Bank of Ireland, 13 Market Street, Lurgan, BT66 6AR

Bank of Ireland, Market Street, Lurgan

A three-storey terrace building that serves as the Bank of Ireland premises, positioned on the southern side of Market Street in Lurgan town centre. Originally a dwelling of around 1840, the building was remodelled to its present form in 1922 to a design by the architects Tulloch & Fitzsimons.

The structure comprises a main three-storey street-fronted block with a single-storey hipped roof return attached to its side, which in turn abuts a longer part single, part two-storey former outbuilding. The ground floor houses the bank premises, while the first and second floors contain a former bank manager's dwelling.

The front elevation is symmetrical and defined by its Neoclassical character. The ground floor presents a cut stone shopfront with a large central flat-headed window flanked by two smaller similar windows. The entrances are positioned at the far left and right, accessed through panelled timber doors with overlights. Above the bank entrance is a dentilled timber 'keystone' bearing the raised lettering 'BANK'. Each window and door opening is framed by engaged Doric pilasters that rest on a shallow plinth and support a full-width entablature serving as a signage band. The frieze displays raised serif lettering spelling 'BANK OF IRELAND', with baroque carved stone cartouches depicting the bank's cypher forming end-stops to this composition.

Above the shopfront, the remainder of the front façade is finished in painted lined render and framed with bevelled in-out quoins. The first floor contains flat-headed window openings encased with plain pilasters supporting a simple cornice, fitted with plain timber sash frames. The second floor windows have similar timber sash frames set within shouldered surrounds, each with a plain keystone. A carved stone balustraded parapet crowns the composition, set on a projecting cornice.

The rear elevation is informally composed with the right-hand eastern end recessed. The single-storey hipped roof return features an out-sized square bay window. At second floor level in the middle section is a small semi-circular-headed window opening with a 3/3 top-opening timber frame. Other window openings are flat-headed and arranged regularly though not symmetrically, mostly fitted with 6/6 timber sash frames.

The main block roof is pitched and slated, with three chimneystacks set on the ridge—two at the ends and another to the north-west of centre—reflecting the building's original composition as two separate properties. A further stack is set within the rear recess. Cast-iron rainwater goods with square-section downspouts are visible to the front, featuring decorative hoppers bearing the date 1922.

The long gable-ended return to the south features window openings of both segmental and flat-headed types, some of which have been bricked-up. At its south-west end is a large garage door opening fitted with sheeted timber and part-glazed sliding doors.

Recent alterations include a projecting street lamp attached to the front at second floor level, a projecting bank sign, and a security camera at ground floor level.