44 High Street, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 3HZ

This is a two-storey terrace block containing two shops with offices above, likely dating from before 1830. The building’s original form has been retained, though little original fabric remains. The site is shown occupied on maps of Newtownards from Colvill’s plan of 1720 onwards.

The building currently has modern shop fronts with picture windows and glazed doors at ground floor level. The upper floor retains the original fenestration pattern, although the windows are modern. The exterior is finished with painted render. A large modern extension has been added to the rear, and the roof is covered with modern materials. There are no chimney stacks, and PVC rainwater goods are present.

In 1972, the building housed a solicitors’ office and presented a late 19th-century appearance with moulded architraves and margin panes in the window frames, alongside V-jointed render. However, the building’s structure itself could be much older. Historical records, including Colville’s 1720 plan as reprinted in Trevor McCavery's "Newtown: a history of Newtownards" (1994), and Ordnance Survey maps from 1834, 1858-60, and valuations from around 1836 and 1863, document the site’s continuous occupation.