52-54 Church Street, Portaferry, Co Down, BT22 1LT

A two-storey terrace block of two dwelling houses with a coach arch, dating from circa 1840. The buildings are set within the terrace on the west side of Church Street, with Templecraney graveyard immediately to the south. The front elevation faces roughly east.

Number 52

Number 52 has been substantially renovated in recent years and now features modern windows and doors. The ground floor contains a modern timber front door with small glazed panel positioned right of centre. To the far left is another doorway with a plain timber ledged, braced and diagonally sheeted door, set within a lower single-storey section that was originally a two-storey lean-to when surveyed in 1970-71; this doorway appears to have formerly been a window. To the right of the main house doorway are three unevenly spaced modern top-hung timber windows, all with simulated astragals within double glazing. The window at the far left was originally a door. All windows have slim concrete cills. A coachway to the right of the front door features double doors similar to the alleyway door at far left; the frame of the coachway door is set on stone and may be original. The first floor contains three windows matching those of the ground floor.

The front facade has plain render finish, terminating on a bellcast above a recessed plinth. There is no access to the rear. The gabled roof is covered with plain concrete tile, possibly Redland Mini Stonewall. The chimney stack is mostly rendered but has the top three courses constructed in brown brick. PVC guttering is present, but there is no downspout to the front.

Number 54

Number 54 is a much smaller property, with its facade roughly half that of Number 52. The building is currently vacant, though renovation has recently commenced. It retains a dilapidated timber sheeted door to the right with a plain fanlight above, and a transom below the fanlight bearing a dog's tooth pattern. The doorstep projects into the pavement. To the left of the doorway is a window with remains of what may be an original sash frame with Georgian panes and a stone cill. The plain render facade features moulded quoins. The exposed north gable has a small sash window set just below the eaves.

The first floor contains a single window opening, now without its frame, with a stone cill. A cast iron downspout is present. The gabled roof is covered with recently laid tiles similar to Number 52, with lead soakers at the junction to Number 52. A single red brick chimney stack is under construction. PVC brackets are in place, but guttering has not yet been installed. The parapet to the gable is undergoing renovation.

Historical Development

Though Church Street had been largely developed by the close of the 18th century, the site of this block is shown largely vacant on the valuation map of 1835-38. By 1861, both houses appear in records, with Number 52 in the hands of Robert Baird and Number 54 occupied by Patrick Baird. Judging from the original simple late Georgian style of both dwellings, a date of circa 1840 is probable.