7 Marcus Square, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1AY

7 Marcus Square, Newry

A three and a half storey classical Georgian townhouse of circa 1800–1819, forming the left half of a pair situated on the west side of Marcus Square at its corner with Marcus Street. The building retains some original features above ground floor level, though modern shopfronts and loss of basements have significantly compromised its character.

The pitched roof is covered in artificial slate with a cement-rendered chimney and a projecting bargeboard to the left gable. The street façade displays a projecting eaves course with cast metal rainwater goods and downpipe. The wall is painted lined render, bearing a plaque commemorating Dr Samuel Black, a pioneer cardiologist who lived here from 1819 to 1832.

At ground floor, a modern shopfront set forward of the main wall dominates the façade. It comprises five mahogany-framed windows, each with a panelled stall riser and decorated transom light, set between pilasters supporting a broad modern fascia board. The right cheek is painted lined cement render. The first floor contains two equally spaced 1/1 double-glazed sliding sash windows with horns. The second floor has two 3/3 vertically divided double-glazed sliding sash windows with horns, aligned with the openings below but diminished in height. All windows have granite cills.

The left gable facing Marcus Street is painted lined cement render. At ground floor is a modern door with a tall nine-pane fixed transom and modern exposed roller shutter box. To its right is a 6/6 fixed modern replacement window. Further right are two modern openings: a window and a shop window with door, both roller shuttered beneath a large projecting modern timber fascia. Centred at half landing level between ground and first floors is a 6/6 sliding sash window with metal security grille. The first floor features a 6/6 sliding sash half-landing window without horns, directly above which is another at the first floor. The attic gable contains a replacement 2/2 sliding sash window with horns.

The rear elevation is abutted at ground floor by a single storey shop. The walls are unpainted render. A rendered chimney rises on the rear slope at the party wall with number 6. The first and second floors each have two 1/1 replacement sliding sash windows with horns.

Historical Context

Hill Street was laid out by the Downshire family in the mid-18th century as a formal extension to the town. The building appears on the 1835 Ordnance Survey map and was valued at £31 in the 1838 valuation. Dr Samuel Black, the pioneering cardiologist, resided here between 1819 and 1832; he is buried in St Patrick's Churchyard. The 1863 valuation describes the building as three and a half storeys high plus basement. A post-Second World War photograph documents that the building originally featured a doorcase and ground floor window mirroring its neighbour at number 6, prior to erection of the modern shop unit. Following the Second World War, the building was occupied by the Carlingford Lough Commissioners.

The property is within a conservation area and holds group value as part of a Georgian townhouse pair.