44-46 Frances Street, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 3DY

44-46 Frances Street, Newtownards

A block of two, two-storey terraced buildings set on the north side of the eastern end of Frances Street. Number 44 is smaller and dates from the early 1800s, while Number 46 is a larger dwelling house dating from the late Victorian period.

Number 44 (now offices) has been largely reconstructed in recent years and is essentially modern. The front south-facing facade features a timber panelled door with semicircular fanlight leading to the upper floor at the far left, with another panelled door with plain semicircular fanlight and 'Ards' surround leading to the ground floor immediately to its right. To the right of this is a large three-light shop window in period style with a slightly projecting timber signboard above; this window was inserted recently, replacing two smaller windows formerly matching those on the first floor. Three upper floor windows are evenly spaced and set on a cill course with brackets, each fitted with a PVC frame. The lower half of the front facade has rusticated render, with plain render above. The eaves course is bracketed. The rear of the building was recently rebuilt and now features a large two-storey gabled return with modern windows and plain render. The roof is covered with Bangor blue slates to the front and asbestos-free slates to the rear, with a mixture of PVC and cast iron rainwater goods.

Number 46 is a larger house with a late Victorian character. To the left of the ground floor is a timber-sheeted door with plain fanlight, surrounded by a fluted pilaster with matching fluted architrave. To the left of the door are two windows with similar surrounds and modern frames, each with a low grill at the base. The first floor has three similar but larger windows. The front facade is rendered in plain finish and painted, with a bracketed eaves course. To the left at the rear is a large two-storey return with three sheeted doors and a window on the west facade at ground floor level, and four windows to the first floor. The window to the left on the first floor has a modern frame; the remainder are sash windows. The ground floor window opening appears modern. To the rear of the main house are two sash windows at ground floor level (the left one slightly taller), with horizontal glazing bars. The first floor has a sash window with Georgian panes to the right and a much narrower sash window to the left. The rear facade and return are finished in plain cement render and painted. A corrugated PVC roof covers part of the yard at the rear. The main roof has Bangor blue slates (almost Tullcavey-like in appearance) with two gabled dormers to the front featuring semicircular-headed sash windows and decorative barge boards. Two rendered chimney stacks stand on the west side of the roof; the stack slightly further east is much larger. A Velux window is installed to the rear. Rainwater goods are a mixture of cast iron and PVC. Extensive outbuildings stand to the rear.

Historical evidence suggests that a building may have stood on the site of Number 44 by 1834 (shown on the Ordnance Survey map), though the site of Number 46 appears to have been unoccupied at that date. Valuation records support this, listing the building on the Number 44 site as a constabulary barrack, whilst the Number 46 site is noted as a timber yard. The late Victorian appearance of Number 46 is consistent with it being constructed after 1834. However, the irregular arrangement and varying size of windows throughout Number 46 suggests that an earlier structure may have been adapted at some point. Number 44 was a dwelling house when first surveyed in 1972, but has since been largely reconstructed and adapted for commercial use.