Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
1 The Square
Ballyphilip, Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Bank
- Date of construction
- 1920 - 1939
- Address
- 1 The Square, Portaferry, Co Down, BT22 1LN
- Townland
- Ballyphilip
- Council
- Ards and North Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.38194, -5.54638
- Date of survey
- 29 May 1997
- HB reference
- HB24/01/165
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesNational Library of Scotland
Shown on 3 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1891 "Ireland 16" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Two storey Art Deco style bank c.1935-6, built in dark red brick with stone dressings. In true Art Deco fashion the corner of the building is curved. The property is set on the NE corner of The Square, at the junction with High Street.
The front elevation faces S. The main entrance door is to the centre and consists of a panelled door with plain fanlight, stone surround and debased entablature. Steel roller shutter above door. To the far left is another door left, covered with a steel roller shutter. Two windows immediately to the right of this door, grouped and enclosed (with door) within stone surround (fluted piers). These windows have four horizontal panes with two (hopper) opening centre panes in each window. Right hand window cill broken by addition of ATM. Group of three windows to right of the entrance door, as previous. Stone base course. Raised illuminated plastic lettering and projecting sign above window grouping to right. String soldier course in matching brick above all windows on both floors.
To the first floor is a group of three windows to left separated by brick piers with stone cill and projecting lintel. These have sash frames with horizontal astragals. To the centre is a double sash windows with cill and lintel all as before. Three windows to right same as to left. Brick parapet with raised centre feature surmounting stone panel (originally supporting projecting letters spelling Bank’s name), all with stone coping. Two cast iron down spouts and hopper heads.
East facade curves into High Street, with two windows on the ground floor. Single window, on curve, as previous ground floor windows. Gateway to right of window with timber sheeted door and timber sheeting to fanlight over door. First floor has two windows each with single sash frames and all as previous on first floor. Window to left on curve of building.
Historical information
Originally belonging to The Belfast Bank, the building was built in 1936 on the site of the former Nugent Arms Hotel. The Belfast Bank was taken over by the Northern (i.e. Midland) Bank in 1969-70 and the Northern Bank transferred its Portaferry branch to this building in 1972.
References- Secondary sources
1 J.H. Buller, "Banking in Portaferry" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.7' (1983), p.6
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
Fairly plain two storey Art Deco style bank c.1935-6, built in dark red brick with stone dressings.
Nearby in the register
- 36 The SquareHouseunder 1 mi
- 34-35 The SquareOfficeunder 1 mi
- 5-6 The SquareShopunder 1 mi
- 33-33A The SquareShopunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.