Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/08/008

Address :
Former Market House Church Square Rathfriland Newry Co Down BT34 5PT

Townland:
Cross

---

Survey 2:
B1

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

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Recreational Club

Former Use
Market

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
253/3

IG Ref:
J1995 3363

---

Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

Two storey 18thC market house with post-WW2 extension to each gable. Additions have been constructed sympathetically to compliment the original building. Building aligned N/S in centre of Church Square with front elevation facing E. The main block has pitched natural slate roof with granite ridge pieces and rendered skews. Cement dashed chimney (with projecting cap and no pots) to each gable. Metal half-rounded gutter on granite ogee moulded eaves course with metal downpipe to left of façade. Walls have an irregular rendered base course and are cement wet dashed with exposed granite V-channelled stepped granite quoins. Three equally spaced semicircular headed archways to ground floor of front elevation. All are dressed with stepped granite quoins and voussoirs. Left one has modern painted plywood door, with matching side panels and security glazed three paned transom above. Central one is completely filled by a t+g sheeted timber vehicle door. Right one is infilled and dashed as walls. First floor has three equally spaced window openings aligned with ground floor archways. All windows are timber 8/8 margin paned sliding sashes with granite cills (as are rest to all of first floor unless otherwise stated). Moving around left corner to S gable. This is abutted by the S (1951) addition, which is slightly narrower and lower than the main block (as is the N addition). This addition has a pitched natural slated roof with boxed eaves and soffit, and rendered skew. Gutters as main block. All details to openings, corners and reveals are as main block, but executed in cement render rather than in granite. Right cheek of this addition (forming part of the E elevation of the whole composition) has an archway as those main block, but infilled and dashed, with t+g sheeted timber door to centre. Centred above, at first floor, is a single window opening containing a pair of 1/1 margin paned sashes. Metal downpipe / soil pipe to right on this elevation S gable has 2 infilled archways each containing a post-WW2 metal window (3x4 paned) In line on first floor are two windows. Set in wall between them is a polished granite plaque depicting the Meade family crest (a 2-headed eagle) flanked by 19 + 51; below are initials J W M. The left cheek of the S addition forms part of the overall W elevation. It has an infilled archway inset with small post-WW2 metal casement window (2x3 paned) with a concrete cill. Single window above to first floor. Metal weighbridge to front of gable (Avery/ Birmingham, England.) W elevation of main block is identical in composition to the east elevation with the following exceptions. The left archway is infilled and dashed and contains an 8/8 margin paned sliding sash (as those to first floor). The central coachway is filled by a painted t+g sheeted vehicle door. Right archway is infilled and dashed with a 2x3 paned post-war metal casement window. Three windows above as E elevation. N gable abutted by 1951 addition. Its left cheek has infilled arch to ground floor and window above. Its N gable has a single coachway to ground floor centre. It is infilled with modern plywood doors with security glazed transom over. There are three equally spaced window openings to first floor. Each contains a pair of 1/1 margin paned windows with concrete cills. Cast-iron downpipe / soil pipe abuts to left of archway. Its right cheek has a blank infilled archway to ground floor and a 8/8 window over. Pavement around is small square concrete setts and large paving slabs with occasional modern black metal bollards and matching litter bins. Modern timber benches to right and left archways on W elevation of main block.

Architects

Reside, Major G W

Historical Information

Erected between 1764-1770, originally as accommodation for the buyers and sellers of linen, cloth and yarn, with top floor used as an estate granary. In 1775 the roof was repaired by Mr Samuel Murphy for £5.19.5 ½ . Shown as a simple rectangle on the 1776 town plan. It was here that a meeting in 1798 called for troops, “in view of the disturbed state of the district”. The first floor was used as a Petty Sessions Court from the 19thC; the ground floor was the market but incorporated a cell. Described in 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir as “a plain old market house in which once a month is held the manor court”. From here the Meade family (local landowners) provided for the feeding of the starving during the potato famine in 1840s. Extended to each end between 1949-51 by Major Reside of Newry. The painted coat of arms (still in store 1999) was taken down from the court house in 1951, and the cell removed. Used from the late 1960s / early 1970s as a youth club. Primary Sources: 1. Two photographs (c1978) in Architectural Archive held at EHS, 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast. 2. Town plan of 1776, reproduced in Rankin (see below). 3. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Drumballyroney Parish (1834). Secondary Sources: 1. J.McCracken “Rathfriland in Bygone Days” Copy held in Public Library, John Street, Rathfriland. 2. P.J. Rankin “Hilltown and Rathfriland” UAHS (Belfast 1978-9). 3. C.E.B. Brett “Court Houses of the province of Ulster” UAHS (Belfast 1973).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion H-. Alterations detracting from building H+. Alterations enhancing the building J. Setting

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

An important focal point in Rathfriland this 18thC market house is the centrepiece of Church Square and has great presence in the townscape. It has been sympathetically altered in the 1950s to extend its useful life, and is of great local historical importance.

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 May 1999