20 Canal Street, Newry, Co Down, BT35 6JB

This is an interesting example of an urban vernacular dwelling, likely originating in the 18th century, and situated on the west side of Canal Street in Newry. It is one of a small group of similar houses and is located to the left of a terrace of four buildings.

The house is two and a half storeys tall, with two bays, and has a steeply pitched natural slate roof with a broad, shared rendered chimney over the party wall on the right side. A cast iron skylight is visible on the front roof slope, complemented by semicircular metal rainwater goods and a downpipe on the left. The left bay of the front elevation is narrower and features a painted lined render with a corbel eaves course. The front door, centrally located on the ground floor, is a three-panelled, painted timber design with an oval glazed top pane, characteristic of the 1930s. To the right of the door is a window, incorporated into a recessed panel that would have previously formed part of a shop. At ground floor level to the left, a pair of tongue-and-groove sheeted coach-way doors, including a wicket gate, are set within a large rectangular opening. Two windows are positioned on the first floor, each centred above the bay below. These are taller two-paned casement windows with transoms and painted granite cills. The left and right gables share walls with the adjacent properties at numbers 18 and 22.

The rear (west) elevation has a lean-to timber and glass extension at ground floor level in the left bay, extending along the yard wall. The remaining rear wall is painted and rendered. The coach-arch, centrally located in the right bay, is semicircular headed with roughly dressed jambs and voussoirs, above which the wall is of painted random rubble. First floor windows are 1/1 sliding sash windows centred in each bay. A small rear yard, enclosed by painted random rubble walls – approximately the width of the left bay – provides limited exterior space. The coach-arch opens into the yard of the adjacent property at number 18.

Historical records, including a map from 1761, indicate that buildings were present on this site. While it is assumed to be the same building, it appears to have been gutted and rebuilt in the mid to late 19th century, as evidenced by the roof and timber framing of that period. Nevertheless, the steeply pitched roof, simple plan, and corner chimney breasts suggest an earlier origin. Valuation records from 1835, 1838, and 1863 describe a thatched building measuring approximately 20ft x 24ft 6in x 15ft 6in, confirming the existing building’s identity. The original thatch was replaced with slates at an unknown date, and the roof framing was replaced with sawn timber while retaining the original pitch. The building is part of a conservation area and is owned by a charity.