20-22 Main Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey corner terrace block (consisting of a house and shop) of probable pre 1834 construction, modernised in recent years with the introduction of PVC windows and doors and hipped roof dormers. The block is set within the mixed terrace on the north west side of Main Street, Greyabbey, next to the junction of Main Street and the Newtownards Road.

The entire facade of No.20 is finished with limestone chip render with a chamfered plinth to the front. The gabled roof has asbestos cement slates and two recently renovated hipped roof dormers (the hipped roofs have a ‘Chinese temple’ shape). Two pane PVC windows to the dormers. Velux window to the left of the dormers. Single rendered chimney stack to main roof.

The asymmetrical front facade of No.20 faces SE into Main Street and has a slightly right of centre PVC door with plain semicircular fanlight all encased with plain pilasters and moulding to the semicircular arch. There is a stone step to the door. To the left of the door is a two pane PVC window with a narrow smooth cement surround. There is a similar window to the right of the doorway, with a square fixed light shop window. There is a timber and concrete bench (for public use) on the pavement just below the shop window.

To the rear of No.20 is a single storey gabled return with PVC windows.

No.22 is finished in rough cast render. The upper level roof section of the whole of No.22 belongs to No.20 and has similar asbestos slates and has two Velux windows. The ridge of this roof (including the elevation to Main Street) looks as if it has been raised slightly to give greater headroom in the upper level. Because of this, the exposed NW gable is asymmetric and shows signs of having been extended upwards. There is a PVC casement window to the upper level of this gable. PVC rw goods.

The shop door of No.22 is situated on the angled corner of this block, it is similar to the doorway of No.20 but with a partly glazed modern door. Internally illuminated PVC ‘Coca Cola’ signs above door, one of which is projecting, and smaller steel signs to either side of door.

On the NE elevation of No.22 (which faces the Newtownards Road and is situated on a rise), there is a square fixed light window as SE side. There is evidence of a further two smaller windows to the right of this, both of which have been blocked, but whose cills still show. There are various PVC and steel signs to the far left of this elevation, with one of the PVC signs (at least), internally illuminated.

Historical information

Buildings are shown on this site on the 1834 OS map, which probably correspond with those we see today. A photograph of Main Street, dating from c.1920, shows the present No.20 without dormers and No.22 (which was then a house) with its full complement of unblocked windows.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/11/1 OS maps, Down 11, 1834
2 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II', ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1991), pp.67-72 [1834]
3 PRONI VAL/1B/33 1st valuation, Greyabbey, c.1834-38
4 PRONI VAL/1D/3/17 Valuation plan, Greyabbey, c.1838
5 PRONI VAL/2B/3/4 Second valuation, Greyabbey, c.1859
6 PRONI VAL/2D/3/10 Second valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1859
7 PRONI VAL/2B/3/4 Second valuation, Greyabbey, c.1859
8 PRONI VAL/2D/3/ Second valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1859
9 PRONI OS/6/3/11/2 OS maps, Down 11, 1860
10 PRONI VAL/12B/23/16a-f Annual valuation revision books, Greyabbey, 1866-1930
11 PRONI VAL/12E/99/1 Valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1906-35
12 UFTM W.A. Green Collection WAG 3038 Photograph of Main Street Greyabbey looking south west

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Single storey corner terrace block (consisting of a house and shop) of probable pre 1834 construction, much 'modernised' in recent years with the introduction of PVC windows and doors and hipped roof dormers.