22 Shore Road, Portaferry, Co Down BT22 1JZ

22 Shore Road, Portaferry

This is the second house from the north end of a terrace of five relatively plain two-storey dwellings of various sizes, probably mainly constructed in the mid 19th century but substantially altered in more recent times. The building stands out from its neighbours and retains special architectural character. The terrace is positioned near the north end of Shore Road, just south of the junction with Steel Dickson Avenue, with the front elevation facing roughly west.

The front façade is finished in plain render and painted. It features a timber panelled door positioned to the right, a sash window to the left, and two similar sash windows to the first floor. The rear is dominated by a large two-storey modern extension. The gabled roof is covered with 'Thru-tone' composite slate and has a red brick chimney stack with one pot to the north and a brown brick stack with three pots to the south. Cast iron guttering and downspouts complete the exterior.

Historical records indicate that the terrace appears substantially on Patrick O'Hare's map of 1799, with buildings on the site of what is now number 22 shown in possession of John Smyth. The sizes of properties drawn by O'Hare match those visible today. Valuation returns of circa 1835 record five houses on the site: a large two-storey dwelling at each end of the terrace (occupied by William McDowell and John McDowell respectively) and three more modest dwellings in between, which were exempt from rating. By 1861, the valuation records show seven properties, though the Ordnance Survey town plan of 1900 indicates an arrangement similar to that of 1861. At some point prior to the 1970s, number 18 was modified to its present form, incorporating an adjoining smaller dwelling.

The building lies within a conservation area.