Former Police Station, 15 Rathfriland Road, Dromara, County Down, BT25 2JG

Former Police Station, Dromara

This two-storey detached rendered former police station was built around 1925 on Rathfriland Road in the centre of Dromara. It was designed to a standard pattern by T.F.O. Rippingham, an English-born architect who arrived in Belfast in 1922 to assist the newly created Government of Northern Ireland Works Division. Rippingham was commissioned by the Ministry of Finance to construct a series of police stations for the Royal Ulster Constabulary during the 1920s, with further surviving examples at Seaforde, County Down and Belleek, County Fermanagh.

The rectangular plan building featured two single-storey flat-roof returns to the rear. The roof was hipped with natural slate and rounded black ridge tiles, with rendered chimneystacks. Plastic rainwater goods were fitted to overhanging eaves, supported by cast-iron downpipes and hoppers. The walls were painted render with a continuous moulded sill course to the diminished first floor and chamfered plinth course. Windows throughout were later replaced with uPVC, though the original floor-plan remained intact.

The principal elevation faced west and was asymmetrically arranged, seven windows wide to the first floor. A shallow breakfront to the left comprised three shallow recessed arches containing the entrance flanked by two window openings. The three arches were connected by a blocking course at impost level. A double-leaf raised-and-fielded three and six-panelled timber door in moulded surround with oversized keyblock detail occupied the entrance, with an emblem and banner to the tympanum (partially removed). To the right were three further window openings. The north elevation had two windows to ground and first floor, with a diminutive cell window to the centre at ground floor. The east (rear) elevation had asymmetrical fenestration with five windows to the first floor; a stairwell window to the right of centre broke the continuous sill course. The ground floor was abutted to left and right by single-storey flat-roof returns, with two windows to the centre and a modern panelled timber door with transom light to the right. The south elevation had a single window to the first floor right; at ground floor right was a raised-and-fielded six-panelled timber door in moulded surround with projecting blank panel, accessed by two masonry steps with a metal boot scraper to the lower step. An outbuilding to the rear contained WCs.

The architectural detailing aspired to the neo-Georgian style favoured for public buildings in the new state, with recessed arches, understated mouldings and diminished first floor proportions.

The site was bounded to the road by a painted masonry wall surmounted by corrugated steel and wire fence. Vehicular and pedestrian access were located to left and right respectively, with gate piers and steel gates. Flagged paving to the front led to the entrance via steps; the rear yard was gravelled and paved. The rear yard was enclosed by a high painted masonry wall, with a tarmacadamed vehicular access leading to a large car park to the rear containing a block of three garages. The corrugated iron fence encircling the site was constructed around 1969. The entire site covered approximately half an acre.

Dromara Police Station operated as an RUC station until 2001, when the Police Service of Northern Ireland was created. Under a government estate strategy implemented in 2005 aimed at streamlining police service operating costs, the station was closed in January 2009. It was one of 22 stations closed under this scheme. At the time of survey, the original floor plan had survived along with interior features including a detainment cell, panelled timber doors and original light switches.

The building was demolished sometime after November 2010.