade is abutted by a modern style single storey extension which links to a modern wing further to W. This extension also contains the main entrance. To the right (S) the return links to a two storey gable section which in turn links to two and a half / two storey gabled wing, which runs in an E-W direction. [?Was this wing once part of an outbuilding, also dating from 1834 but originally longer.]

The rear of the building comprises of a conglomeration of mid to late 20th century extensions, mainly two storey, flat roofed and in concrete brick.

The roof of the original section of the building appears to be completely slated with three rendered chimney stacks to the main front section. Mainly metal rw goods.

Historical information

This hospital, (originally Down County Infirmary), was built in 1834 to designs by John B. Keane of Dublin. A fever hospital was also built to the south of the infirmary at the same time, as well as an entrance lodge to the north. John Lynn was engaged as builder and altogether the cost for the whole complex came to £6,000, half raised by Grand Jury presentment, half by subscription. The building is shown on the OS map of 1834 with its three rear returns. The OS Memoirs of December 1836 describe it as ‘a fine and handsome building’, but remark upon how little money it actually took to build and commenting (and undoubtedly implying cost cutting), ‘that some parts of the building (principally woodwork) are not so calculated to last as long as they should’.

The infirmary was refurbished [?and layout altered] in 1897, but appears to have remained largely intact externally until 1930, when the SW return was rebuilt on a much larger scale, and the building completely refurbished. This work a cost a total of £13, 000, £8,000 raised solely through the efforts of Lady Clanwilliam. The building, renamed Downe Hospital in 1948, was further added to throughout the 20th century, with a new [?out patients] block constructed to the west of the original building, in 1957.

For the first seven years after its foundation in 1767, the infirmary consisted of two former dwellings in Saul Street. These buildings appear to have been fairly old at this point and in poor condition, and were vacated in 1774, pulled down and the present Nos.14-18 built on the site shortly afterwards. The governors of the infirmary then purchased the old 17th century cavalry barrack in Barrack Lane (now Fountain Street) which they had converted at a cost of £150. There patients were treated until the construction of the present building in 1834. The old barrack was subsequently sub-divided into private dwellings (and named ‘Saul Terrace’), but was demolished in the early 1970s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/37/1 OS map, Down sh 37, 1834
2 Ordnance Survey memoirs of Co Down (IV), ed Angélique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1992), pp.45-6 [Dec. 1836]
3 PRONI VAL/1B/378 First valuation, Down, c.1838
4 PRONI VAL/1D/3/7 First valuation town plan of Downpatrick, c.1838
5 PRONI OS/8/9/1/1-24 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1859
6 PRONI Second valuation, Down, 1863 [in print]
7 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1 Revaluation manuscript books, Downpatrick, 1864-1901
8 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1/1-24 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1864-1901 [12 sheets missing]
9 PRONI OS/8/9/2/1-3 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1901
10 PRONI VAL/12E/120/2/1-3 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1906-35

Secondary sources
1 Archaeological survey of Co Down (Belfast HMSO 1966), pp.401-2. plate 194
2 R.E. Parkinson, ‘The bi-centenary of Down County Infirmary’ 1767-1967 (1967)
3 Lady Dunleath, P.J. Rankin, A Rowan, ‘Historic buildings…Downpatrick’ (Belfast 1970), p.19
4 Anthony M. Wilson, ‘Saint Patrick’s town’ (Belfast 1995), pp.127-29, 155-6, 161, 165, 174, 186, 187, 191, 192, 194, 203, 209 etc.
5 R.H. Buchanan and Anthony Wilson, ‘Irish historic towns atlas no.8: Downpatrick’ (Royal Irish Academy 1996)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Two storey classical style hospital of 1834 by John B. Keane, with mid to later 20th century extensions to the rear. Despite having been altered the hospital maintains its impressive appearance and has group value with the similar former fever hospital that shares the same site.

General comments

This record was previously numbered HB18/19/017.