27-31 Irish Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A terraced group comprising two identical three-storey two-bay houses and one attached lower three-storey single-bay house, all dating from the mid C18th and having shop units with replica traditional-style shopfronts at ground floor, and subdivided into flats at upper floors. Rectangular plan.

Pitched natural slate roofs with raised verge to exposed gable end of the taller proportion and two plain rendered chimneystacks having simple caps and multiple pots, also to the taller proportion; the lower unit has no chimneystacks. Downpipes are cast-iron, and gutters appear to be cast metal replacements. There is one cast-iron skylight to the front pitch at the right side. Walling is painted ruled and lined rendered to front, with quoins separating the two volumes. The exposed section of gable and the rear elevations are exposed rubble masonry. Windows throughout are largely (repaired) originals without horns, in plain reveals with painted masonry cills; all first floor windows are 6/6 (those to No.31 are smaller in proportion); those to second floor of No.27 are 3/6; those to the second floor of No.31 are 3/3, with head at eaves level.

Principal elevation faces north-east. Nos 27 and 29 are identical, each having a shopfront with two windows over to each floor. No 31 has a shopfront with single windows over. The three shopfronts step progressively down with the gradient of the hill; each is a traditionally-styled timber-framed replica with variations; that to No.29 has two arched panes with four-panelled timber door and fascia over; No.27 is similarly detailed but with a triple arched window; panelled pilasters throughout. That to No.31 is flat arched, with a six-light window and half-glazed four-panelled door.

The gables are completely abutted.

The rear elevation is accessed from the street via an entry laid with original close-laid pebblestone cobbles. No.27 is abutted by a contemporary link block linking to an original two-storey rubble masony outbuilding; No 31 is abutted by a single-storey lean-to. Openings are varied in size and staggered, all having flat rubble greywacke soldiered lintels, some also with segmental brick relieving arch. Windows to rear elevation generally have exposed sash boxes.

Setting:
The group is set in a terrace in Irish Street, in the commercial core of Downpatrick. They are set on a steep hill surrounded by a variety of nineteenth century buildings; opposite are twentieth-century replacement buildings in a historic pastiche style. Abutting the north-west gable is a third building of similar proportions to the two larger volumes, which is not included in this description. To rear is a two-storey rubble stone outbuilding, with slated roof, timber sash windows and timber sheeted doors. Remains of an additional roofless outbuilding to rear. Rear yard to No.31 bounded by original rubble stone walling.

Historical information

Built c.1770, this row of townhouses is first shown on the first edition OS map (1832-33), having rectangular footprints, and generally having abutting linear outbuildings to the rear plots. Nos.27 & 29 formed part of a cohesive group with the adjoining No.25 to the west. As is shown on the OS Town Plan (1859), No.27 previously contained a cobbled entry-way, which provided access from Irish Street to the shared rear plots, which were lined with outbuildings to the northern end. Hearth (c.1989) notes that Patrick Dorrian, Bishop of Down and Connor, was born in No.27 in 1814.

The Townland Valuations (c.1834) and the associated map show that No.27 was rectangular on plan, with no abutments to the rear and was occupied by a John Lloyd (in conjunction with No.25), the pair having a joint rateable value of £34. Occupied by a Patrick McKeating and having a rateable value of £7 8s, No.29 was abutted to the rear by an associated row of linear outbuildings. With a rateable value of £11 4s and occupied by a Henry McLester, No.31 was abutted to the west-side of the rear by associated outbuildings which extended southwards. The narrow garden plot to the rear of Nos.25-29 was divided into three with No.25 having the most southern section, No.27 the central proportion and No.29 having that to the north-end. The garden plot of No.31 was centrally located in the adjoining strip to the east, along with Nos.33 & 35.

Griffiths Valuation (c.1860) notes that No.29 was valued at £17 and occupied by a woollen draper, Thomas Hanna, followed by a doctor, John McMullan c.1867. The single-bay No.31 was occupied by a butcher Thomas Lloyd and valued at £8 10s, followed by a watch-maker John McBride, c.1871. Although noted as unoccupied, No.27 had become a separate dwelling from No.25 by 1860 and the house and associated outbuildings were valued at £15. The Annual Revision records show that the occupiers of the buildings changed frequently during the latter half of the 19th century, however the rateable valuations were not altered until c.1886. This valuation decline was congruent with other buildings in Irish Street and was not reflective of changes to the physical fabric.

All of the ground floor units fronting Irish Street had become shopped by the late 19th century, with the remaining rooms of each house inhabited by the occupants. Census records (1901 & 1911) show that No.27 was occupied by the building and contractor, Richard McDonald, along with a pair of stores in the rear outbuildings, No.29 was occupied by a merchant tailor Patrick Dorrian and No.31 by an auctioneer, John Smyth.

It remains unclear as to when the entry way at No.27 was removed and replaced with a separate door providing access to the upper floors. Other changes include; the insertion of replacement late 20th century shopfonts to Nos.27-29, the construction of a number of additional buildings to the rear plots, and with the creation of a car park to the south, the subsequent truncation of the rear plots. Nos.27-31 were restored c.1999, comprising a pair of flats and two ground floor shop units (the former shops at Nos.27-29 were converted into a single shop).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/8/9/14 Town Plan (1859)
2. PRONI OS/8/9/2 Town Plan (1901)
3. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/7 Townland Valuation Map (c.1834)
4. PRONI VAL/1/B/378 Townland Valuation (c.1834)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/78C Griffith’s Valuation (c.1863)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/18/7A-K Annual Revisions (1864-1930)
7. Census Records (1901 & 1911)
8. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943)

Online Sources

1. HEARTH (http://www.hearth-housing.org.uk/IrishSt.html)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

Nos 27-31 Irish Street is a mid-eighteenth century (c.1770) group of three terraced houses with shops to ground floor, located in the midst of a group of similarly detailed buildings in the commercial core of Downpatrick. The group is read as two identical two-bay three-storey terraced houses, with attached lower three-storey single bay house. The simple detailing and variation in the roofline is typical of the nineteenth-century streetscape in Ulster, reflected in the Conservation Area status. The group has been sensitively refurbished (with the retention of the original staircase to no. 27 and the reinstatement of traditional joinery detailing including architraves and shutters), and forms an important part of the streetscape. Patrick Dorrian, Bishop of Down and Connor and founder of Milltown Cemetery (HB26.22.002), the first of its kind for Catholic citizens of Belfast, was born in No27 in 1814. The shopfronts, although replicas, are appropriately detailed. Rear elevations, original outbuildings and boundary walls - all characteristic of this C18th street - retain considerable special interest, including evidence of original rubble stone masonry techniques.

General comments

Also HB18/LQ132-1