Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/08/028 B

Address :
6 Church Square Rathfriland Newry Co Down BT34 5PT

Townland:
Cross

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Survey 2:
B2

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

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Shop - Terrace

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
253/3

IG Ref:
J1997 3367

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A three storey / one bay building sharing a common roof with Nos. 2&4 (HB16/08/028A), on E side of Church Square. The first and second floors of this building are one, forming a large double height first floor. Walls are cement lined render with V-channelled stepped quoins to upper floors. Pitched natural slate roof with lined cement rendered chimney to right end gable. Painted advanced stone eaves course supports modern plastic guttering feeding into No. 4. At ground floor right is a pair of t+g sheeted storm doors with Gothic headed fanlight with Y-tracery. The remainder of the ground floor is filled by an early 20thC shop front, the glazed and panelled doorway of which is recessed at left end and has a has a segmental head to its bottom rail. Narrow plain glazed transom over. Threshold is black and white tiled and is flanked on both sides by curved glazing which encloses a small display area to left and continues to right as main shop front with run moulded rendered cill. A later plain timber fascia has been applied and a timber awning box sits upon a platband which runs between ground and first floors. First floor has two large Gothic headed widows, left one set further from centre that right one. Each window opening has a painted granite cill and run moulded stucco architrave. Each opening consists of a pair of narrow 4/4 sliding sashes, each top sash having an additional Y-tracery glazed head and plain infilled spandrel. Set on wall between the two window openings is painted rectangular granite plaque, which has been rendered over. There are two third floor windows, in line with those below, with similar architraves and cills. They are 3/3 sliding sashes with exposed boxes (identical to, and in line with, those at No.4). Left gable forms party wall with No.4 (HB16/08/028A). Rear elevation advances beyond the rest of the terrace under the rear pitch which catslides. Its right cheek is cement rendered and has a boarded up window with granite cill at first floor. Its left cheek forms part of its end gable. The rear wall has a small central gablet on wall-head, with pitched natural slate roof tied into main roof. Plastic rainwater goods. To its left and right are narrow (horizontal) windows (both blocked up) with their heads at eaves level. There is a modern door at ground floor left (into a now demolished rear return) and at right is a large window opening which is boarded over. The ghost of the rear return can still be seen in the render. It was two storeys with a pitched natural slate roof. To rear is a yard. Right gable is abutted by a lower building. Its exposed section is rendered and blank.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

On 5th September 1831, Mr David Allen, his son and a minister met General Meade, the local landlord at his home, Burrenwood (near Castlewellan) to ask for a lease to build a Methodist Meeting house. The building was opened for worship in 1832. The inscription on the front plaque once read, “Methodist Church / 1832”. It is possible that it was incorporated into the first floor of an existing block of houses (HB16/08/028A). Ordnance Survey Memoir notes it cost £300. It continued in use until the early 20th C. Cited as a “hall” in Valuation revision books from 1915 onwards. Primary Sources: 1. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Drumballeyroney Parish. 2. PRONI 1834 Valuation town map (1:1760), VAL 1D/3/3. 3. PRONI 1835 First Valuation book, VAL 1B/ 358A, p.132; /358B, p.40. 4. OS 1:500 scale town map, Rathfriland (1860), (PRONI OS 8/24/1/2) 5. PRONI c.1862 Second Valuation book, VAL 2B/3/60B 6. PRON Valuation revision books, VAL 12B/22/20G, p.67.8 7. J.McCracken “Methodist Chapel, Rathfriland” Copy in Public Library, John Street, Rathfriland.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Although this building was not inspected internally, it retains its unusual external character and has an attractive later shop front. As part of a prominent group situated on a major junction in the heart of Rathfriland, it has great townscape value. As the first Methodist Church in the town, it has some local historical importance.

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 May 1999