31 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Relatively plain two storey gabled house of perhaps c.1860s, with simple moulded door and window surrounds. The property is set, free-standing, on the south east side of Main Street, Greyabbey, and is presently derelict.

Front (NW) elevation is asymmetrical. To the right on the ground floor is the entrance doorway with plain pilasters, decorative brackets and cornice and remains of fanlight but no door. Two windows to left of door with simple moulded surrounds and brackets to cills, with three similar unevenly spaced windows to first floor. Remnants of sash frames to windows. Front facade finished in lined render with moulded chamfered quoins. Part of render at right has broken off revealing rubble construction with brick quoins and dressings to door. Eaves course.

SW gable blank and rendered, with render partly broken at ground floor level revealing brick construction (though the interior side of this wall suggests that is mainly rubble built).

Rear has off centre doorway, without door, with a window opening (now blocked) to either side. First floor has two window openings, without frames. Rear finished in plain render.

Roof pitched with Bangor blue slates (some missing) and stone parapets. Two rendered chimney stacks (with render broken on that to SW gable). Remains of cast iron rw goods. Waste ground to immediate SE of house.

This house is derelict and in very poor/dangerous condition and lies open.

Historical information

A building appears to be shown on this site on the OS Maps of 1834 and c.1860, though it is difficult to say if it matches the site of the present exactly. The decoration to the front facade looks mid Victorian and, if original, suggests that this house may not have been standing in 1834, but may be that shown on the latter map or perhaps 1860s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1B/33 1st valuation, Greyabbey, c.1834-38
2 PRONI VAL/1D/3/17 Valuation plan, Greyabbey, c.1838
3 PRONI VAL/2B/3/4 Second valuation, Greyabbey, c.1859
4 PRONI VAL/2D/3/10 Second valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1859
5 PRONI OS/6/3/11/2 Ordnance Survey Maps, 1st Revision, c.1860 Co. Down 11
6 PRONI VAL/12B/23/16a-f Annual valuation revision books, Greyabbey, 1866-1930
7 PRONI VAL/12E/99/1 Valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1906-35
9 UFTM W.A. Green Collection WAG 3038 Photograph of Main Street Greyabbey looking south west

Secondary sources
1 Bob Trayte, "The Greyabbey and village" in 'Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society No.16' (1992), pp.2-4

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Relatively plain storey gabled house of perhaps c.1860s, with simple moulded door and window surrounds. Now derelict.