Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/30/005 B

Address :
Fisher and Fisher Solicitors 9 John Mitchel Place Newry Co Down BT34 2BP

Townland:
Ballynacraig

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
11/11/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Office

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
266/7SW

IG Ref:
J0859 2613

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

One of a pair of three storey (+ basement and attic) granite Georgian houses on the corner of John Mitchel Place and St Colman’s Park. The façade fronts the east side of John Mitchel Place and occupies the left half of this four window wide elevation which is shared with 21 St Colman’s Park (HB 16/30/005A). The roof of this section of the buildings is gabled and has natural slates. There are two skylights to its front pitch and one at the rear. A natural slate gabled roof runs off at rear right and terminates in a rendered chimney stack shared with the adjoining house. There is a low rendered chimney on the apex at right, and a taller chimney, also rendered, at left. Ogee cast iron rain water goods. The walls are of squared granite rubble in regular courses, with cement-rendered brick dressings to all windows and door openings (except at basement, where the render has disappeared). Raised and stepped V-jointed quoins to both corners of John Mitchel Place facade. The basement walls project slightly, and are separated from the ground floor by a chamfered string course. Five granite steps lead up to the front door which at right on this section of the façade. There is a boot scraper on top step. The door opening has a semi-elliptical rendered head and half-round beaded edge to its granite casing. It contains a painted timber door with six raised and fielded panels. There is a vertical bead down the middle to mimic double doors. Two letterboxes are affixed. The door is flanked by two partly-attached Tuscan columns supporting an entablature, with semi-elliptical transom over. The latter is now covered with plywood on the outside, but its cast-iron tracery is evident on the inside. Left of the door is a window opening. Each of the upper floors also has a pair of windows, in line with the ground floor openings; those on the second floor are slightly diminished in height. They are identical to the upper floor windows of the adjoining house and together form four equally spaced openings across this façade. The render over their jambs is stepped, presumably to follow the line of the bricks. All have granite cills and three-piece keystoned granite lintels above their heads. All the windows are sliding sash – 1/1 on the ground floor, and 6/6 above. The remainder of this elevation is described under HB16/30/005A. There is a passage around the outside of the building at basement level. A wrought-iron railing runs along at ground level, returning up each side of the entrance steps. It is affixed to a finely dressed chamfered granite plinth and has urn-topped cast iron posts. The passage was accessed by a door on the left cheek of a vaulted chamber underneath the entrance steps, but this is now blocked. There is a window, also now infilled, on the right cheek of this chamber. To left of the entrance is a basement window, now infilled and boarded over. A lower building abuts the left gable. The exposed section of gable is cement rendered. The right gable is abutted by the adjoining premises. The rear wall is cement rendered. At left is a shallow natural slate hipped-roof return which rises two storeys below the chimney and is shared with the adjoining premises. It has plastic gutters. Its walls are unrendered and of similar construction to the front. There is a large semicircular headed window to each half landing, and two small windows (modern, but probably in original openings) on its right cheek. At the bottom of this return, also on its right cheek, is a segmental brick arch which leads out to a short passage along the outside of the basement. Above the return is a smaller similar window which lights the half landing between second and attic floors. The back wall to the right of this return has a single sliding sash window to each floor (8/2 on ground floor, 6/6 above). There is also a window to the basement, now infilled. At the back of the house is a yard, at the back of which is a three-storey outhouse which is also shared with the adjoining house. It has a natural slate roof, gabled at this end, but hipped to the street. Metal rainwater goods. The walls are of rubble granite brought to courses. On the elevation facing to yard is a coach arch with semi-elliptical brick head at ground floor; it is now infilled. To its right is a pedestrian door, and right again a cast-iron lattice window. Each of the upper floors has two window openings (in line with the openings on the right half of this façade belonging to next door), all with concrete cills and cement-rendered reveals. The first floor windows have three-piece keystoned granite heads. Those at second floor have heads and stepped jambs of red brick. The actual windows are vertically divided two-paned modern replacements. The remainder of this elevation is described under 16/30/005A. The left gable of this building is abutted by another building. The back wall faces into the yard of no.19 St Colman’s Park (HB 16/30/007G). It has a semi-elliptical headed and brick trimmed opening at ground floor, with timber door. Above are two openings, both infilled. One-storey flat-roofed ‘Portacabin’ type structures now infill the yard between the rear of the house and outbuilding. Another three-storey outbuilding belonging to the neighbouring property abuts the left elevation of this outbuilding.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Shown on 1835 OS map. Noted in 1835 valuation as belonging to James McAllister (who also owned HB 16/30/5B and 16/30/7), but unfinished. This implies still in course of construction. Described in 1863 valuation as having three and one-third storeys and a basement. Primary Sources: 1. OS 6" map, 3rd edition PRONI OS 9/15/1/3. 2. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 1B.389, pp 40 3. Valuation revision books, 1866-1930, PRONI VAL 2B/3/69H, p.128.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

One of a pair of three storey (+ basement and attic) granite Georgian houses. The elevations of this finely detailed and well-proportioned Georgian building have survived virtually unaltered. The original floor plan survives, and the rooms still retain much of their original character. Both buildings were designed and executed as a single block which is an imposing feature of the street and square.

General Comments

Date of Survey

12 August 1997