35-37 High Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Pair of two storey terrace houses of probable pre 1834 origin, now greatly altered. The properties are situated at the SW end of a terrace on the NW side of High Street, to the W of Comber town centre.

No.35 is to the NE. Its front (SE) façade has a modern panelled and glazed door to the left on the ground floor, with an enlarged window opening to the right with PVC frame (all windows have similar frames). To the first floor are two smaller windows.

To the right at the rear there is a large, full height, modern flat roof extension with modern windows and door. To the left of the extension (on the main rear façade) is an enlarged window to the ground floor and a smaller window to the first floor. The façade is finished in a Tyrolean render and painted. The gabled roof is covered in natural slates with a brick chimney stack and rendered parapet to NE. PVC rw goods.

No.37 has a modern panelled and glazed door to the right on the ground floor. To the left of this is an enlarged window with PVC frame (all windows have similar frames). To the first floor is another enlarged window. There was originally a window to the right as well but this has been blocked up.

To the left at the rear there is a large, full height, modern flat roof extension with modern windows and door. To the right of the extension (on the main rear façade) is a small window to each floor. The façade is finished in a Tyrolean render and painted. The gabled roof is covered in natural slates with a brick chimney stack and rendered parapet to SW. PVC rw goods.

Historical information

This site is shown occupied on the 1722 map and all other available maps thereafter. The 1834 valuation states that this end of High Street (then named ‘Cow Lane but somewhat erroneously named ‘Mill Street’ on the 1834 OS map) possessed ‘23 houses exempt’ (i.e. under rateable value). It is likely that the two properties described above belonged to this group of 23 and probably date from the late 18th or very early 19th century.

The front windows to both properties were enlarged in the early 1970s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.654/M1B/2 Londonderry Papers- ‘Survey of the town, tenements and parks of Comber…1722’.
2 PRONI D.654/M54/2, 8, 9, 14 Londonderry Papers- Maps of Cow Lane 1793-1810. [High Street was known as Cow Lane in the 18th and early 19th centuries.]
3 PRONI VAL 1B/316A p.67 1st valuation, Comber, 1834.
4 PRONI OS/1/3/10 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
5 PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 OS map, 1st rev. 1858, Down 10.
6 PRONI 2nd valuation, Comber, 1861. [In print in PRONI search room and in the Linen Hall Library- the town plan to accompany this valuation is missing making identification of owners of properties largely impossible.]
7 PRONI OS/2/3/10 OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Pair of small, two storey, terrace houses of probable pre 1834 construction. Originally vernacular in appearance with fieldstone rubble walls, both properties are now greatly altered with windows enlarged, modern doors and window frames installed, large modern returns added to the rear, and the façade completely rendered.