3 Arthur Street, Hillsborough, County Down, BT26 6AP

3 Arthur Street, Hillsborough

A mid-terrace, single-storey stone house with attic, built around 1830 as part of a terrace of 23 similar properties. The house faces west and is rectangular in plan. It was constructed as low-cost housing for workers on the Downshire estate during the early to mid-nineteenth century.

The building retains much of its original character despite recent renovations. The façade displays a dressed stone archway with stone hood mouldings giving access to a shared passageway. The walling is of galletted rubble basalt, though window and door openings have been given replacement redbrick surrounds and concrete hood mouldings with concrete sills. The east front elevation contains a single window opening and a door opening. Both are fitted with replacement fixed-pane bipartite timber windows with applied lead detail; the dormer window is similarly finished. The timber sheeted door opens onto a concrete step.

The roof is pitched, covered with fibre cement slate and topped with synthetic ridge tiles. A single gabled dormer projects from the roof, and a single replacement redbrick chimneystack with terracotta pots is shared with the adjoining house No. 5. Cast-iron guttering is supported on iron brackets.

The south side elevation is abutted by No. 5, with a shared passageway accessed from the street. This passageway is fronted by a voussoired granite arch to the street, retaining part of the original granite hood moulding. The passageway is concrete paved, and a redbrick wall forms the northern boundary. The rear west elevation is abutted by a flat-roofed extension. The gabled north side elevation is blank and abutted by a single buttress. The house formerly abutted No. 1 Arthur Street but now fronts onto a paved parking area.

Historical Context and Development

The earliest houses in this terrace were built by 1833, with evidence suggesting they may date from the late 1820s. The house is one of the earlier buildings and is first recorded in Griffith's Valuation (1856-64), where it is listed as occupied by Richard Duncan and leased from the Marquess of Downshire. It is valued as a house and yard at £2 15s, with a weekly rent of 1 shilling 4 pence plus taxes. The valuer noted that rents were 'moderate'. This house claims ownership of the passageway and was valued slightly higher than the neighbouring property for this reason. The earliest houses in the terrace, including this one, are distinguished by their use of random rubble masonry with granite employed for mouldings and arched alleyways.

All houses on Arthur Street were originally built with a rear yard, a pit for household waste, and a dry toilet. Coal was stored in a hole beneath the stairs adjoining the living room, and water was supplied from either a tap at the top of Arthur Street or a pump at the end of Wapping Street.

Later Alterations

The house was listed in 1974. In 1982, various renovations were carried out including replacement of the dormer windows. In 1989, a Velux roof light was added to the rear. Many original materials have been replaced during these recent renovations, including the roof covering and window surrounds.

Setting and Group Value

The property forms part of a terrace of 23 similar houses arranged in a cul-de-sac on the east side of Ballynahinch Street. Despite alterations, it remains an important contributor to the overall character of Arthur Street and constitutes group value within the street's heritage character. The building is of architectural and historic interest and contributes significantly to the heritage of the area. It lies within a conservation area.