13-15 Railway Street,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey terraced block of c.1880s (containing two houses) set near the N end of the W side of Railway Street.

The front (E) façade of both properties have a similar arrangement with a doorway to the right encased with pilaster jambs, lintel and cornice, with panelled door to No.13 and modern, partly glazed door to No.15. To the left of each door is a window, with that to No.13 retaining the original opening with chamfered reveal, but with modern frame, whilst No.15’s has been greatly enlarged (and also contains a modern frame. To the first floor are two windows to each property, all now with modern frames. The front façades of the both finished in lined render and painted, with chamfered quoins to the left side of No.15.

The gable of No.15 is also finished in lined render and painted, but has no openings.

To the left side of the rear of No.13 is a two storey gabled return with two first floor windows to the S with modern frames, whilst to the right on the ground floor is a glazed door. To the first floor of the N façade of the return there is a sash window with margin panes and coloured glass. To the first floor of the main façade is a window with a modern frame, with a similar window to the ground floor. The ground floor level of the main façade is largely hidden by a flat roof covering the yard. The gable of the return has a recent window opening to the ground floor. The rear façade of No.13 is finished in rough cast and painted, apart from the gable of the return which is partly cement rendered and partly exposed sandstone.

To the rear of No.15 is a large, modern, single storey, flat roofed extension. To the first floor are two windows with modern frames, with that to the left set at stairwell level. The exposed first floor level is finished in rough cast and painted.

The gabled roof of No.13 is covered in Bangor blue slates with a rendered chimney stack, that to No.15 has asbestos free slates with a concrete brick chimney stack. Two Velux windows to the rear of No.15. Parapet to N on No.13. Both houses have PVC rw goods.

Unsuitable ‘balustrade’ garden wall to front of No.13. Nos.13-15 are slightly taller than No.13 (which was probably built slightly earlier).

Historical information

As its name suggests, Railway Street was laid out in the wake of the arrival of the BCDR line in 1850. By 1858 the northern half of the street itself had appeared as far as where the present No.45 now stands, but no building along it had occurred. Judging by the style of the present terraces, most (if not all) of the construction work took place after 1870 and, with the exception of the semi-detached Andrew’s mill supervisors dwellings at the south end, was complete by 1901. This section terrace is no exception and probably dates from c.1880.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 OS map 1st rev. 1858-60, Down 10.
2 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

Largely plain two storey terraced block of c.1880 containing two houses. No.15 has had its ground floor front window greatly enlarged and has a modern extension to the rear.