28-29 The Square

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Demolished (c.1998) with new building on site by 2000.

When the original building was surveyed in 1997 it was described thus:-

'Two storey terrace block of probable 18th century construction with shop front inserted in the mid 1800s. The property is set within the terrace on the E side of Portaferry town Square.

Front (W) elevation is asyemmtrical. To the ground floor is a left of centre four panel door (to No.29) with plain fanlight and smooth cement door surround. Casement window to left with smooth cement window band. To the right is a shop front (No.28) which has a sheeted timber door to the left and a large timber window with centre mullion. Recessed timber sign board over shop window and door.

First floor has four windows as ground floor of No.29. The front façade is rendered and painted. In/out quoins. No access to rear.

The gabled roof is covered with Bangor blue slates. Cast iron gutter and down spout. Small central red brick single chimney stack to No.29, yellow brick chimney to No.28. No pots to either chimney. Smooth cement render parapet between Nos.28 & 27. Prominent electric cabling between ground and first floor.'

Historical information

A building(s), in then possession of a James Brown, is shown on this site on Patrick O’Hare’s map of 1799. The valuation returns of 1838 tell us that at that stage the site was occupied by an old (probably mid to later 18th century) two storey dwelling in the hands of one Thomas Gelston. It is probable that the 1838 building is substantially the same house we see today.

By 1863 the building had been divided into the two properties (undoubtedly with the insertion of the shop).

This building was demolished c.1998 with a new building on site by 2000.

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
2 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
3 PRONI VAL/1B/37 1st valuation, Ballyphilip, c.1835-38
4 PRONI VAL/1D/3/4 Valuation town plan of Portaferry, c.1838
5 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), p.520-23
6 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
7 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), p.592-95
8 PRONI OS/8/23/1- OS town plan of Portaferry, 1859
9 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1863 [in print]
10 PRONI VAL/12E/112/1- Valuation maps of Portaferry, c.1863, with revisions of 1902
11 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1870), pp.341-43
12 PRONI OS/8/23/2 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1874
13 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886)
14 PRONI OS/8/23/3 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1900
15 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), p.11
2 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

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Demolished with a new building now on site.