5 The Strand

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Low proportioned, two storey terrace house of possible pre 1834 construction, now with PVC window frames. The property is set in the terrace fronting The Strand, to the SW of Portaferry town centre.

The front (SW) façade is asymmetrical. To the ground floor is the, almost central, timber panel entrance door with a single window to either side, both now filled with PVC frames. Two similar windows to first floor but shorter (almost square) and very close to eaves. The front façade is finished in plain, unpainted render. Paint used to simulate short plinth.

To the rear there is at least one window to the first and one to the ground floor, both with modern frames. The rear façade appears to be mainly harled.

Gabled roof with Bangor blue slates to front and shaped asbestos slates to rear. Brown brick chimney with uniform pots to gable of No.4. Eaves course, cast iron gutters and down spout.

Historical information

Though the whole of what is now The Strand had been developed prior to 1799 (at least), the valuation maps of of c.1835-38 and 1864 reveal that much of the south east end of the terrace was rebuilt between these dates. This dwelling could be the exception to this rule, however, for its low proportions suggest it is pre mid 19th century. Its dimensions also match those of the building on this site recorded during the first valuation of c.1835 (then occupied by a Peter [?]Hagan).

In 1864 the resident is recorded as one Richard Sloane.

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, 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 UFTM WAG 609, 611, 612 W.A. Green Collection, photographs of Portaferry Quay, harbour, Shore Road etc.
20 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 Dick Oram, "The Buildings of Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.16' (1992), p. 24

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Plain low proportioned, two storey terrace house of possible pre 1834 construction, now much altered and with little architectural interest.