13-15 Market Square, Antrim, Co Antrim, BT41 4AW

13-15 Market Square is a three-storey, four-bay building of probable early 19th century date, constructed between 1820 and 1839. It stands on the main street of Antrim town within a terrace of houses and shops, facing north towards Market Square. The building appears on the Ordnance Survey map of 1832 and lies within the area of an ancient monument (SMR no. ANT182).

The north elevation, which faces the street, has an attractive upper façade. The roof is covered with Bangor blue slates in regular courses with dark-toned ridge tiles and features two smooth cement-rendered chimneys, one positioned to the front of the ridge and one to the rear. The two upper storeys are constructed of snecked basalt with a vertical strip of smooth painted plasterwork to the right-hand extremity. Windows to both upper storeys are rectangular timber sliding sash windows with 3 over 3 panes and horns, set in exposed sash boxes; those on the top floor are smaller in height. The windows have smooth rendered reveals with flat arched stone heads to the first floor and stones laid flat to form the heads on the second floor. Stone cills are projecting and painted white. A metal gutter with a cast iron downpipe runs to the right-hand extremity.

The ground floor is occupied by a shop front. This comprises white painted timber with a broad frieze, fluted brackets to the ends, and a shaped timber cornice supported on three panelled piers. The central pier is free-standing, creating an open-fronted recessed porch area behind and to each side. The porch has a flat ceiling with recessed ceiling lights and modern white tiled flooring. Recessed shop windows to each side contain rectangular timber fixed lights with moulded frames on painted stone or concrete cills, set against smooth cement-rendered plinth walls. The entrance at the rear of the porch comprises two sets of modern rectangular timber double doors positioned side by side, glazed with plain fanlights and modern tubular metal handles.

The rear elevation is two-storey, with Bangor blue slates in regular courses and two smooth cement-rendered chimneys. The main wall appears to be smooth cement-rendered. A long modern rear return projects forward from the main structure, gabled and two storeys in height, with smooth cement-rendered walls. This return features cast iron gutters and downpipes, modern timber sliding sash windows with 1 over 1 panes and horns on the first floor, and modern flush and panelled timber doors and shop-front windows set within panelled pilaster surrounds.

An alleyway runs along the east side of the building, leading from the pavement at the front along the side of the rear return and terminating at a pedestrian bridge over the river at the rear. The building is located within a conservation area. While the upper front façade is architecturally attractive, the building is otherwise of little architectural or historic interest.