Northern Bank, 17 Main Street, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, BT78 4AB

Northern Bank, 17 Main Street, Newtownstewart

Originally a large townhouse, this prominent and well-proportioned corner house now operates as a bank and retains its 19th-century appearance. Together with the adjoining house, it forms a pair that stands out as one of the most important buildings on Newtownstewart's main street. While the ground floor interior has been completely modernised—partly due to bomb damage in the 1970s—the upper floors have retained their original joinery and timber flooring.

The building is a three-storey, three-bay corner-sited street-fronted semi-detached former townhouse, built around 1850. It faces northwest with a two-bay east side elevation fronting St. Eugene Street and a lower two-storey return with a further single-storey wing. The structure is covered by a hipped natural slate roof with M-profile to the rear, finished with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles and lead to the northeast. A pair of large rendered chimneystacks with cement coping and clay pots rises from the roof.

The walls are painted pebbledash render with rusticated render quoins to the northeast corner and a smooth render plinth course to the front elevation only. Ogee-moulded cast-iron guttering sits above boxed timber eaves with cast-iron downpipes; plastic rainwater goods serve the return. Window openings are square-headed with painted stone sills, though some have been replaced with concrete sills. Most windows are replacement 6/6 timber sash windows with angled horns, with 3/6 sashes to the second floor. Wrought-iron grilles protect ground floor windows on both elevations. The return features timber casement windows with concrete sills, whilst all rear windows are replacement timber casements with security bars.

The principal west elevation rises three storeys across three bays, with an off-centre three-centred arched door opening to the ground floor. The door surround features a moulded render architrave on plinth blocks. The inset doorcase contains a replacement timber panelled door flanked by plain timber pilasters with a stepped lintel cornice and glazed fanlight opening directly onto the street.

The east side elevation, two bays wide, fronts St. Eugene Street with a two-storey gable-ended return and single-storey wing, also fronting the street. A further square-headed door opening to the return holds a replacement timber panelled door with a concrete step. The single-storey structure includes a vehicular entrance with double-leaf timber sheeted doors.

The three-storey rear elevation has been largely obscured by a full-height lean-to structure to the left and a lower gabled return to the right.

The building can be dated stylistically to around 1850 and was extensively refurbished around 1865 for commercial use, as evidenced by the internal fittings of the Bank Manager's quarters on the upper levels. Buildings are shown on this site from the 1833 Ordnance Survey map, but the building is not identifiable in the Townland Valuation records. The first clear mention appears in Griffith's Valuation and its associated Town Plan (1856–64), which records a house measuring 36.6 by 29 by 30 feet, together with an addition of 14 by 5 by 24 feet, another addition of 4 by 14 by 30 feet, three offices and two basement offices. The property was held in fee by William McCloy and valued at £18 3s 10d, with annual revisions recording it at £20. In 1867 the Northern Banking Company became the occupiers, with McCloy as lessor. The valuation was raised to £25 in 1879, with a marginal note reading "improved".

The Northern Bank gained historical notoriety on 29 June 1871 when cashier William Glass was murdered by Sub-Inspector Montgomery. The killing of a bank cashier by a police officer caused widespread sensation. Montgomery faced three mistrials before new evidence emerged revealing he had paid off substantial gambling debts following the robbery. Upon conviction, he confessed his involvement.

The building is located within a conservation area and forms part of a pair with neighbouring number 15, with which it shares group value.