15 Bow Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey terrace block with house and shop, probably built c.1780.

Front N facade has a central panelled door with fanlight and sidelights with decorative tracery. To the right are paired sash windows. To the right of the doorway is a shop front, consisting of a recessed glazed door and large fixed light shop window (and fixed light ‘inner’ window). The frame of this window appears to be relatively old, possibly early twentieth century. To the first floor) are three large tripartite sash windows with Georgian panes. The entire front facade is finished in lined render and painted. The area around the shop as its own painting scheme, with the shop name painted above the window.

The rear of No 15 is dominated by a long single storey gabled return which culminates in a two storey gabled section. This large return appears to have been altered in recent times and has modern windows.

Access was denied to the rear of No 17 and it was impossible to observe it due to the close proximity of the return to the rear of its neighbour, however, from what was observed inside the house there was a sash window to the stairwell (to the landing just below the first floor).

The roof of the entire block is gabled and covered in concrete pan tiles, with a small cast iron skylight to front. Two rendered chimney stacks. Cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

This site is shown occupied on Daniel De la Cherois’s map of c.1780 and the owner of No.15 recently uncovered writing on an upper floor wall (now covered) with the date 1786, thus it is possible that this section of the Bow Street terrace dates from c.1770-80. The home bakery section was originally part of the house, however, it appears to have been a shop for most of the twentieth century at least.

The valuation records of c.1836 tell us that the property (then simple a ‘house’) was in possession of a Mrs. Wallace and commanded the substantial rateable value of £10.*

*A handicap encountered during investigations of the history of many buildings within Donaghadee is the fact that the bulk of the De la Cherois estate papers are still within private hands and not available for consultation. A catalogue of the papers is currently [May 1998] being undertaken by Anthony Malcomson of PRONI, but it is unclear whether permission will be given for the transcription of documents.

References- Primary sources

1. ‘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.]
2. PRONI VAL 1B/32 p.3 1st valuation, Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee., c.1836. [See also accompanying town plan.]
3. PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1858-60, Co. Down 3.
4. 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), p.20.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Early two storey terrace house and shop of probable late eighteenth century construction. The front facade of this block still retains its fairly rare Georgian tripartite windows and decorated entrance.