31 New Road, Donaghadee, Co Down, BT21 0DR

31 New Road, Donaghadee, is a substantial two-storey late Georgian style gentleman's residence dating to approximately 1836. The house is situated on the north side of New Road, north of Donaghadee town centre, with its symmetrical front façade facing roughly south.

The main entrance is positioned at the centre of the ground floor and comprises a relatively broad and original-looking nine-panel timber door with a semicircular fanlight featuring unusual spoked and looped tracery. The doorway is encased with fluted pilasters with decorated capitals and an archivolt, approached by steps. Flanking the entrance are four sash windows with Georgian panes in a 6 over 6 configuration—two to the left and two to the right. Five additional similar windows occupy the first floor.

The west façade has two ground-floor windows with fixed-light timber frames containing Georgian panes. The first floor features a similar-sized window with a modern frame to the left, and a larger window to the right set at the same level as the front elevation. The east façade carries two ground-floor windows matching the front arrangement, with a much smaller modern Georgian-paned window to the right. The first floor shows a similar layout with the rightmost window positioned at half-landing level with a Georgian-paned sash frame, above which sits an even smaller similar window at a second half-landing level. A low rendered wall abuts the left side of this façade.

The rear elevation is three storeys with double gables, fronted by a relatively shallow two-storey lean-to positioned roughly centrally. The lean-to has two differing-sized single-pane fixed-light windows at ground floor and a larger window matching the front design at first floor. The narrow west face of the lean-to contains a timber door at ground floor; the east face has a tiny single-pane window at first-floor level. To the ground floor right of the lean-to is a fixed-light window with Georgian panes. The attic level displays three evenly spaced sash windows with Georgian panes in a 3 over 6 configuration.

The façade is finished in unpainted lined render. The hipped roof is slated with two large rendered chimney stacks flush with the east and west façades and two smaller stacks serving the rear gables. Cast iron rainwater goods are in place. A yard to the rear contains a single-storey outbuilding at the north end with modern windows and a garage door. A front garden is bounded by a low rendered wall.

The house does not appear on the Ordnance Survey map of 1834 but is shown on the valuation town plan of 1838. Valuation returns from 1838 record the occupant as William Dupre or William Dupris (the handwriting is difficult to decipher). By the second valuation of approximately 1861–1863, the resident was listed as William Young, with the owner recorded as Miss Cosh. An August 1920 sale poster, held by the present owner, describes the house as "Carnathan" and notes it contained 3 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, commodious box room accommodation, kitchen and scullery, 2 pantries, a bathroom with hot and cold water and hot press, and a separate WC, with grounds including a croquet lawn, orchards, and garden.