Former J.A. MacDonald's shop, 44-46 Mill Street, Comber, Co. Down, BT23 5EQ

Former J.A. MacDonald's shop

A very good and rare example of a two-storey Edwardian shop built in 1913 in Free Style, with the front façade largely intact despite radical alterations to the rear.

The building is set within the terrace on the south side of Mill Street in Comber, facing north. At ground floor level, the front façade is divided into four uneven bays separated by polished red granite pilasters with chamfered dark granite plinths and capitals in green coloured glazed brick. The leftmost bay contains a shop front within a large segmental headed arch, comprising a central glazed door, fixed light windows to either side, and a large multi-pane fanlight. To its right, separated by a pier, is a panelled door with segmental six-pane fanlight leading to the rear via a narrow passage. Between the pilasters and around both the shop front and passage doorway, the façade is faced in green coloured glazed brick. The second bay is much narrower and contains a segmental headed arch filled with a glazed door screen forming a shop front to the left, also surrounded by glazed brick. The third bay (far right of this section) is the largest and is completely filled with a large shop front featuring a central recessed doorway and extensive glazing to either side. The central doorway recess now has panelled timber sides (formerly glazed) with a timber screen set within the entrance to reduce and transform it to an unsuitable ogee arch form. A recent illuminated sign board is mounted above. Within the entrance recess is a glazed and panelled door with acid etching. The fourth bay, to the far right, is identical to the second. Above each bay is a polished dark granite sign board with incised and gilded lettering reading (from left to right): Cartage Contractor, Funeral Furnisher, Posting Master, Continental Kitchens, J.A. MacDonald, General Merchant.

The pilasters rise through the granite sign board to first-floor level where they continue in brick, topped with squat red clay caps. The first-floor façade is similarly divided into bays. The leftmost bay has two four-light mullioned and transomed windows; the second bay one such window; and the bay to the far right another. The large central-right bay is gabled and features a central grouping of three sash windows with typical Edwardian upper sash panes (4 over 1, 6 over 1, 4 over 1). This grouping rests on a single cill, and above it is a plain rendered panel with a central semicircular arch, lending the group the appearance of a Venetian window. Above this group is a date panel inscribed '1913' with moulding above. The first-floor façade is finished in pebbledash, recently painted. The leftmost bay carries up as a parapet, while the roof overhangs (in slightly Oriental fashion) the adjacent bays and that to the far right. Banner-like projecting signs are attached to the pilasters flanking the gabled bay.

The rear façade is completely covered in cement render, with all former openings blocked except for the rear of the passage. To the left (west) is a large two-storey gabled return with several upper-level modern windows on its east face, linking to an open outbuilding to the south. To the right of the return is a modern fire escape leading from an upper-level doorway that has been inserted into the main rear façade.

The main roof is gabled and covered in natural slate, with large roof lights to the rear. Red clay parapets and ridge tiles are present. Two brick chimney stacks sit on each main gable. The return roof also features natural slates and a large roof light on the east side. Metal rainwater goods and square downspouts serve the front elevation.

The upper level was converted to a restaurant some time after 1989. The building currently contains multiple ground-floor shop units.