Petty Sessions Court

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey five-bay Italianate former Bank, now courthouse; built c.1866 and located to the east of Quay Street in the centre of Bangor. Rectangular on plan with two-storey return to rear.

Hipped natural slate roof with painted render chimneystacks. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods with hoppers on projecting corbelled eaves. Walling is painted render/stucco with quoins (channelled to ground floor). Windows are round-headed 1/1 timber sliding sash to ground floor with projecting masonry sills on console brackets, panelled aprons set in recesses; square-headed 1/1 timber sliding sash to first floor with balustrade aprons and bracketed pedimented tops.

The principal elevation faces west and is five openings wide. Tuscan door-case to centre at ground floor with paired pilasters and plain entablature; cornice extends to form string course between each floor. Three-panelled double-leaf timber door with plain transom light. Disabled access to front and flag-pole to centre of first floor.

The north elevation is blank.

The east elevation has 6/6 timber sliding sash window to right at first floor and modern timber door to ground floor. Abutted to centre by square two-storey return with hipped roof: return having modern timber window to right at first floor and door to left with attached fire-escape; fire-door to right at ground floor. Return abutted to right by single-storey flat-roof extension and to left by single-storey extension having uPVC cupola.

The south elevation is concealed by neighbouring building.

Setting

The courthouse is situated on Quay Street in Bangor town centre, near the McKee clock and overlooking Bangor harbour. Tarmacadam car-park to rear accessed through corrugated metal gate. Bounded to all sides by high painted masonry wall topped with chain link wire fence.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This building was originally a branch of the Belfast Bank, built in 1866 to cater for the expanding population and prosperity of Bangor after the arrival of the railway in 1865. (Lyttle, p.37)

The bank building replaced premises belonging to the Newtownards Mining Company that were used as stores for lead ore. The ore was mined in Conlig and Whitespots and shipped to Flint in Wales for smelting. The mines were sold and closed in 1865. (McCutcheon, p.273; Patton, p.135)

Annual Revisions first record the Bank in the fieldbook dating from 1866 to 1871. It is initially valued at £40 and then raised to £45 in 1870. The building is leased from Robert E Ward. It is noted that the Manager is Albert G Cuthbert. Crosbie and Wilson both carry photographs of the bank, dating from between the 1890’s to c.1916. A photograph dating from the late 1890’s, shows ‘Belfast Banking Co’, carved over the entrance to the building. (Crosbie, p.8; Wilson, p.7, 45)

In 1909 the valuation is raised to £70 and then reduced to £60 on appeal. In 1911 it is raised again to £68 and in 1915 to £100. The valuation town plan dating from 1898 to c.1916 indicates that the bank has been considerably extended to the rear at this period.

In 1952 the Belfast Banking Company, now the Northern Bank, moved to its current premises in the former Market House (HB23/05/001), and the court, which had previously occupied the Dufferin Hall in Hamilton Road, moved to this building. (Patton, p.169)

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
2.PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
3.PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
4.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
5.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
6.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (c.1864-1899)
7.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/2 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (1898-c.1916)

Secondary Sources

1.Crosbie, Jane E.M. “A Tour of North Down 1895-1925, Historic Photographs fro the W.A. Green Collection at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1989
2.Lyttle, W.G. “The Bangor Season, What’s to be Seen and How to See It” Belfast: Appletree Press, Facsimile edition of original published in 1885
3.McCutcheon, W.A. “The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland,” London: HMSO, 1980.
4.Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999
5.Wilson, I “Bangor, Historic Photographs of the County Down town” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1992

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A two-storey five bay Italianate former Bank, now courthouse; built c.1866. The detailing on the façade reflects its robust character as a significant civic building. Although modernisation has taken place with the loss of some original fabric, the architectural detailing is largely intact and the original character has not been lost. The building is an important remnant of the early commercial development of Bangor and also of interest due to the history of its changing use.