52-54 Church Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey terrace block incorporating two dwelling houses and a coach arch, all probably dating from c.1840. No.52 was been substantially renovated quite recently and now has modern windows and doors. No.54 is a much smaller property (its facade is roughly half that of No.52) and is lying vacant, though renovation has recently commenced. The block is set within the terrace on the W side of Church Street, with Templecraney graveyard to the immediate S.

The front elevation faces roughly E. No.52 has a Modern timber front door with small glazed panel, to the right of centre on the ground floor. To the far left is another doorway, with plain timber ledged, braced and diagonally sheeted door. This doorway is set within a lower single storey section which may which was a two storey lean-to section when the house was first surveyed in 1970-71. This doorway appears to have been a window. Three unevenly spaced modern top hung timber windows to right of main house doorway, all with simulated astragals within double glazing. The window to the far left used to be a door. Slim concrete cills. Coachway to the right of front door, with double door similar to the first alleyway door at far left. The frame of the coach way door is set on stone and may be original. To the first floor three windows as ground floor. Plain render to front facade, finishing on bellcast above recessed plinth.

No access to rear. The gabled roof is covered with plain concrete tile (?'Redland Mini Stonewall'). Chimney stack mostly rendered but with top three courses constructed in brown brick. PVC gutter, no down spout to front.

No.54 has a dilapidated timber sheeted door to right with plain fanlight. Transom below fanlight has ‘dog’s tooth’ pattern. Doorstep projecting into pavement. Window to left of doorway with with remains of (possibly original) sash frame, with Georgian panes. Stone cill. Plain render facade with moulded quoins. Exposed N gable has small sash window just below eaves.

To the first floor there is a single window opening, now minus its frame. Stone cill. Cast iron down spout. Exposed N gable has small sash window just below eaves.

The gabled roof is covered with recently laid tiles similar to No.52. Lead soakers at junction to No.52. Single red brick chimney stack under construction. PVC brackets, but no gutter as yet. Parapet to gable undergoing renovation.

Historical information

Though this section of Church Street had been largely developed by the close of the 18th century, the site of the above block is shown largely vacant on the valuation map of 1835-38. By 1861, however, both houses are shown (with the present No.52 in the hands of a Robert Baird, with No.54 occupied by a Patrick Baird). Judging from the original simple late Georgian style of both dwellings, it is possible that both may date from c.1840.

References- Primary sources
1 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]
2 Linen Hall Library ‘Pigot & Co.’s Dublin and Hibernian Provincial Directory’ (Manchester 1824)
3 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II', ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991)
4 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
5 PRONI VAL/1B/37 1st valuation, Ballyphilip, c.1835-38
6 PRONI VAL/1D/3/4 Valuation town plan of Portaferry, c.1838
7 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), p.520-23
8 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
9 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), p.592-95
10 PRONI OS/8/23/1- OS town plan of Portaferry, 1859
11 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1863 [In print.]
12 PRONI VAL/12E/112/1- Valuation maps of Portaferry, c.1863, with revisions of 1902
13 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1870), pp.341-43
14 PRONI OS/8/23/2 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1874
15 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886)
16 PRONI OS/8/23/3 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1900
17 UFTM WAG 609, 611, 612 W.A. Green Collection, photographs of Portaferry Quay, harbour, Shore Road etc.
18 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

Two storey terrace block incorporating two dwelling houses and a coach arch, all probably dating from c.1840. Both properties are much altered and have little architectural interest.