57 High Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey terrace house with large dormer, near the S end of High Street.
Front NE facade has ‘Ards’ doorway to left, with ‘blocked’ (Gibbs-like) surround with semicircular arch head. The doorway contains a modern glazed door and plain semicircular fanlight. To the right of the doorway is a window, now with PVC frame. To the first floor are two windows with modern timber frames. The front facade is finished in lined render and painted.

The rear has a dilapidated appearance. To the left on the ground floor is a recent looking timber sheeted door, to the right is a single storey extension with modern window, corrugated iron flat roof and concrete block and brick facade. Directly above this extension (on the main rear facade) is a fixed light window set at an intermediate level. To the left of this (and set at first floor level proper) is a sash window whose bottom pane is now boarded. To the right at attic level is a small window opening, now boarded. The rear facade is finished in plain render.

The roof is gabled and is totally dominated at the front by a large flat roofed dormer constructed and faced in timber. The rear of the roof has Tullycavy slates. PVC and cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

This portion of High street appears to have been occupied by dwellings since the early eighteenth century at least. The present building, however, probably dates from the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The valuation records of c.1836 state that the ‘house and yard’ was in possession of a Thomas Smyth and had a rateable value of £4 14 0. The ground floor of the building has been a dental surgery since the 1960s and has recently been amalgamated with the ground floor of its neighbour, No.55. The flat roofed dormer was added c.1970.

References- Primary sources

1. Map of Donaghadee [?1700]. [This map is curious. It belongs to the owner of the Manor House, Donaghadee, and was believed to have been drawn up by one James Dillon for Daniel De la Cherois in 1780. However, the overall crude style of the piece and the fact that the representations of the buildings (especially the Church) contradict what we know of them at this stage, suggests itis much earlier . This theory appears to be borne out by the fact that the actual date on the map is probably ‘1700’ rather than ‘1780’, a stroke from the ‘7’ passing through the first ‘0’ giving it the appearance of a figure 8. The map has been reproduced for several publications (notably John Stevenson’s Two centuries of life in Down 1600-1800 republished by White Row Press in1990) each of which have accepted the date of 1780 at face value, yet questioned the contradictions in the style and positioning of the buildings.]
2. ‘A map of the town of Donaghadee...’ [c.1771-90]. [This map was prepared for Daniel De la Cherois, who inherited much of the town and its hinterland in 1771. As Daniel died in 1790, the map can thus be dated to some time between 1771-90. At some point someone has written on the map ‘about 1780’, a date which may be accurate.]
3. PRONI VAL 1B/32 p.3 1st valuation, Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee., c.1836. [See also accompanying town plan.]
4. PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1858-60, Co. Down 3.
5. PRONI 2nd (‘Griffith’s’) valuation Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee, 1863. [The town plan for the 2nd valuation is not available at PRONI and therefore it is difficult to match the properties listed in the valuation with actual buildings.]

Secondary sources

1. Hugh Dixon et al Historic buildings, groups of buildings, buildings of architectural importance in Donaghadee and Portpatrick (UAHS 1977), pp.15-16.
2. W.G. Pollock Six miles from Bangor: The story of Donaghadee (Belfast 1975). [This book contains many photographs dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some of which show High Street.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Small much altered two storey terraced house of c.1800 with ‘Ards’-like doorway.