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

24 Shore Road is a three-storey two-bay Georgian terrace townhouse, built around 1830 and located west of Shore Road in the centre of Holywood. It forms one of a terrace of four and is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834.

The building is rectangular on plan with a two-storey return and single-storey extension to the rear. The roof is pitched natural slate with a rendered chimneystack and terracotta pots. The walling is painted smooth render with shallow rustication to the ground floor. The principal elevation faces east and comprises two openings. Windows on the first floor are 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash with painted masonry projecting sills and moulded surrounds. The second floor has smaller 3/3 timber-framed replacements (these are later additions). Windows to the rear return are uPVC replacements. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods are mounted on drive-in brackets; plastic rainwater goods serve the rear return. The entrance door to the left of the principal elevation is a bolection-moulded four-panelled door with brass furniture, surmounted by a fanlight.

The south elevation is abutted by the adjoining building. The west (rear) elevation has a large window at second floor to the left and is abutted by a two-storey return with a double-height extension to the north. An exposed section to the north contains window openings at second floor and is abutted at ground floor by a projecting modern extension; a uPVC window to the first floor and modern uPVC door to the ground floor are set within the gable. The north elevation is abutted by the adjoining building.

The house is set back from the road with a small front garden enclosed by a painted masonry wall with saddleback coping stones and gate piers having pointed masonry caps and a decorative cast-iron latch gate. The rear garden is enclosed to the north and south by masonry walls and hedging; to the west is a masonry wall with a simple timber gate.

The interior has been completely modernised in recent renovations and now functions as offices, with little or no historic fabric remaining. The internal layout has also been altered on the ground floor.

Architectural detailing to the main elevation is largely intact, although the second floor windows and entrance door are replacements.

Shore Road, formerly known as Shore Street, was one of the original Holywood thoroughfares, developing during the early seventeenth century and consisting largely of thatched cabins until redevelopment began at the beginning of the nineteenth century. As Holywood grew in popularity as a resort and commuter town offering escape from Belfast, professional and mercantile classes made their homes on Shore Street, which became a genteel residential area with commerce confined mainly to the upper part of the road near the maypole.

The terrace was listed in the Townland Valuation of 1834 as four houses and offices, all valued at £10 and owned by Dr Brison (probably Samuel Bryson). Samuel Bryson (1776–1853) was an apothecary of High Street, Belfast, who lived in Ballymacarrett, where Bryson Street was later named after him. The son of a Presbyterian minister, Bryson was a collector and translator of manuscripts in the Irish language. In 1805 he published "Remains of the Irish Bards" and is remembered as a talented scribe and scholar of Irish who promoted the study of Irish language and literature. His collection is now housed in the Belfast Public Library. He was born and buried in Holywood.

According to Griffith's Valuation (1828–40), the four houses in the terrace had almost identical dimensions. Number 24 was occupied by Anne Boyd and leased from Olivia Bryson. It was valued as a house, yard and small garden with buildings at £17 (later raised to £18), with rent of £22. Samuel Bryson, a linen merchant of Woodbank, became the lessor in 1884, when the valuation was lowered to £16. Subsequent occupiers included Walter Caldwell (1887), Thomas Holland (1900), and Margaret Duncan (1902). Mary Bryson, widow of Samuel, became immediate lessor in 1924. The building is now in use as offices.

As part of the original terrace, No 24 has group value and contributes to the whole, illustrating Holywood's development during the early nineteenth century.