Public House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

In October 2005 this buiding was recorded as demolished and replaced with a large apartment block.

At the time of the Second Survey it was recorded as: Large, two storey terrace public house possibly dating from c.1870 and originally several separate properties. The building has been altered somewhat in recent years and has large modern extensions to the rear. The pub is set at the junction of Shore Road and Cook Street, on the southern outskirts of Portaferry.

The front façade faces W and is asymmetric. Pub doorway to left of centre with timber panel door and plain fanlight all enclosed with plain pilasters, entablature and cornice. Large six pane timber window to left with moulded ‘v’ jointed pilaster surround (which joins to plinth at base forming a kind of ‘recess’) and moulded segmental arch with keystone above. Modern canopy like PVC (‘pram hood’) awning above this and all ground floor front elevation windows. Two sets of paired timber sliding sash and case windows to right of pub door with surround to first pair as window to far left. Timber panel door with plain fanlight to far right.

First floor has windows similar to right on ground floor with a pair of windows at the far left, a single window, another pair in the centre and a pair and a single window to the right. The first two pairs and the first single window (i.e. those to the left and centre) all have plain pilaster surrounds set on plinths, with moulded elliptical arch heads with keystone above window openings. Two traditional style projecting pub signs to far left and centre left on first floor with internally illuminated projecting plastic sign to far right.

N elevation is set on the slope of Cook Street and a large ten pane timber window to left of ground floor set between ‘v’ jointed pilasters stretching to ground, with a segmental arch moulding above. Smaller two pane window to right with similar surround. Two sliding sash and case windows to first floor with plain pilaster surrounds with entablature and pediment. Large timber pub sign between first floor windows with air vent below. Gable has adjoining modern (mainly) mono-pitch extension with a large twelve pane timber window to right, with pilasters as ground floor previous and ‘v’ jointed entablature. Small two pane timber window to left with similar surround, though ‘pilasters’ do not stretch to ground. Quoins to north west corner of extension, red brick chimney close to middle of extension roof.

E facade of extension has modern three pane timber window and timber panel and glazed door. Door is set in smaller lean-to extension to S end.

Rear of main building has a large flat roofed extension with various modern timber windows and doors, with another small lean-to extension to left.

Roof of main building is gabled and covered with Bangor blue slates and four yellow brick chimneys with simple corbelling and a varying number of pots to each stack. Cement render parapets, cast iron gutter and down spouts to front elevation, PVC to rear. ‘Gable’ extension roof has composite slates.

Historical information

Site shown on Patrick O’Hare’s 1799 map, which, according to the accompanying schedule was due to be built upon by one Jonathan Mullan. The present buildings may be early to mid nineteenth century, and were undoubtedly two separate properties. The ‘heavy’ decoration to the windows to the west side of the building may not be original.

The public house was demolished by October 2005 and replaced with a large apartment block.

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 UM W05/82/3 Welch Collection, photograph of the shore front, Portaferry etc.
19 PRONI VAL/12E/112/2- Valuation maps of Portaferry, 1902, with revisions of 1935

Secondary sources
1 St. Patrick’s Church Ballyphilip 1762-1962 [Souvenir booklet] (Portaferry, 1962), pp.32-33, 39
2 G. Philip Bell, C.E.B. Brett, Sir Robert Matthew, 'Ulster Architectural Heritage Survey: Portaferry & Strangford'
(Belfast UAHS 1969)
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.9' (1986), p. 23
4 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

Site of a former large, two storey terrace public house possibly dating from c.1870 and originally several separate properties.