12 Frances Street & 2-6 North Street, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 4JA

Site of former two storey public house at the corner of Frances Street and North Street, Newtownards, with a return extension to North Street.

The building was constructed in 1778, originally as part of Alexander Stewart's extensive improvements to Newtownards during the late 1760s and 1770s. Stewart, who became landlord of the town in 1744, oversaw the creation of a new market house and a more regular street pattern, particularly on the north side of the town. Back Street (later renamed Frances Street) and North Street were developed with some sixty new houses built between approximately 1769 and 1777, mostly constructed of stone or slated. The former inscription on the building's front read "Built by Hans Lowery 1777".

The building appears originally to have been one of these new residential houses but was subsequently substantially altered and extended. The original structure was a two storey building with a slated roof and rendered chimneys. The walls were roughcast with painted stone quoins and base, featuring a first floor band course and broken parapet. The main front measured approximately 32 feet.

At ground floor level, the building contained two 'Ards' doorways with plain pilasters and plain five-centre archivolt with keystone, featuring 'rising sun' fanlights above panelled doors, alongside a wide pub window. A total of four first floor double-hung windows had horizontal astragals with plain surrounds and flat pediment-shaped lintels. An inscribed panel was positioned below one end window. Ground floor sashes were set in window openings of similar character to the first floor.

During the early to mid twentieth century, the building underwent an extensive makeover, receiving an early twentieth century Art Deco-influenced treatment with a distinctive stepped parapet to the front. Window openings were altered at this time. The building was demolished around 1990 and the site is now occupied by a modern three storey bathroom fittings showroom.