13 Ferry Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey, 'split level', vernacular 'terrace' house of possible mid 19th century construction, now with modern window frames and concrete tile roof. The building is set on a slope on W side of Ferry Street and is consequently on the same level as the first floor of its immediate neighbour to the S.

Front (east) elevation has a plain timber sheeted front door set at significantly lower level than adjacent windows. The door is reached by climbing four steps, with a landing, set at a right angle to door. Modern two pane timber window to the right and left of door, that to the left being much taller.

A return which abuts the rear belongs to the adjoining property (Slip Inn). To the right is a modern two pane window. To the first floor is one wide flat roofed dormer with two groups of three modern windows.. The dormer is faced with timber sheeting. To the lower ground floor is a plain door which leads into a ‘semi basement) which is a store for the Slip Inn. The rear façade is rendered and painted. Concrete cills.

The exposed north facing gable has two small modern two pane timber windows, with the window to the right much narrower than that to the left. windows.

Eaves course. Prominent electric cabling. Pitched roof with modern concrete ribbed tiles and three brown brick chimneys with matching pots. Cement render gable parapet. Cast iron gutter and down spout.

Historical information

This site appears to correspond to the area marked ‘waste’ by Patrick O’Hare on his map of 1799. There is no building on this site on the OS map of 1834 either. The valuation town plan of c.1861 shows what appears to be this building, which was then split into two properties (then in the hands of a Robert Lowry and a John Jeffrey 'and another'). There was another small dwelling to the south of these (which has now been amalgamated with the pub). By 1902 the two smaller dwellings had been amalgamated to form the present property.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/32/1 OS maps, 1st ed., 1834, Down sheet 32
2 PRONI VAL/1B/37 1st valuation, Ballyphilip, c.1835-38
3 PRONI VAL/1D/3/4 Valuation town plan of Portaferry, c.1838
4 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), p.520-23
5 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ])
6 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1856), p.592-95
7 PRONI OS/8/23/1- OS town plan of Portaferry, 1859
8 PRONI Second ('Griffith's') valuation, 1863 [In print.]
9 PRONI VAL/12E/112/1- Valuation maps of Portaferry, c.1863, with revisions of 1902
10 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1870), pp.341-43
11 PRONI OS/8/23/2 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1874
12 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886)
13 PRONI OS/8/23/3 OS town plan of Portaferry, 1900
14 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 R. Oram, "The Buildings of Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.16' (1992)
5 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

Single storey, 'split level', vernacular 'terrace' house of possible mid 19th century construction, now much alteredwith modern window frames and concrete tiled roof.