37-41 North Street, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 3AN

37-41 North Street, Newtownards

A two-storey terrace block of three houses on the east side of North Street, just north of Newtownards town centre. The block was originally constructed in 1769 as a single dwelling by Alexander McMullan, as recorded on a sandstone panel dated 1769 that survives on the front of number 39. The property was subdivided into three separate houses at an uncertain date, possibly in the early 1800s, based on valuation records from around 1836 which refer to multiple properties on this site.

The block was part of an extensive improvement scheme undertaken by Alexander Stewart, who became landlord of Newtownards in 1744. During the later 1760s and 1770s, Stewart commissioned a new market house and reorganised the town's street pattern, adding approximately sixty new houses between 1769 and 1777, mostly constructed of stone or slate.

Number 37, at the south end of the block, has a timber sheeted door with stone step to the left of the front facade, with a square modern window to the right. The first floor contains two small windows with modern frames. The rear elevation features a modern glazed door to the right and a large modern kitchen window to the left, with two modern windows to the first floor.

Number 39 has a timber sheeted door to the right of the front facade with a simple rusticated stone surround. Above the door sits the sandstone panel inscribed 'No7 Built by Alexander McMullan 1769', marking the original front entrance. To the left is a square modern window with modern frame, and two small modern-framed windows to the first floor. The rear has a modern glazed door to the left and a large modern kitchen window to the right, with two further modern windows to the first floor.

Number 41 has a timber sheeted door to the far left of the front facade with a square modern window to the far right. This door was formerly an entrance to a laneway at the rear, now incorporated into the house. The first floor has three small, irregularly spaced windows with modern frames. The rear elevation has a right-of-centre glazed door with a modern kitchen window to the left. To the right of the door is a crudely fashioned archway leading to a small store room, which once provided access through to North Street. The first floor has two modern windows to the centre and left, with a much smaller blocked former window opening to the far right.

The entire front facade is finished in plain render and painted. The rear is rendered but unpainted. Numbers 37 and 39 have asbestos slates, whilst number 41 has Bangor blue slates. A red brick chimney stack stands between numbers 39 and 41. A rendered chimney stack is shared between number 37 and number 35. PVC rainwater goods are present throughout.

The entire block underwent complete renovation in 1988 and now presents a largely modern appearance both inside and out, with little indication of its age apart from the date panel and the somewhat haphazard arrangement of the front facade.