1 Ferry Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Relatively small, plain, two storey terrace house, possibly dating from the mid to later 19th century, but whose plain, sharp, appearance could denote an early to mid 20th century remodelling. The property in the terrace on the W side of Ferry Street, with Portaferry Methodist Church to the immediate N.

The front façade faces E and is asymmetrical. To the left on the ground floor is a recent (traditional style) timber panel door with plain fanlight. To the right of this is a paired sliding sash window set on a single cill and separated by a narrow brick pier. To the first floor there are three windows; a single window to the left, and a pair, as ground floor, to right. All first floor windows are set on a cill course. Prominent electric cabling under eaves.

To the rear there is a two storey lean-to extension with window, with modern frame, to first floor. To the left on the main rear façade there is a sash window to first floor. The lower half of the rear façade was obscured from view.

The gabled roof is covered in Bangor blue slates with clay ridge tiles. Velux window to rear. Two rendered chimney stacks, with assorted pots. Cast iron gutter and down spout. Eaves course.

Historical information

A building is indicated on this site on Patrick O'hare's map of 1799. The valuation returns of c.1835 reveal that there was a two storey dwelling present at that stage (then in the hands of a Robert McCappin). Whether this is substantially the same building we see today is impossible to tell from sight alone. Evidence suggests that much of the west side of Ferry Street was rebuilt in the mid 19th century, but the fact that a Barbara McCappin is recorded as resident in the valuation returns of 1861, suggests a degree of continuity regarding the property, indicating that the pre 1835 building was still standing at that date; but whether this is the same house we see today is uncertain, the front façade suggests not and that the present building could be either late 19th or early 20th century.

References- Primary sources
1 Walter Harris, 'The Ancient and Present State of the County of Down' (Dublin 1744), p. 44. [ Harris describes Portaferry as ‘a market town, but irregularly built, and few other than thatched houses in it’.]
2 'Taylor's and Skinner's Maps of the roads of Ireland' (Dublin 1777)
3 PRONI D.552/B/3/3/1 Savage/Nugent Papers: ‘A Plan or Map of the Town of Portaferry’ by Patrick O’Hare, 1799 [The
Savage/Nugent Papers contain many documents relating to Portaferry and the surrounding area]
4 Linen Hall Library ‘Pigot & Co.’s Dublin and Hibernian Provincial Directory’ (Manchester 1824)
5 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II', ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991)
6 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
7 PRONI VAL/1B/37 1st valuation, Ballyphilip, c.1835-38
8 PRONI VAL/1D/3/4 Valuation town plan of Portaferry, c.1838
9 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), p.520-23
10 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
11 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), p.592-95
12 PRONI OS/8/23/1- OS town plan of Portaferry, 1859
13 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1863 [In print.]
14 PRONI VAL/12E/112/1- Valuation maps of Portaferry, c.1863, with revisions of 1902
15 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1870), pp.341-43
16 PRONI OS/8/23/2 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1874
17 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886)
18 PRONI OS/8/23/3 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1900
19 PRONI VAL/12E/112/2- Valuation maps of Portaferry, 1902, with revisions of 1935

Secondary sources
1 G. Philip Bell, C.E.B. Brett, Sir Robert Matthew, 'Ulster Architectural Heritage Survey: Portaferry & Strangford'
(Belfast UAHS 1969)
2 PRONI Portaferry: Sources for Local History (PRONI ?1970s)
3 Sr. Mary Mercy (nee Isobel Cummings), "Memories of Portaferry in the early years of this century" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society, No.10' (1986), pp. 21-24
4 Jack Orr, "The Postal Service in Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No. 11' (1987), pp. 2-4
5 R. Oram, "The Buildings of Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.16' (1992)
6 Harry Murray, "Ferry Street in the 1990s" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.18' (1994), p. 10

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Plain, two storey terrace house which may date from the later 19th or early 20th century with little architectural character.