Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/03/024

Address :
First Trust Bank 30 Greencastle Street Kilkeel Newry Co Down BT34 4ND

Townland:
Magheramurphy

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
13/03/2002 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Bank

Former Use
Bank

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
284/8 NW

IG Ref:
J3042 1437

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Owner Category

Financial

Exterior Description And Setting

Free standing two storey (+ attic) bank building in ‘Edwardian Freestyle’, situated on the northern side of Greencastle Street. Double pitch Westmoreland slate roof has red clay ridges. Front ridge runs parallel with façade and is not as long as the rear ridge, which continues to right. Both are hipped and linked at left end. Front roof is stopped at both ends by matching brick chimneys. Each chimney rises from the wall head of each end of the front block, and is linked to the main roof by a small slated gablet. Each chimney is tall and slender and executed in red brick with a finely dressed overhanging stone coping course and four side-vent type pots. Abutting the front side of each chimney and gablet is a flat lead-roofed dormer. Each contains a single casement to front and a second on front facing cheek. There is also a flat lead-roofed dormer on the front pitch containing a pair of painted timber casements. Rear roof has no features of interest but seems to have been extended to its right end (over extended stairwell). Eaves are overhanging and bracketed with a closed soffit, gutters are ogee cast iron. The front block is two storeys high, and the similar rear block continues to right, at front right is a single storey structure, with a pavilion roof, which is topped with a lead-vented finial. The façade of this block is tied into the façade of the front block (but not as wide). Thus the right end of the front elevation is single storey and the left end is two storeys high. Abutting the extreme left end at ground floor is a porch forming the main entrance to the banking hall. There are indications that this is an alteration and that the doorway has been moved at some time from the single storey block of the facade. Three granite steps lead to a large modern pair of eight panelled painted timber doors. Over is a semicircular fanlight. All have a granite surround with hollow chamfer mould, projecting moulded impost, tabled voussoirs, stepped extrados and rusticated keystone; above is a frieze into which the word ‘Bank’ is carved. Modillons to either side of this support an overhanging coping. To right of the entrance porch is the two-storey section of the façade. It is in ashlar granite at ground floor and brick over. At ground floor there is a raised ashlar pilaster to either end, between the two is a high chamfered plinth (at cill level) at meeting rail level of the windows is a moulded string which continues over the pilasters to either end. There are five symmetrical window openings; central one more widely spaced from the others. All are 1/1 (top pane smaller) sliding sashes with flush stooled cill. To left and right of the central window, at top sash, are small decorative granite corbel panels. A single ashlar course over all the windows, meeting pilasters to either end, on which is a modern ‘First Trust’ corporate sign (two ashlar courses deep) a further ashlar course over is coped with a moulded string course upon which the brick of the first floor is laid. Continuing to the right is the single storey portion of façade; it too is ashlar granite faced. Its left end shares a pilaster with the previous block and its right end has a similar pilaster. It is detailed as the previous block with the addition of a block parapet. It has three widely spaced windows, that to centre is infilled to meeting rail level by an ATM including a plastic awning and projecting sign. The left and right windows each have a moulded ashlar cartouche set over their heads. The stone work to the central window has been disturbed, as this is where the entrance was removed. Brickwork at first floor of main block is Flemish bond. On its façade wall are five 1/1 segmental headed sliding sash windows (in line with those on ground floor). Each has a moulded brick hood-mould and a tall narrow granite keystone. The right cheek of this block is abutted at ground floor by the single storey block. First floor wall has a single window (as those to façade but with no keystone) and to its right is a canted timber window recessed flush within a segmental headed opening. The window has decorative leaded glazing and has no hood over. Returning to right of this elevation is the rear pile, which runs behind the single storey block with the pavilion roof. It is in red brick as others but brick to its right third is much smaller and modern, under an extended roof. There is a single segmental headed 1/1 sliding sash window as those to façade but minus the keystone, set to extreme left end. The right elevation consists of the right cheek of the single storey block to left and the two-storey rear block to right. All are executed in red brick; left one is original and right modern. Left block has a granite pilaster to left end (tied into facade) and three plain 1/1 sliding sash windows each with dressed granite lintel. On brick over is a modern applied sign ‘First Trust’ and over is a granite coping to parapet. The right block is two storeys and abutted at ground floor left by a single storey porch with flat concrete roof and pair of stained timber doors on its left (street facing) cheek. Remaining wall is blank but for a 1/1 sliding sash window (both paned equal) at first floor over the porch. Rear elevation is in red brick and informal in composition. It is divided into three bays, central one is narrow with an attic gable and to its right is a similar one. Both have timber bargeboards. Abutting these bays to ground floor is a lean-to return with natural slate roof, red brick walls and numerous sliding sash windows. Centred over at first floor is a pair of segmental headed 1/1 sliding sashes. To each attic gable is a small 1/1 sliding sash window. Left bay is completely abutted by a flat roofed return, which ties into eaves of main roof. Its roof is leaded and has a tall modern brick chimney to left end. Walls are red brick and it has a windowless flat roofed stairwell return abutting to left and two segmental headed windows to first floor. Each contains three narrow fixed panes with small top-hung casements over. The left elevation of the main block is red brick and almost completely abutted to ground floor by the entrance porch in red brick with flat concrete roof, blank façade and modern three casement window to left (rear facing) cheek. Remaining wall at ground floor contains a single 1/1 sliding sash with moulded brick hood. There are four windows to first floor. To left is a window as that to ground floor, and to its right are two similar windows, each diminishing in size and height (cills get higher). To their right is a canted timber window recessed flush within a segmental headed opening. This window was identical to the similar window to other end but has since been replaced in modern timber with plain glass. Front area of the bank, to street is a contemporary screen consisting of a blue brick dwarf wall with heavy chamfered granite coping and above red brick piers with domed caps. Between these are simple vertical iron railings. Garden to rear is now a modern car park, enclosed by a rubble stone wall and railings.

Architects

Fitzsimons, Nicholas

Historical Information

Architect was Nicholas Fitzsimons (1869-c1945), building was built 1913-15. An early illustration shows the entrance located at ground floor right. The door case has since been dismantled moved to its current position at ground floor left. This illustration also shows a third chimney to rear right, now gone. The valuation revision book notes “new bank in progress” in 1915 for the Provincial Bank of Ireland. This was erected on the site of an Orange hall. It appears to have been completed the following year and comprised the bank, manager’s house and offices. Fitzsimons was also a president of RSUA and also designed: Smiley Cottage Hospital Larne (1903), Carnegie Free Library, Larne (1905) and Kilmore House Glenarriff (1907). Sources: 1. PRONI – VAL 12B/19/14E. p.168 (1915 valuation). 2. Larmour P. 'An Edwardian Stylist' Perspective magazine, pp59-61

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation H-. Alterations detracting from building

Historic Interest

V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This building forms an attractive three dimensional composition. A good example of its type and style, using local granite and forming an important feature in the town.

General Comments

Date of Survey

02 September 1998