36 The Square

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey Neo-Georgian Bank with manager’s house of c.1918-30, in red brick with painted Portland stone dressings. The banking hall is no longer used. The building, which is basically L-shaped, is set on the northeast corner of the Square (end of the terrace) leading into High Street and Meeting House Street.

The front elevation faces W. To the right side is a large, full hight gabled bay. To the ground floor of this is the main house door, with two windows to the right of this. The door is six panelled with a stone surround and an Adam- style ‘spider web’ leaded fanlight. Stone keystone feature to flat arch above door. The windows are of Georgian proportion, sash with horns and astragals (6 over 9). Cill course and string course between ground and first floors. Quoins with alternating stone and four courses of brick.

The entrance porch to the bank is set in the crux of ‘L’ shape, to the N side of the bay. This porch has a stone door surround surmounted by pediment and parapet. Six panelled door. Tripartite window with stone surround and piers, surmounted by a stone entablature. Mullioned transomed windows with top hung top openers. Cill course and string course as before. Cast iron corner protector. Original bronze night safe below window.

To the first floor of the bay are three windows as directly below, but reduced in height with 6 panes in both sashes. The bay is topped with a stone bordered pediment with brick to tympanum. Recessed cast iron downspout. To the left of the bay are three windows bay itself. Eaves course. Projecting stone cornice at eaves, now capped with lead.

N elevation is gabled and finished in similar fashion to the bay. It has a large tripartite window to ground floor, as in ground floor left of W elevation. To the first floor are two windows as front. Pediment similar to west elevation.

Window similar to rest of first floor in north elevation of projecting bay (i.e. directly above the entrance porch).
The E elevation is completely covered in Bangor blue slate cladding. To the left is a single storey mono pitch return. The N face of this projection is obscured from sight. To the immediate right is a single storey flat roofed extension which steps in on the right side. To the right side is of this is a window opening with a steel frame.

To the centre of the main rear elevation is a two storey flat roofed extension with one central first floor window. This return is lower than the main elevation. To the far left of the first floor are two sash windows and to the immediate right is a further sash window which is narrower and taller than previous. Above the two storey extension are two small high level windows while to the right is a sash window as before.

The gabled roof is covered with Bangor blue slates. Two Velux windows to rear (E) side of roof. Stone parapets to gables, with that to N now topped with lead sheeting. There are three red brick chimney stacks with decorative reeded band to cap. Matching chimney pots.

Historical information

This former bank, with manager's house, was built in c.1918 by the Northern Banking Company. It survived as a branch until c.1969-70, when The Northern Bank merged with The Belfast Bank and the moved to the latter's premises on the other side of The Square.

References- Secondary sources
1 J.H. Buller, "Banking in Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society, No.7' (1983), p.6
2 R. Oram, "The Buildings of Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.16' (1992), p.26

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Well proportioned and detailed two storey Neo-Georgian Bank with manager’s house of c.1918-30, in red brick with painted Portland stone dressings. The banking hall is no longer used, but the whole building is still largely intact.