Ulster Bank

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey bank of c.1920 set in the middle of the terrace on the W side of New Street, with a ‘late Edwardian’ facade.

The ground floor of the front (E) facade is faced in Portland stone with a granite base. To the left is a tall elliptical arch headed entrance with panelled door and fanlight, all topped with a large cornice hood on curved brackets with decorative keystone. To the far right is a similar styled arched window (mullion and transomed) with ATM below. Two large mullioned and transomed windows to the centre. Internally illuminated projecting PVC bank sign to left of window to far right.

To the first floor are two shallow bowed oriel windows (both set within slightly projecting outer bays), with stone mullions and transoms. Between these are two mullioned and transomed windows with stone dressings and ‘open’ pediments with decorative carving to ‘tympanum’. All first floor windows are set on a cill course. Projecting bank sign between windows.

The outer bays to the second floor are topped with Jacobean gables and each contains a mullioned and transomed window with stone ‘in and out’ dressings and decorative curled ‘entablature’. Between the outer bays is a three light window with stone dressings and mullions. All second floor windows set on a cill course.

The upper floors are mainly finished in pebbledash with stone quoins, a dentilled eaves course. Coping to Jacobean gables.

The exposed section of the N gable is rendered and has a relatively small window to the left on the second floor, now with a modern frame. The S gable is blank.

The rear facade is difficult to observe, however to the centre is a large three storey gabled return with a shallower full height stairwell projection to the right (S) of this with a hipped roof. The stairwell projection has as a mullioned and transomed window to each upper level and there is a sash window to the uppermost floor of the return gable with a large modern window to the first floor. There is a small sash window to the right of the upper most floor of the S side of the return and there appear to be several small window openings to the upper floors of the N side of the return, as well as a doorway (reached via a metal staircase) to the first floor. To the left side of the large return there is a full height projection with a mullioned a transomed window to each of the upper floors. To the left of this projection (on the rear of the main building) is a sash window to the uppermost floor and a sash-like (possibly modern) window to the first floor.

At ground floor level to the right side of the rear, the return and projection appear to be connected with a single storey flat roofed section. The rear is finished in lined cement render. The return roof has an extremely tall chimney stack.

The main roof is gabled and covered in Bangor blue slates. There are two (gable) chimney stacks with stone quoins and dentilled corbelling.

Historical information

This bank opened in early 1921, replacing the Ulster Bank’s previous Donaghadee premises on the opposite side of New Street. This building may be a remodelling of an earlier structure for a three storey house is clearly shown on this site in some photos which date before this time.

Like its contemporaries, the bank manager’s living quarters were contained on the upper floors.

Primary sources
1. UFTM WAG 928 W.A. Green Collection Photograph of Donaghadee from the harbour c.1910.

Secondary sources
1. Decades of the Ulster Bank (Belfast 1965), pp.149-50.
2. Hugh Dixon et al Historic buildings, groups of buildings, buildings of architectural importance in Donaghadee and Portpatrick (UAHS 1977), pp.20-21.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Good example of an intact three storey Edwardian bank possibly based on the remodelling of a nineteenth century house.