19 Windsor Hill, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1ER

19 Windsor Hill, Newry

A two-storey, three-bay house set in mature grounds on the east side of Windsor Hill, dating from the 19th century. The building is substantial and carefully detailed, with an elaborate façade and complex returns to the rear.

The main roof is pitched natural slate with scalloped terracotta ridges, hip knobs and overhanging eaves. Three return roofs tie into the rear pitch—those to left and right are pitched while the central roof is hipped. A stepped red brick chimney with yellow brick banding rises from the roof ridge between the left and centre bays. The front left of the façade features a two-storey canted bay with a hipped roof, similar slates, ridges and terracotta hip knob. Rainwater goods are cast-iron and semicircular in profile.

The façade wall is red brick with a chamfered base course and a single course of black bricks at the head level of the ground floor windows. A moulded brick string course runs between ground and first floor, with a second projecting course at first floor window cill level. A course of black and yellow bricks marks the head level of first floor windows.

The main entrance is in a gabled brick porch to the central bay. The porch roof is pitched ashlar granite, rising from moulded granite kneestones. Its walls are red brick with a base course matching the façade. The walls splay out towards the ground on either side of the door opening. A single granite step rises to a pair of multi-panelled timber doors with the top two panels glazed, with a plain semicircular fanlight over. These are set within a semi-elliptical headed chamfered opening, above which is a course of purple brick. A projecting moulded string course runs above this. In the gable apex is an inset foliated terracotta diamond panel. Projecting stepped brick plinths flank the door opening, with chamfered granite caps supporting decorative urns.

All windows are 1/1 sashes with segmental heads, swept stooled ends and granite cills. Ground floor façade windows have decorative terracotta lintels with embossed rosettes, raised keystones and roll-mould chamfering. First floor windows have chamfered brick reveals and heads. Over the porch is a pair of windows with a common cill broken by the ridge of the porch roof. At the left is a canted bay window with single 1/1 sliding sashes to each cheek of both floors. A pair of windows lights the ground floor right bay, with a single window centred above.

The right elevation is two bays wide and gabled to the left bay, with wall details matching the façade. The gable is decorated with three different bands of red, black and yellow bricks. At ground floor left is a single-storey rectangular bay with a pair of windows to the front. At right is a single-storey canted bay window with a single window to each cheek. Both projecting bays are capped by a granite blocking course at cill level of the first floor. Two pairs of windows light the first floor, each in line with those on the ground floor.

The left elevation is two bays wide and gabled to the right bay, with wall and gable detailing as the right elevation. The right bay is abutted by a two-storey rectangular bay that was originally a single storey but was raised in the 1970s. This addition is decorated with bands of yellow and black brick. Between ground and first floor windows at left are decorative terracotta panels. A pair of windows lights the ground floor left, above which is a large segmental-headed stained glass landing window. The right projecting bay has two windows to the front and a narrow sliding sash to each cheek. The first floor of the raised bay at right is windowless except for a modern louvered glass opening on the left cheek.

The rear elevation is abutted by three returns. Those to left and right (as viewed from the rear) are gabled with natural slate roofs, each with a stepped red brick chimney with yellow banding to the ends. The left cheek of the left return forms a continuation of the right elevation of the main block; the right cheek of the right return forms a continuation of the left elevation. The left return has a blank left wall. Its end gable is abutted by a single storey return. The exposed section of the gable above has a circular window opening. The right cheek forms a party wall with the middle return. The smaller return has a pitched natural slate roof and rendered walls. It has a large modern picture window to the left cheek which wraps around to the gable. The right return has, on its right cheek, a continuation of the string courses from the main block, which step up at the join. At ground floor of this cheek is a modern picture window with black brick soldier course and granite cill. At first floor is a single sliding sash with granite cill. Abutting the gable is a one and a half storey return with a blank wall above. The left cheek projects forward from the middle return and has a single 1/1 sash to each floor. The smaller return has a pitched natural slate roof. On its right cheek is a sliding sash to the ground floor. It also has a 1/1 sash to the ground floor gable and a 2/1 sash above. Its left cheek has a door and window. Linking the two returns is a central return with a natural slate hipped roof. At ground floor it has a timber door to the right and a 1/1 sliding sash to the left. At first floor are two 1/1 sliding sashes.

The boundary wall to Windsor Hill is coursed granite rubble with rock faced coping. Square ashlar granite piers on chamfered bases support oversailing pyramidal caps. Double modern wrought iron gates provide access. The front and side gardens contain mature trees and bushes, with an assortment of furniture including a cast iron tree bench and large stone urns with polished stone shafts. To the rear is a tennis court and a post-war swimming pool. An outhouse on the rear boundary wall with Arthur Street has a pitched natural slate roof and random rubble walls with red brick dressings. It now contains a swimming pool with a box dormer to the garden front.