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

33 Shore Road, Holywood

A three-bay two-storey former house and post office, built around 1820, located to the north of Shore Road near Holywood town centre. The building sits opposite early 19th-century terraces and forms part of the older Holywood streetscape. Although converted to office use, the architectural detailing remains largely intact and of good quality.

The building is rectangular on plan with a single-storey return and one-and-a-half storey return to the rear. The pitched natural slate roof features terracotta ridge tiles and rectangular rendered chimneysstacks with terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods are supported on corbelled eaves. The walling is painted smooth render.

The principal elevation faces west with three window openings. The off-set entrance comprises a four-panelled bolection-moulded timber door with brass door furniture and a transom light, surrounded by a Doric pilaster and surmounted by a plain entablature. Windows throughout are multi-paned timber-framed sliding sash with painted masonry projecting sills, though a replacement timber-framed sliding sash window now occupies the ground floor opening to the right of the door. The north elevation is abutted by an adjoining building.

The east (rear) elevation is asymmetrically arranged with seven window openings. At ground floor left is a round-headed 6/3 window. At first floor centre is a diminutive window. The remainder are 6/6 lights. The one-and-a-half storey return to the left has two sets of modern double-leaf doors at ground floor, a simple timber door at its extreme left, and a diminutive modern window to the right of centre at first floor. The single-storey extension to the right of the main block has two modern windows flanking a modern timber door. Skylights feature on all roofs.

The building is set back slightly from the pavement with a small gravelled front garden surrounded by a painted masonry plinth wall topped by cast-iron railings, accessed via a modern cast-iron gate. A paved courtyard to the rear is enclosed by timber fencing.

The house dates from when Holywood was beginning to develop as a bathing resort and commuter town in the early 19th century and appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834. The Townland Valuation (1828–40) lists it as the residence of John McConnell, valued at £14. Griffith's Valuation (1856–64) describes it as a house, post office, yard and garden, occupied by James Greenfield and leased from Henry J Higginson JP, valued at £19, later raised to £21 10s, with yearly rent of £25 plus taxes. The post office operated from this address from 1842, when James Greenfield became postmaster. According to Thom's Irish Almanac of 1857, mail from Dublin arrived at 7.20 am and was despatched at 6.10 pm. The post office remained here until 1872, when James Greenfield left and the building reverted to a dwelling, occupied by Mrs McCartney. The valuation dropped to £16 10s. In 1880 the house was occupied by William Dunwoody, and the valuation fell again to £13 10s in 1887. In subsequent years the building was occupied by members of the Dunwoody family, who became the immediate lessors from 1902. The post office moved to 57 High Street when this building ceased to serve that function.

As an early post office building and an increasingly rare example of small commercial premises from the early 19th century, it is of historical note. Although much interior detailing has been lost in the conversion to office use, the building remains of architectural interest for its proportions, style and ornamentation. It stands within a conservation area.