2 William Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Part of a two storey gabled terrace of shops, offices and flats set of the W side of William Street with a return into Corry Street. The entire terrace is built of squared Scrabo sandstone rubble the main roof has Bangor blue slates with four main rendered chimneys. The terrace is generally in good condition, but there has been significant alterations to some of the properties.

HB24/11/009A is a the S end of the terrace, next to the grounds of St. Mark’s parish church. Front E facade has doorway to right with fluted pilasters and moulded semicircular archivolt which encloses a panelled door with semicircular fanlight with ‘spider web’ tracery. Projecting (‘hanging’) sign above doorway. To the left of the doorway are two sash windows with Georgian panes, both set on a cill course with wall and plinth below course finished in plain render. To the first floor are three similar windows also on a cill course.

The S gable is blank except for a narrow window to the left on the first floor, with a modern frame. This gable is rendered.

To the rear there is a full height gabled return which is rendered. Built on to the gable of the return is a large two storey lean to extension in concrete brick. The N facade of the return is completely blank. The rear facade of the main house is rendered and has a window, as front, to the right on the first floor. This facade probably once had small attic windows (as rest of terrace). The ground floor is totally covered with the return (which has a single storey extension to the S facade).

There are two small cast iron skylights to the rear of the main roof. The return roof is Bangor blue slated. Stone parapets. Mixture of cast iron and PVC rw goods.

Historical information

Only part of this terrace is shown on the revised OS Map of 1858-60, possibly Nos.2-4 William Street. The return to Corry Street does not appear to have been built at this date, nor does No.8 William Street.

References- Primary sources.
1 PRONI D.654/LE36A Londonderry Papers- Leases concerning properties with Newtownards, 1674-19[?].
2 PRONI D.654/M36/1-101 Londonderry Papers- Maps of Newtownards, c.1770-c.1940.
3 PRONI Ordnance Survey Maps 1st rev. 1858-60 Co. Down 6.
4 PRONI 2nd (‘Griffith’s) valuation, parish of Newtownards, Corporation North, 1863.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Substantial two (and a half) storey terraced house of c.1840-50 in Scrabo stone, with late Georgian appearance. The front facade is largely intact but there are modern extensions to the rear. The interior layout is altered.