69 Bridge Street, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 3JL

69 Bridge Street, Banbridge, is a three-storey mid-terrace Georgian townhouse built around 1810. Located on the east side of Bridge Street at its north end, opposite the junction with Downshire Road, it forms part of a significant terrace of buildings (HB17/07/016A–D) representing the development stages of this end of the town centre. The River Bann flows directly adjacent to the rear of the site.

The building is constructed to a square plan form with a large modern rear return. The pitched roof is covered in natural slate with clay ridge tiles. A cement-rendered chimney and cast iron rainwater goods complete the exterior. The principal elevation faces east and is asymmetrically arranged.

The walling is ruled-and-lined painted render with raised long-and-short quoins. The ground floor features channelled rendering with faceted quoins. A six-panelled timber door is positioned to the left, flanked by Doric quoins with a half-circle fanlight above. The fanlight has faceted voussoirs and a raised and pointed key-block. Granite steps lead to the entrance. A single window occupies the right side of the ground floor, with a 2/1 timber sliding sash window featuring a vertical glazing bar, heeled and lugged moulded surrounds, raised and pointed key-block, and moulded cill brackets.

The first floor contains two uniformly arranged windows, directly above which sit 3/6 timber sliding sash windows on the second floor. All upper windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes without horns, set in painted masonry cills. Much character and detailing survives in the fenestration and stonework, making this one of the earlier and finer buildings in Banbridge town centre.

The left gable is abutted by the adjoining building (HB17/07/016C), while the right gable is abutted by the adjoining building (HB17/07/016A). The rear elevation is completely abutted by an L-shaped, two-storey flat-roofed modern extension, which creates a light well to the original elevation. The rear view is consequently obscured.

Historical Context

No. 69 stood alone when first depicted on the 1833 Ordnance Survey map, situated north of a flour mill owned by Edward Clibborn, with a shambles (market slaughterhouse) to its rear along the River Bann. Valuation records from around 1830 show the house was owned by Edward Clibborn, the successful flour miller, linen merchant and bleacher who operated offices on Bridge Street, valued at £11 4s. By the 1860 Ordnance Survey map, a building had been constructed to the north side of No. 69—a linen and yarn store that was either built over or converted around 1870 to create nos 71–75 Bridge Street.

By the 1860s, ownership had passed to John Finlay, a textile manufacturer with McConnell, Finlay & Co., who owned the adjoining linen and yarn store and let the house, then valued at £16, to Robert Norris, a professor of music. By 1864, William Waugh, a local linen merchant and Justice of the Peace with offices on Dromore Street, had become owner, and Dr. George Tyrell, a doctor of medicine operating a dispensary on Scarva Street, took possession. The house's valuation increased to £26 between 1863 and 1864, suggesting possible renovation at that time, though this cannot be confirmed.

In 1872, James C. Stuart, a local landowner possessing over 1,200 acres around Banbridge, purchased the property. Dr. Tyrell continued to reside there until around 1890, when Samuel Fryar established a Banbridge branch of the Sun, Fire and Life Insurance Company within the premises. By 1921, the valuation was split: the ground floor office housing the insurance company was valued at £14, while the first and second floors, let as separate offices, were valued at £10 together. By 1930, the Sun, Fire and Life Insurance Company continued operating from the ground floor, with various tenants occupying the upper floors, the last recorded being Dr. Robert Cocks, who operated a medical practice from the address. The building was not utilised as a private dwelling during this period and was principally used for commercial and office purposes.

No. 69 was the only member of the terrace individually described in 1969, when it was noted as "a very nice modest three-storey house of about 1810 with Doric doorcase, and particularly crisp later stucco rustication on the ground floor, especially the faceted quoins and voussoirs around the doorway". The building was listed in 1977 along with the rest of the terrace. Photographs from around 1910 show no discernible alteration to the façade in the subsequent century. The building is currently vacant.