Pound World, 23 Greencastle Street, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4ND

This building on Greencastle Street, Kilkeel, is a three-story structure with a two-story return, forming part of a continuous street frontage. While the building dates back to around 1820-1839, the present form largely reflects construction in the 1860s. It was originally a house, as shown on an 1834 town map and documented in valuations of the same year. The 1862 valuation described it as a “house and office in progress,” measuring 14 yards by 7.75 yards and three stories high, and noted it was “unfinished,” which may have referred to a lack of plastering. The building continued to be described as a house in valuations until 1925.

The shop front is of primary interest. The street façade is rendered and features a projecting masonry eaves course. A segmental-headed carriage entry with a pair of metal doors occupies the right bay at ground floor, flanked by a recessed entrance and a curved-glass display window. A larger conventional window is located to the left. The stall riser incorporates moulded painted pilasters at each end with boxed fascia, a hand-painted sign, an awning, and console stop-ends at the top; a modern steel security shutter has been installed below the fascia. The first and second floors each contain three regularly spaced 1/1 sash windows, with the second floor windows being slightly reduced in height. A small 1/1 sash is located at first floor level, above the carriage entrance. The top floor has at least two 4/4 sash windows, although not all are visible. The roof is pitched and covered with natural slate, with a concrete tile ridge and a cast-iron skylight to the rear pitch. A rendered and coped chimney is situated on the left side, and half-round metal gutters are present. The left and right elevations are adjoined by other buildings.