25 The Parade, Donaghadee, Co Down

Number 25 The Parade is a two-storey terraced house of probable 18th-century origin, situated on the northeast side of The Parade in Donaghadee. It forms part of a terraced block and has been substantially renovated in recent years, now containing two self-contained flats. Despite extensive internal alterations, the rubble stone facade with its Georgian sash windows and 'Ards' doorway remains a notable feature of The Parade streetscape.

The front north-facing facade is unrendered, displaying its rubble construction. The ground floor contains a centrally positioned decoratively panelled door with a semicircular fanlight featuring tracery, recently encased within an 'Ards' doorway of what appears to be artificial sandstone. To the right of the doorway is a sash window with Georgian panes; to the left are two similar windows, with a sheeted timber door at the far left leading to a narrow entry that provides access to one of the flats. The first floor has five evenly spaced windows matching the ground floor pattern. The right edge of the facade is chamfered. At the rear is a large two-storey gabled return; the south end appears to have been added more recently or converted to living accommodation.

The east facade of the return is unrendered and whitewashed, featuring three sliding sash windows to the first floor with plain stone surrounds, and three more to the ground floor along with a sheeted timber door at the far left. A large full-height opening to the gable contains a recent-looking tripartite window with Georgian panes at the upper level and matching French doors below. The exposed west facade is finished in roughcast. The exposed section of the rear of the main house to the east of the return is unrendered and whitewashed, with two narrow sliding sash windows to the first floor and one to the ground floor on the left, with frames matching the front. The rear entrance to the side entry is positioned at ground floor on the right.

The main roof is gabled with two large Velux windows to the front and one to the rear. The return roof is also gabled with two Velux windows of differing size to the west side. All roofs are covered with asbestos slates. Two rendered chimney stacks on the main roof carry decorative late-Victorian pots. The guttering and downpipes consist of a mixture of PVC and cast iron goods.

Maps and historical records indicate that buildings have occupied this site since at least 1700. Samuel De la Cherois's 1817 drawing of Donaghadee Harbour shows two-storey houses on this stretch of The Parade. Valuation records of circa 1836 record that the property was in the possession of William Jordan with a rateable value of £9-16-0. The adjacent number 26 was then owned by George Mc[?Devit] with a rateable value of £9-8-0; that building's ground floor was converted to a restaurant in the mid-1970s with large dormers added to the front roof.

Number 25 lies within a conservation area.