Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/07/005 A

Address :
Downshire Arms 28 Main Street Hilltown Newry Co Down BT34 5UJ

Townland:
Carcullion

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
22/09/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hotel

Former Use
Hotel

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
253/16

IG Ref:
J2116 2894

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

Left (W) of a pair of two- storey early 19th C buildings at NE corner of Main Street / Rathfriland Road junction in centre of Hilltown. Both were extensively refurbished c.1993. This block comprises original inn, and right (E) block (HB16/07/005C) is the former market house (with court house above), all now amalgamated into present hotel. Yards to the rear of this block are HB16/07/005B. Two storey (+ basement and attic)/ three bay building with pitched natural slate roof. Semicircular steel gutters on two stage rendered eaves course, and down pipes to either end of facade. Chimney to west gable and another to centre of ridge. Both are painted smooth cement rendered with a projecting coping. To centre of front pitch is a small dormer window, with segmental leaded roof and leaded cheeks. It has a pair of small 1/1 sliding sashes to front. There are two similar dormers on rear pitch. Walls are painted smooth cement. To ground floor centre an arch carries the pavement over external basement passage to former entrance to inn (now disused). Painted reproduction six panelled door (top two smaller) with raised and fielded panels. It is flanked by plain sidelights (with timber apron panels) and has a three paned semi-elliptical headed fanlight (all modern). To left and right are wrought iron boot scrapers. Left and right bays at ground floor each have a set of tripartite windows, each consisting of a 6/6 sliding sashes flanked by 2/2 sashes, all in a single opening with finely dressed granite cill. There is a single window to left and right bays at basement level. Each is a 3/3 sliding sash with exposed dressed granite jambs, lintels and cill. Both have modern metal security bars over. There are three equally spaced first floor windows, one to each bay. All are 3/6 sliding sashes with granite cills. On wall over central window is a wrought iron bracket from which hangs a modern timber sign. Basement to front elevation is paved and accessed by a metal ladder at left (west) end. It is enclosed to left and right bays by a rendered and painted dwarf wall with rounded coping with curved sweeps to either end and around central door. This wall supports iron railings with cast iron mouldings to base and head, and plain finials. Left gable fronts Rathfriland Road. It is rendered as façade. At basement left is a modern flush timber fire escape door with steps rising from its right up to street level. Over it is a modern electric light. At ground floor left is a 6/6 sliding sash and directly above, on first floor, is a 3/6 sash. Remainder of gable is blank. Continuing to left is the right cheek of the rear return. It has no basement. At ground floor is a 6/6 sash at ground floor with a 3/6 sash above (for remainder of rear return see below). A dwarf wall and railings as those to façade enclose this elevation, with a small integrated gate to right corner (serving basement steps). Rear elevation is abutted to right by a two storey rear return. The remainder (and part of the East Block) is abutted by a modern single storey flat roofed extension. The remaining wall to first floor is painted smooth render and has two doorways, each containing a pair of modern French windows which lead onto the extension roof. The extension has a leaded roof and a wide modern timber canted bay window to yard. Its roof is enclosed by a modern reproduction Georgian balustrade with matching metal escape stair falling to right. At ground floor a flight of concrete steps leads down right to a modern basement door below the extension, and a second flight rises left to a ground floor left door. The rear return (at right of rear elevation) has a pitched natural slate roof (right pitch, as viewed from rear, is longer than the left) with rendered chimney on rear gable. Eaves, gutters and walls are as main block. Its left cheek is abutted to ground floor by the extension and has a modern vent at first floor. Its rear gable has a fixed 3x2 paned window (opening is same size as a 3/3 sash) to first floor centre. Right gable forms party wall with second building. For description of yard and outbuildings see HB 16/07/005B. For description of Market House see HB16/07/005C.

Architects

Duff, Thomas

Historical Information

Plans were drawn up for an inn at Hilltown around 1801 but never enacted (the design was redeployed at Banbridge). There is definitely no hotel or market house shown on a large-scale map of 1803. There is a plan of proposed alterations to the inn at Hilltown by Robert Sharlan, supposedly dated 1805 (this date is in the PRONI catalogue, but not on the actual document). However, it is possible that this manuscript relates to revisions of a plan that was never implemented. According to Rankin, the inn actually dates from 1815 and was constructed by Robert Magill. It apparently collapsed in a storm and was rebuilt in 1818. Both this building, the market house (HB16/07/005C) and associated outbuildings (HB16/07/005B) are shown on the 1834 valuation map. The inn is cited in the 1835 valuation, and it was then occupied by Patrick Cowan. It is cited as a hotel in the c.1861 valuation, under Hugh Hall. Primary Sources: 1. Plan of the [proposed] inn at Hilltown, c.1801 (PRONI: D 671/P7/2). 2. Map of Carquillan, 1803 (PRONI: D671/M1/21). 3. Robert Sharlan, ‘Plans and estimate for a new inn at Hilltown’, 1805 (PRONI: D671/p7/5). 4. Valuation map, 1834 (PRONI: VAL 1D/3/10) 5. First valuation book, 1835 (PRONI: VAL 1B/354. P.29). 6. Two photographs dating from 1950s in N.I. Architectural Archive, 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast. 7. Two Photographs of facades dated c.1978 in Architectural Archive. Secondary Sources: 1. P.J. Rankin, ‘Buildings of Hilltown and Rathfriland’ (Belfast 1978), p.20. 2. M. Jope (ed), ‘An Archaeological Survey of County Down’ (Belfast 1966), p.415.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

Although these buildings (the group including HB/16/07/005,B,C) have been gutted they retain a great visual presence and form, with St John’s Church opposite, a very important architectural focus for the town. Their historic and social importance also add to their merit in respect of listing.

General Comments

Date of Survey

16 March 1999