49 Downshire Road, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1EE

49 Downshire Road, Newry

Number 49 Downshire Road is the left-hand building of a terrace of three two-storey structures with semi-basement and attic storey, arranged over three bays. It was designed by the well-known local architect Thomas Duff and erected in the early 1820s as part of the Downshire Road development, representing an early example of town planning in Newry. The building is shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map and was cited as Paternoster Row in the 1838 valuation, at which time it was occupied by John Ritchie. Duff himself lived in the adjoining house (no. 47). The building survives in virtually original condition.

The pitched roof is of artificial slate with two cast iron skylights to the rear pitch. Rendered chimneys rise from each gable end; that to the right is shared with the adjacent property. Rainwater goods are half-round metal with downpipes to the right on the front elevation and to the left on the rear elevation, both shared with the adjacent property.

The main façade faces west and is constructed of unrendered, regularly coursed squared granite rubble with a raised eaves course and cement render base course at basement level. The main entrance is positioned at the centre of the front elevation, accessed by four granite and one concrete steps rising to a granite-paved vaulted platform over the basement passage. Cast iron railings with simple decorative spikes enclose each side of the steps and platform, with three uprights to each step and four grouped on the bottom step; these railings appear once to have extended along the basement passage as well. A metal boot scraper stands to the right of the door.

The front door is painted timber with six raised and fielded panels with bolection moulding. The muntin, frieze-rail and lock rail are all beaded, and the door features modern furniture. It is set within a pair of painted pilasters supporting a painted timber entablature, above which is a rectangular leaded transom with hoops, anthemion and Grecian-revival centre panel in a symmetrical scrolling anthemion design. The door surround is rendered with a moulded render architrave and scrolled foliated brackets to the cornice above.

All window openings to the façade have rendered heads, stepped rendered jambs and granite cills. The windows throughout the building are without horns. The ground floor contains single 6/6 sliding sash windows to the left and right bays. The middle bay basement, below the front steps, features a broad sheeted tongue-and-groove door with latch and broad cement-rendered jambs rising from the base course. To the left and right bays at basement level, in line with the ground floor windows, are single 6/3 sliding sashes with wire mesh grills. The first floor contains three 6/6 sliding sashes, in line with the ground floor openings but diminished in height. A burglar alarm is positioned at the top of the ground floor left window.

The left gable is lined cement render and blank. The right gable forms the party wall with the adjacent building.

The basement to the rear elevation is at ground level due to the sloping topography of the site. The walls are lined with cement render, with a raised eaves course and low chamfered render base course. The central bay of the basement contains a low modern tongue-and-groove sheeted door. The left and right bays have single 6/3 sliding sash windows with metal security bars. Three equally spaced 6/6 sliding sash windows are positioned to each upper floor; those to the first floor are slightly diminished in height. At the extreme right, at the half-landing between ground and first floor, is a small 1/1 bucket-hinged window with narrow concrete cill.

The basement passage at the front is paved and enclosed to the garden side by lined render walls, all coped.

The front garden is enclosed to the front and left by a low rendered rubble stone wall. Single granite gate piers stand to either side of the path to the front door, though there are no gates or railings. The garden contains small patches of lawn and mature shrubs, together with a modern signpost advertising the occupant. The rear yard is enclosed by rendered rubble walls to the left and right and open to the rear. Outhouses that once stood at the rear are now gone.