64-66 Scotch Street, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 6AN

A two-storey terrace block containing two plain houses of probable pre-1834 construction, situated on the north side of Scotch Street to the north-east of Downpatrick town centre. Both buildings now have modern window frames, doors, and rear extensions, though they retain evidence of their early origins.

No. 64

The western and larger of the two properties. The front south-facing façade is asymmetrical, finished in lined render and painted. On the ground floor, to the right of centre stands a modern partly glazed door; to the left is a large flat arch carriage entrance with timber sheeted double doors (this entrance actually belongs to the adjoining No. 62). A window with modern frame is positioned to the right of the doorway. The first floor has three similar windows.

The rear elevation, viewed from a distance, shows on the ground floor left a large flat roofed extension. The rear façade of the main house above has two windows of varying size: the left has a modern frame, while the left is set at a slightly lower level and retains a sash frame. The right side of the elevation comprises a full height lean-to, with the rear end of the carriage entrance occupying the entire ground floor. The rear elevation is finished entirely in roughcast and partly painted. The gabled roof is slated to the rear and has asbestos tiles to the front. A single brick chimney stack is present.

No. 66

The eastern property. The ground floor front façade has a modern partly glazed door to the left, a window to its right, and a doorway to the entry at the far right. Two windows similar to those at ground floor level occupy the first floor. The front façade is rendered and painted. The rear elevation is almost completely obscured by a large modern two-storey extension with flat roof and roughcast finish. The roof is entirely covered in modern artificial tile, with Velux windows to front and rear. A single brick chimney stack is present.

Historical Context

This section of Scotch Street, originally known as Barrack Street, had been developed prior to approximately 1720. The particular stretch of terrace may not date from that period but rather from the late 1700s or early 1800s. Internal evidence—specifically the former presence of attic gable windows—suggests that No. 64 at least was built prior to the two-storey portion of No. 62, which may itself date from around 1840. Both No. 64 and No. 66 are likely the same dwellings recorded on the 1838 valuation plan, where they were documented as the homes of John Ladley and George Breen respectively.

When first surveyed in February 1975, both dwellings still retained Georgian paned sash windows, but have undergone considerable modernisation in subsequent years.