1 Cook’s Brae

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey gabled Public house at the S end of the main thoroughfare in the town of Kircubbin, much extended at the rear.

Front NE elevation has left of centre timber panel door with modern two pane timber window to the left and two to the right, with three similar windows to the first floor. The ground floor wall, to the level of its window heads, projects slightly (by about 60cm). PVC internally illuminated projecting pub sign to far left on first floor, with a more traditional projecting pub signs to the centre and far right.

SE gable blank, but has large single storey flat roofed extension partly attached to it at far left side, and an internally illuminated projecting pub sign in the middle of the gable.

NW gable has two first floor windows as front and merges into a large flush two storey gabled return attached at rear which has two modern upper level windows. To ground level of return is the outline of a now blocked coach doorway, with elliptical arch head. To the gable of the return is another long two storey gabled ‘store’ extension with three small modern windows to its upper level.

The gable of the main building, the return and the extension are situated on the slope of a street (which intersects with Cook’s Brae) and are arranged in ‘stepped’ formation (i.e. at different levels). The rear of this building has been greatly extended with a mixture of gabled and flat roofed extensions mainly finished in rough cast with modern windows.

Main building finished in lined render with chamfered quoins and plinth and painted bright yellow.

Roof of main house and return pitched with concrete pan tiles, with three rendered chimney stacks to main house and one to return. Mixture of PVC and cast iron RW goods.

Low rendered curved wall attached to front facade at right.

Historical information

A building matching the main front section of the current, along with a detached block to the rear, is shown on this site on the OS map of 1834. In the near contemporary first valuation this is recorded as a dwelling house in the hands of James and Charles Dorrian and measuring 33ft x 22 x 14½, with 'cellars as stores' of 15½ x 22 x 5½ and 'offices' (i.e. outbuildings - presumably the detached structure) of 24½ x 19 x 14½. The valuers grading system suggests that the building was relatively newly constructed at that point, possibly dating from the previous decade or so. Charles Dorrian is listed as a ‘spirit and porter dealer’ in an 1846 directory, so it is likely that the property acted as a public house at that date at least (and may have always down so.)

The revised OS map of 1860 shows a rear return on the site of the formerly detached outbuildings, with other structures to the southwestern side of the yard, and a detached building fronting on to the roadside which appears to have been another dwelling.

Charles Dorrian is listed as the leaseholder until his death c.1882. In late 1885 the premises (‘an old established house for the general business of a grocer and spirit dealer’) was put up for sale, after which the lease was acquired by Andrew Turney (or Torney). In the 1901 census, Mr Turney (a 64yr old ‘general merchant’) is noted as occupying the house with his wife, Catherine Anne Turney, with the building itself described as a ‘2nd class’ slated or tiled dwelling with 9 rooms in use.

In 1906 Joseph D. Turney is listed as the householder, followed by William Dorrian the following year, who is recorded in the 1911 census as a widowed 50yr old ‘farmer and publican’, living here with his two sons, Patrick Hugh and William John Dorrian. The latter succeeded to the property c.1918 and retained it until c.1922 when it was acquired by (or passed to), Charles O'Flynn, who seems to have held it until at least 1934, by which time the premises appears to have been known as ‘The Tower Arms’.

Unusually, the frontage of the main section projects beyond the upper level. This could suggest that the building incorporates the fabric of an earlier single-storey structure, or that this part of the walling was rebuilt at some point; we do know from the aforementioned census information that the building had five windows in front up until at least 1911, so clearly there have been changes since then.

References- Primary sources
1 OS maps County Series, Down sheet 18 - 1834, 1860, 1900, 1920; IG sheet - 1973
2 PRONI VAL1B/311A & B First valuation, Inishargy parish - c.1835
3 ‘I. Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland…’, (Manchester, 1846)
4 PRONI VAL2B/3/13 Second valuation, Inishargy parish – c.1861
5 PRONI VAL12B/23/19A-E Annual valuation revision books, Kircubbin ED – 1866-1929
6 ‘Belfast News-Letter’ – 18 April 1884, p.8; 30 December 1885, p.1
7 Cenus of Ireland – 1901, 1911 (online at https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/)
8 ‘Belfast Telegraph’ – 13 January 1934, p.9; 1 July 1976, p.24

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey public house of probable early 19th century origin, somewhat altered in recent times with modern window frames, some window openings enlarged, pan tiles to roof and large rear extension. The interior layout appears to have been modified on several occasions and the detailing is plain and recent looking.