65-71 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey gabled terrace with houses, a former inn, and an office, set on the SE end of Main Street Kircubbin.

No.65 is an estate agency. Front NE elevation has an almost central glazed door, a timber panelled door to the left, and a large timber bow window set in a recess, to the right. Large PVC internally illuminated sign above entire length of facade above doors and window. Three sliding sash and case windows to first floor. Internally illuminated projecting PVC sign to right on first floor. Facade finished in rough cast render with smooth cement surrounds to upper floor windows. Exposed gable to NW blank.

No.67 has a smaller facade with a timber panelled door to the far right with smooth cement surround and keystone, a sliding sash and case window, with horizontal astragals, to the left of this, and a large elliptical arch coach doorway with chamfered ‘in and out’ surround and timber double doors. ‘1847’ inscribed in keystone of surround. Three windows to first floor same as ground floor. Facade finished in plain render.

No.69 has panelled and glazed front door with three sliding sash and case windows to right, with four to first floor, but with horizontal and vertical astragals. Narrow smooth cement surrounds to door and windows.

No.71 has a shop front on the ground floor with timber panelled double door and plain fanlight, to the right, and adjoining fixed light shop window and plain stall riser to the left. Door and window each encased with fluted timber pilasters with carved cornice above. First floor has two sliding sash and case windows as first floor No.69.

Nos.69 and 71 were probably originally the one property (as they are now) and both are finished in rough cast render, with quoins to No.71. Due to the fall at the back of this terrace the rear of these properties have an additional level. The rear of No.67 has a small single storey lean to extension, whilst No.69/71 has a full height lean to extension. Modern windows of varying designs and sizes to whole of terrace rear.

Roof of entire terrace pitched with Bangor blue slates to Nos. 65 and 67 with asbestos slates to Nos.69 and 71. Eight uniform brick chimney stacks to whole terrace. Cast iron gutters and down spouts to entire terrace.

Large two storey rubble built out houses to the rear of Nos.67-71.

Historical information

Buildings are shown on much of this site on the OS map of 1834, but the present No.65 may not have existed at this point. The date of 1847 on the keystone of the arch to No.67 could suggest that part of the terrace at least was reconstructed at this point, but without adequate documentary evidence or an investigation of the building fabric, it is difficult to tell. Nos.69 and 71 appear to have been originally one property which functioned as an inn with a spirit grocers (in the shop section). Recently this section housed a draper’s shop and the current owner (1997) wishes to restore the timber shop front and the remaining interior fittings. Locals stated that No.65 served as an RIC station at the beginning of the twentieth century at least (though No.33 Main Street may also have served as an RIC station at some point).

References- Primary sources
1 Pigot & Co.s “City of Dublin and Hibernian Provincial Directory” (Manchester 1824), pp. 417-18. [Description of the town of Kircubbin etc. in c.1824. See also Slater’s “Directory” for 1846, 1856 and 1870, original copies of which are currently held at the Linenhall Library, Belfast.]
2 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Edition, 1834, Co. Down 18.
3 Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991), p. 84-5. [c.1834]
4 PRONI VAL 1B/311A & B 1st valuation, Inishargy, c.1835.
5 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st revision, 1860, Co. Down 18.
6 PRONI 2nd valuation, Inishargy, c.1863.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Neat but varied two storey terrace of early to mid 19th century origin with a largely intact front facade apart from No.65 which is a much altered and modernised business premises. The quaint shop front to No.71 is the terrace’s most interesting asset and may be original.