RUC station, 37-39 South Promenade, Newcastle, Ballaghbeg, Co Down, BT33 0EY

A large three and two storey gabled house now used as a police station, located on the west side of South Promenade, south of Newcastle town centre in County Down. The building was constructed in stages between approximately 1820 and the 1850s, with substantial extensions and alterations carried out to the rear during the mid to late 20th century.

The three storey section to the south appears to be the oldest part, dating from around 1820–30. Its front façade retains late Georgian symmetry, with a central projecting Edwardian timber porch at ground floor level. The porch is flanked by three semicircular headed windows with trellis work between the openings, and an open doorway with semicircular fanlight to the north. A decorative cast iron balcony spans much of the width of this section above the porch. To the left of the porch is a 2 over 2 sash window, with a similar 1 over 1 sash window to the right. The first and second floors contain evenly spaced smaller modern windows, with those on the second floor slightly larger than those on the first.

The two storey wing to the north was added in two stages between approximately 1840 and 1850, and blends successfully with the original façade. The front of this section has five evenly spaced sash windows to both ground and first floors, many with Georgian panes, others plain. The central first floor window has a modern frame with a small balcony of the same design as the balcony to the south section. Coursing of the stonework indicates this portion was built in two stages.

The building is constructed with a granite front façade. A granite carriage gateway without gates is located to the east side of the façade. The south gable of the main three storey section merges with a large three storey flat-roofed rear extension; this south elevation is blank and finished in painted rough-cast render. The north façade merges with a two storey rear section with hipped roof. At ground floor centre of this elevation is a timber panelled door with plain fanlight and bracketed hood. To the right are two small modern windows, and to the first floor is a larger modern window. This elevation is also rendered.

The rear elevation has been substantially extended over time and comprises a large two storey hipped-roof return at centre, a smaller return to the left with double hipped roof, and a three storey flat-roofed extension to the right, which may be quite old but has been modernised. Single storey flat-roofed projections are also present. All rear sections are finished in painted rough-cast render. Modern windows of various shapes and sizes, fitted with security devices, and modern doors are throughout. The pitched roof sections are covered in natural slate, with three large rendered chimney stacks and a number of cast-iron skylights to the large central return. Metal and PVC rainwater goods are present. Two and single storey outbuildings to the rear have been modernised in a similar manner, though the two storey gabled section to the south retains some Georgian paned sash windows.

The building is surrounded by modern security measures. To the front is a high rendered wall with security fence; lower wall and fence to the south and tall corrugated iron fencing to the north. The area surrounding the buildings is tarmaced.

Historical records show a building on this site by 1834, when it belonged to James Gibbons and was valued at £28-14-11, regarded as a relatively new building. By 1838 it had been acquired by William Humphries. By 1859 the building had been extended north and to the rear, assuming its present front configuration, and was known as Rowallen House. The Humphries family remained in occupation until the early 1900s, during which they constructed a tower to the rear wall of the garden fronting on to King Street in the later 1800s. By 1910 the property was in the hands of the Ball family. It was probably around this time that the present staircase was added, and possibly also the porch and balconies. Around 1925 the large three storey section appears to have been converted to use as the local police station, with the two storey section remaining a dwelling house for some years thereafter. In the 1960s the whole building was given over to police use. Newcastle's original police station, a purpose-built constabulary barrack of around 1850, is the building immediately to the north (number 35 South Promenade), which has been somewhat modernised in recent years.