16A/16B Ballynahinch Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

End of terrace three-bay two-storey stone and brick townhouse, built c.1780, with front railed area and modern two-storey return. Rectangular on plan facing south formerly part of a single large house with Nos. 18 (HB19/05/045B) and 20 (HB19/05/045C) Ballynahinch Street. Extensively renovated during the last decade and divided into two seperate dwellings, one to each floor.

Pitched natural slate roof with black clay ridge tiles and three rendered chimneystacks with terracotta pots. Cast-iron guttering on iron brackets. Rubblestone walling with redbrick surrounds to all openings, render plinth course and rough-hewn squared red sandstone quoins to the south end. Square-headed window openings formed in redbrick with painted masonry sills and original 6/6 timber sash windows.

Front elevation is six windows wide with a former carriage arch to the southern bay, now built up in redbrick and a three-centred arched door opening formed in brick with tripartite timber doorcase. Flat-panelled timber door with brass furniture flanked by pair of leaded Art Nouveau sidelights, lintel cornice and leaded fanlight over. Door opens onto front granite paved area with pair of wrought-iron bootscrapers and small front area enclosed by decorative cast-iron railings on low render plinth wall.

West gable is rendered to the ground floor, rubblestone above with a former window opening to the first floor (now filled in redbrick) and a single window opening at attic level with timber casement window.

Rear elevation is rendered and abutted by gable-ended two-storey return having timber casement windows. Original multi-pane timber sash windows to the rear elevation and a flight of concrete steps to the return.

East side elevation abutted by adjoining property No.18 (HB19/05/045B)

Setting:
Forming part of a terrace of three similar houses, reported to have once been a single dwelling, lining the west side of Ballynahinch Street. Small rear paved yard enclosed by timber picket fence with remainder of plot now used as parking for a modern development of houses.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Rubblestone / render
Windows Original 6/6 timber sash

Historical information

No. 16 Ballynahinch Street first appears on a c. 1800 map of Hillsborough where it is depicted as a small oblong building situated next to the grander Nos. 18 and 20 which were constructed around the same period; the map also depicts a small out office to the rear of the house. The Townland Valuations of the 1830s record that the house was valued at £12 and was occupied by a Mrs Amelia [Stackpole].

Between c. 1830 and 1861 the house came into the possession of a Mr. Alexander McDonnell, who resided in the house until that year when the house once again changed hands to a Mr. Thomas S. Howe, a Justice of the Peace for County Down. Griffith's Valuation tells us that the house was increased in value to £17 by 1861 when the valuer described it as a 1B+ two-storey dwelling which measured 18yds by 6yds and possessed a coach arch (which has since been blocked up). Thomas Howe occupied No. 16 Ballynahinch Street until 1871 when it passed to a Mr. Samuel [Hutton]. Over the next thirty years No. 16 changed hands a number of times; a Mr. George Knox, who the Ulster Towns Directory stated was a member of the gentry, came into possession in 1880 (Ulster Towns Directory, 1880). William Crosby became the new owner in 1890 and was followed by the Rev. R. [Mears] (1895) and Robert Hanna (1896); William George Maginess, a local solicitor, occupied the house from 1900.

The 1901 Census tells us that William George Maguinness (37) lived at No. 16 with his wife Mary (37) and his three children. The census enumerator described the house as a 1st class dwelling which consisted of 13 rooms; the out office at the rear of the building was used as a stable and a cow house. The 1907 Ulster Towns Directory tells us that Maguinness owned offices in Lisburn but by 1911 the census of that year simply recorded his occupation as ‘labourer’ (Ulster Towns Directory, 1907). Maguinness continued to occupy the house until 1918 when it fell vacant and was then occupied in 1919 by Samuel Hutchinson who was the last occupant of the house recorded in the Annual Revisions which ended in 1930.

Barry states that No. 16 Ballynahinch Street was originally constructed c. 1780 along with Nos. 18 and 20 which were used as a residence for the Marquis of Downshire’s agent and later converted into offices for the administration of the Downshire estate Barry, pp 39-40). No. 16 was listed in 1976; NIEA records state that the house is now named ‘Combermere House’ (NIEA File). Since that time the house has been converted into a set of two flats, one to each floor. Repairs were carried out to the house in 1985 and in 2007 the render of the front of the house was stripped and the stonework was repainted; this work exposed the blocked up carriage arch and also a blocked up window to the west gable of the former Estate office.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI D671/M/8/25 – Hillsborough Map c.1800
2. PRONI D671/M/8/57/1 – Hillsborough Illustrated Map 1803
3. PRONI VAL/1/B/344 A-B – Townland Valuations 1834
4. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/5 – Town Plan 1834
5. PRONI OS/6/3/14/1 – First Edition OS Map 1834
6. PRONI OS/6/3/14/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1858
7. PRONI OS/6/3/14/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1902-1903
8. PRONI OS/6/3/14/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-1920
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/45A-C – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14A – Annual Revisions 1864-1879
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14B – Annual Revisions 1880-1889
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14C – Annual Revisions 1890-1908
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14D – Annual Revisions 1909-1928
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14E – Annual Revisions 1928-1930
15. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
16. Ulster Towns Directory (1880; 1907)

Secondary Sources

1. Barry, J., ‘Hillsborough: A parish in the Ulster plantation’ (3rd ed.), Belfast, Universities Press., 1982.
2. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in the towns and villages of Mid Down: Hillsborough, Dromore, Dromara, Ballynahinch, the Spa, Drumaness and Saintfield’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1974.
3. Walker, S., ‘Hillsborough: An illustrated history and companion’ Belfast: Cottage Publications, 1994).
4. NIEA File – HB19/05/045A.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

End of terrace three-bay two-storey stone and brick townhouse, built c.1780. The house has good Georgian proportions, original windows and external detailing. Although extensive renovation during the last decade has resulted in the loss of interior fittings and the external render, it still retains its character and forms part of a group of three similar houses, formerly part of a single large house with Nos. 18 (HB19/05/045B) and 20 (HB19/05/045C) Ballynahinch Street, built as a residence for the Marquis of Downshire’s agent.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB19/05/045
Listing Criteria R & S also apply.