30 Shore Road, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 9HX

30 Shore Road is a three-storey Georgian terrace townhouse built around 1840, located on the west side of Shore Road in central Holywood. It forms part of a terrace of three houses within a longer run of terraced properties, representing the early 19th-century development of what was once the main thoroughfare through the town.

The building is rectangular on plan with a single-storey canted bay to the front, a two-storey return, and a single-storey extension to the rear. The pitched roof is natural slate with a rendered chimney stack and terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods are fitted throughout. The walling is painted smooth render.

The principal elevation faces east and presents two openings with a canted bay to the left at ground floor. Windows are timber-framed sliding sashes with painted masonry projecting sills. First-floor windows are 6/6 panes in moulded architrave surrounds; second-floor windows are diminutive 3/3 panes in plain reveals; the canted bay windows are 1/1 with horns. The entrance door to the right comprises a six-panelled timber door with brass furniture, surmounted by a transom light.

The south elevation is abutted by the adjoining building. The west (rear) elevation has asymmetrical openings to the upper floors and is abutted to the left by a two-storey return with a replacement window to the gable, and further abutted by a single-storey flat-roof return extending the length of the elevation. The north elevation is abutted by another adjoining building.

The house is set back from the road with a small front garden enclosed by a masonry wall with saddleback coping stones. The rear garden features timber decking enclosed by rubble-stone and timber fencing, with a paved area to the west.

Architectural detailing to the main elevation is largely intact. The building was converted from residential use to office and recording studio, which resulted in significant loss of interior detailing, though the floor plan remains largely intact. In 1902 the valuer recorded that new bow windows had been added or the old ones enlarged.

The building was erected by John Jackson around 1840 and first appears on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858. It is listed in Griffith's Valuation (1856-64) as part of a terrace of three houses. The property was initially occupied by Joseph Henderson, leased from John Jackson, valued at £15 10s and later raised to £16. Successive occupiers included Charles Mitchell, Mary Munce (from 1887), Edward McCormick (from 1890), and Wilson McIlroy (from 1900). By 1907, Mary E McIlroy was the occupant. The building is now in use as offices.

Shore Road, formerly Shore Street, was one of the original Holywood thoroughfares, developing from the early 17th century as a street of thatched cabins until redevelopment began in the early 19th century. It became a genteel residential area attracting professional and mercantile classes seeking to escape Belfast, with commerce largely confined to the upper part of the road near the maypole.