First Trust Bank (former Trustee Savings Bank)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached multi-bay three-storey Georgian former house, built c.1830, located at the east side of the junction of Castle Street and Marine Highway. Trapezoidal on plan, facing east.

Pitched natural slate roof, rendered gable chimneystacks; painted metal half-round gutters with round downpipes. Walling is painted smooth rendered with V-jointed quoins; first floor sill-course over a banded rusticated ground floor. Windows are square-headed painted timber 6/6 sashes with painted reveals and sills.

Principal (east) elevation is symmetrical, with the exception of blocked carriage arch to ground floor right end, now containing ATM in rendered segmental-arched recess. Ground floor window is replacement top hung casement with sill guards. First floor windows Square-headed painted timber 6/6 sashes to upper floors. Square-headed painted timber raised-and-fielded-six-panel door

South gable is entirely abutted by attached separate property.

Rear (west) elevation was not accessed.

North gable is entirely abutted by attached separate property.

The bank is situated at the junction of two major roads facing the harbour and Carrickfergus Castle.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: Square-headed painted timber 6/6 sashes to upper floors; gd floor top hung (as first survey)
Rainwater Goods: Parapet gutter, cast-iron round downpipes

Historical information

A building similar to the current property appears on the first edition OS map of 1836, with an alley or entry way located to the right. The second edition OS map of 1857 shows a slight addition to the building at the rear elevation. The 1921 edition shows the building to have been enlarged, and the entry built over.

Griffiths Valuation of 1860 records a house, office and yard, occupied by Miss Mary Stuart, which is rented from Alexander Gunning. The ground rent is £15. The entry details a house over the gate way, main return, attachment office, and a [jawpit]. The tenement valuation is £34, and a note at the side reads ‘pantry & kitchen, four rooms under and four above….’

Valuation Revisions dating from 1894 - 1908, lists a house, office and yard. The occupier is William Gorman, the lessor Alex Gunning. The building is valued at £28. An additional entry under the same reference number is a slate and timber yard, also occupied by William Gorman, with the lessor being Robert Gillespie. This property is valued at £6.

The revision book dated 1908 -1915 records a change in occupancy to James Gorman in 1913. The revision book from 1915-1925 onwards sees the slate and timber yard occupied by William Gorman and son, with the property valued at £6.

Information from a member of the public - February 2012:
1901 and 1911 Census returns record that Alexander Forsyth and family live in No 3 Castle Street.
Griffiths valuation in 1861 records a Margaret Jenkins living at No 3.
Note: this information is at variance to the record collated during the Second Survey of this building. It is possible that there may have been a change of house numbering in Castle Street at some stage.

References

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1901-2)
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/22D - Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook (1860)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/7 A-C - (1894-1929)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey late-Georgian former house, now a bank, with a finely detailed Ionic doorcase and blocked carriage arch that is set in the town centre in close proximity to the Norman castle. The interior layout and detailing has been largely changed, however, the building is well proportioned and detailed externally and represents one of the most significant houses in Carrickfergus from this period.