RUC Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, plain two storey gabled house of perhaps c.1860-70, now a police station, with a small single storey section to the north east. The property is set on the south east side of Main Street, Greyabbey.

The front facade and gables are finished in rough cast render, the rear is unrendered revealing rubble construction with brick dressings to openings. All , but the chimneys to the main building have been removed. Cast iron rw goods.

The front NW elevation of the main (two storey) portion of the building is symmetrical and has a central timber panelled door with plain fanlight all encased with plain pilasters, entablature and cornice. To either side of this are two sash windows with wrought iron bars in front of each. There is another similar window to the single storey section to the left (NE). The first floor has five evenly spaced sash windows, with single horizontal astragal to each sash.

Both gables are blank, with the single storey section attached to the NE gable.

To the rear there is a central single storey gabled return with decorative barges. There is a plain modern security door to the SW side of the return, with a modern PVC window to the NE side. To the left of the return (on the main building) are two windows to the ground floor, much as ground floor front, but with that to the far left slightly narrower. To the right of the return is a modern PVC window. To the first floor are four windows. The window to the far left is smaller than the rest and has a modern frame, the second from the left and that to the far right are similar to the ground floor front, but smaller, and the centre window is also sash but has an elliptical arch head with margin astragals. Roof of return is gabled and covered with Bangor blue slates; PVC rw goods.

Elliptical archway (leading to rear) to SW gable. Modern security chain link fence supported on tubular framing, around front. Security glass to windows. Tall free-standing flag pole to front, very tall radio mast to rear.

Historical information

This building does not appear to be shown on the 1834 or c.1860 OS maps and probably dates from c.1870. The metal shutters to the front windows suggest that it has been a police station for most of the twentieth century.

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

Large, plain two storey gabled house of perhaps c.1860-70, now a police station, with a small single storey section to the north east.