37 The Parade

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Much altered two storey gabled terraced building near the NE end of The Parade, Donaghadee.

This building appears to have begun life (probably c.1820-30) as a three storey house, however, a storey was removed some time after c.1900 (possibly after 1950) and during recent times the whole building has been radically altered both inside and out. The structure has also been amalgamated (both internally and externally) with its neighbour to the NW, to form an altogether plain looking building which is now a social club.

The front NW facade has a right of centre doorway now with a metal roller shutter and ‘folding’ canopy (like a pram hood) over. To the left of this are two small windows (set at a high level) with modern single pane frames. Previous to recent alterations this floor had three larger ground floor windows.

To the first floor are three larger windows with modern frames. A window, formerly directly above the doorway has been blocked up. The front facade is finished in limestone chip render, with a smooth rendered base.

The rear facade has two modern windows to the left on the ground floor and one to the left on the first floor. To the right on the first floor is a doorway leading to a fire escape. The rear facade is finished in rough cast render.

The roof is gabled, covered in concrete tiles and has an overhang at the rear.

To the rear of this building there is the remains of the former Donaghadee railway terminus.

This building is now bland and modern looking and demonstrates virtually nothing of its former appearance.

Historical information

A drawing of The Parade in 1817 by Samuel Delacherois, appears to indicate that this site was then occupied by single (or one and a half) storey dwelling, however, it is difficult to be certain of this. However, on a water-colour of Donaghadee harbour, painted by a D. Kennedy in 1834, this former house, and indeed the entire terrace to which it belongs, is shown.

At the time of the 1st valuation (c.1836) the building was in possession of a William Anderson and had a (not inconsiderable) rateable value of £5 8 0.

When the railway was extended to Donaghadee in 1861 the northern portion of the terrace served as the station, though its front facade remained unaltered, and most un-station-like right up until the closure of the line in 1950. This portion of the terrace appears to have remained a private dwelling throughout this whole period, however.

At some point during the mid twentieth century, possibly after 1950, the top storey of the terrace was removed and in recent times the whole block was acquired by the Meadowbank Social Club and completely renovated.

References- Primary sources

1. Drawing of Donaghadee harbour by Samuel De la Cherois 1817 (This drawing is in possession of the owner of the Manor House, High Street, Donaghadee).
2. Water-colour of Donaghadee Harbour by D. Kennedy, 1834. [Sections of this painting are reproduced in Hugh Dixon et al Historic buildings, groups of buildings, buildings of architectural importance in Donaghadee and Portpatrick (UAHS 1977)].
3. PRONI VAL 1B/32 p.7 1st valuation, Donaghadee parish, Donaghadee., c.1836. [See also accompanying town plan.]
4. PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1858-60, Co. Down 2.
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), p.25. [This book also contains a photograph (from the Welch Collection) of the parade c.1890-1900, which shows this terrace with its original three storeys.]
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 The Parade.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey terraced building with a plain and undistinguished modern appearance. This building is part of a terrace probably dating from c.1820-30, which was originally three storey. The northern half of the terrace served as Donaghadee railway station between 1861 and 1950, but retained its late Georgian facade until recently as did this house, however at some point (possibly after 1950) both the former station and the house were reduced in height to two storeys. In recent times both have been amalgamated internally and completely altered so that the block as a whole is now bland and modern looking with little hint of its age or former appearance.