31 Charlemont Square East, Bessbrook, Co.Armagh

31 Charlemont Square East, Bessbrook

A two-storey, two-bay mid-Victorian terraced house built between 1862 and 1866 to designs by an unknown architect. The building forms part of Charlemont Square, a formally designed mid-Victorian development comprising 66 buildings arranged on three sides around a central green. No. 31 is one of twenty-seven similar houses forming the eastern terrace, with five larger two-and-a-half storey shop buildings positioned to the southeast.

The house is constructed in random-coursed rock-faced local Newry Granodiorite walling with painted red brick dressings. Stone cills and stepped red brick surrounds frame gauged-brick cambered door and window openings; many window heads are now squared off with bands of painted smooth cement render. The roof is pitched with natural slate and angled black clay ridge tiles, with a rectangular-section red brick chimney to the northwest carrying a single terracotta pot. Eaves are flush with a red brick corbel course. Cast iron rainwater goods with half-round guttering discharge to circular section downpipes, with uPVC rainwater goods to the rear northeast elevation.

The building adopts an L-plan form facing southwest, with a large two-storey rear return. The principal front elevation is nearly symmetrical and flush with the main terrace. A modest paved front yard is enclosed by smooth cement rendered dwarf walling topped by plain hooped painted metal railings, with a matching foot gate. A paved path leads to a four-panelled painted timber door positioned to the southeast of the facade, fitted with brass furniture and topped by a rectangular fanlight. Two double-hung timber sliding sash windows with window horns and exposed sash boxes are positioned regularly on the front elevation.

To the northwest, the building is attached to No. 32 Charlemont Square East. The rear northeast elevation includes a single-bay two-storey pitched roof return projecting into the rear yard, with painted timber soffit and fascia. A panelled and glazed painted timber back door serves the northwest side. The rear yard is narrow and L-shaped, enclosed by random-coursed rubble stone walling with a square-headed door opening onto a wide rear access route. Casement windows with smooth cement rendered finish serve the rear elevation.

The building sits within a planned arrangement of mill workers' dwellings and shops. Each house is set back from the perimeter public road with a modest front yard. Terraces to the east and west step in groups of two dwellings following the site's subtle topography. Front facades remain nearly uniform along the eastern and western terraces. The central area of the square is now laid to lawn and enclosed by hooped galvanised metal railings with established trees at its boundary. A children's playground and monument to electric lighting installation (1911) are located to the southeast, alongside Bessbrook's War Memorial.