St Catherine's, 12 Red Brae Road, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim BT38 9DG

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-and-a-half storey Northern Bank, built around 1910, located on the north side of Main Street in Beragh. The scale, form and proportions emphasise its relative importance in the street. Although of some local significance, it is a common type of a late date and not one of the best examples of the type.

The building is rectangular on plan with a two-and-a-half-storey return to the rear abutted by a three-storey extension with flat roof; two-storey and single-storey lean-to extensions occupy the re-entrant angle. The roof is pitched natural slate with raised masonry verges and ogee profile cast-iron rainwater goods supported on a corbel course, with cast-iron rainwater hoppers. Two flat roof dormers to the south pitch contain timber casement windows. The walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with a painted projecting moulded plinth. Windows are 1/1 timber sliding sashes set within plain surrounds and a continuous cill course. All ground floor windows except those to the south are enclosed by cast-iron railings.

The principal elevation faces south. A central entrance door is flanked by two windows on each side, with five windows at first floor. The entrance comprises an original single-leaf six-panelled timber door with a round-arched-headed fanlight above, set within a deep moulded architrave and flanked by pilasters supporting an entrance canopy fronted by two Tuscan order columns. A brass signage panel at the centre of the door reads "NORTHERN BANK LIMITED" and contains a letter box. The brass door bell and knocker remain intact.

The left (west) gable contains a projecting stepped chimney breast with a window at ground floor. The exposed section at left contains three windows, one at each floor, with those at ground and attic level diminished in size. The rear (north) elevation is abutted off-centre at left by a two-and-a-half-storey return (slightly lower than the main block). The exposed section at left contains a window at ground and first floor; the exposed section at right is abutted by a two-storey lean-to extension with felted roof. Both the right corner of the main block and the two-storey lean-to extension have corbelled corners at first floor level, over the entrance to the rear yard. The two-and-a-half-storey return is detailed as the main block; its north gable is abutted by a lower three-storey extension, the exposed section containing a window at each floor. The left cheek is blank; the right cheek contains a single window at first floor. The two-storey lean-to extension is detailed as the main block; its north elevation is abutted at ground floor by the end of the single-storey lean-to extension, with the exposed section at right containing a single window and two windows at first floor (the right one diminished). Its right cheek is blank. The single-storey lean-to extension is detailed as the main block with a single window on each face. The three-storey extension with flat roof has red brick walling and timber casement windows throughout, and is of no architectural or historic interest.

The rear of the bank is enclosed at the south-west corner by replacement metal gates, and is bound at north and south by brick walling and adjacent buildings. The setting is in Beragh on the north side of Main Street; a boundary to the road is formed by original wrought-iron railings on a plinth wall, with access at centre via similarly detailed cast-iron gates.

The Northern Bank was built in 1912 and appears to have undergone little alteration since. The building is inserted into Annual Revision records in 1913, replacing three houses previously on the site. It was occupied by the Northern Banking Co. Ltd. and leased from the Earl of Belmore. It is described as a bank house, offices, yard and garden valued at £40 for the buildings and 15 shillings for land. An announcement in the Irish Builder of 23rd December 1911 states that the tender of Messrs Henry Laverty and Sons Ltd. of Belfast had been accepted for the building of new branch premises for the Northern Banking Co. Ltd., according to plans and specifications prepared by Mr Godfrey W. Ferguson, architect, of Royal Avenue, Belfast. After 1934 the Northern Bank Ltd owned the property in fee, with the valuation raised to £50 (undated changes). The building comprises a kitchen and one room and four bedrooms, a reception, bath and water closet upstairs, with a further attic bedroom. It is constructed of brick and slate, and contains a public office and strong room.