121-125 Frances Street, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 3DX

A single storey terrace with attic consisting of three houses at the eastern end of the south side of Frances Street in Newtownards, of probable early nineteenth century origin.

The terrace likely dates between circa 1811 and 1834. Frances Street itself was laid out around 1817 as part of a new broad thoroughfare linking the new coach road from Belfast to the Donaghadee Road, replacing the much narrower Back Lane shown on Colville's 1720 plan of the town. The Ordnance Survey Map of 1834 shows that by this stage the western side of Frances Street had been developed, but the eastern end (then known as Little Frances Street) was largely bare on the south side. This particular site, however, appears to have been built upon by that date. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of circa 1834 make reference to the erection of new houses, generally single storey, by the Marquis of Londonderry at this time, granted on leases for 60 years or 3 lives at a rate of one shilling per foot. The valuation records of circa 1836 state that the block on this site was part of a terrace consisting of four houses exempt, meaning below the rateable value of £5.

The front (north) facade is finished in rough cast with a smooth rendered base, while the rear is in plain render. The front facades feature panelled doors and modern window frames made to resemble sash frames with Georgian panes. No. 121 has a panelled door to the left and two windows to the right. No. 123 repeats this arrangement but the front door is to the right with windows to the left and a small glazed panel to the door. No. 125 is similar to No. 121 but with a small glazed panel to the front door and slightly different spacing between the front windows. Previously, the sequence of openings from left to right ran: window, window, door, window, window door, door window. To the rear, each house has two modern windows on either side of a glazed door. The roof of the entire terrace is gabled with dark concrete tiles, and each house has a large Velux window to the front and rear. There is a rendered chimney stack between Nos. 123 and 125. Plastic rainwater goods are fitted throughout.

The terrace has undergone complete renovation inside and out in recent times. During this work, the pitch of the roof was raised slightly, window and door openings were altered in position, and the interiors are now, to all intents and purposes, modern.