7 The Square (Orchard Grove Residential home), Clough, Downpatrick, Co Down, BT30 8RB

7 The Square, Clough, Downpatrick

A long, largely two-storey terrace block of predominantly pre-1834 construction with Georgian character, featuring full-height rounded end bays added around 1900. The building originally comprised two to three separate properties: a substantial pre-1834 house and store to the west, a shorter section to the east added after 1860 as a separate dwelling, and a small single-storey section at the western end, apparently rebuilt in recent times. The block now functions as a single residential property.

The building sits on the sloping north side of The Square in the village of Clough. Its long south-facing front elevation is asymmetrical. Left of centre stands the main entrance, comprising a panelled timber door with fanlight and margin panes, flanked by fluted Doric three-quarter columns supporting a panelled entablature. To the left of the entrance is a six-over-six sash window, followed by a shallow rounded full-height bay with hipped, four-sided slated roof. The bay contains three plain sash windows to each floor, with an upper sill course spanning the bay only. To the right of the main entrance are two further six-over-six sash windows, then a second doorway with a modern panelled glazed door, then another window. Beyond this, a line of in-and-out quoins marks the original building's extent. The façade concludes with another rounded full-height bay identical to that on the left. The upper storey (between the bays) displays six unevenly spaced six-over-six sash windows. The western gable contains a small single-storey gabled section with two plain sash windows and a further sash window in its gable. The eastern gable of the main building is blank.

The rear elevation shows substantial later alteration. At its centre is a large full-height gabled return. To the left of this (on the main building's rear), the ground floor contains a large modern window far left, a modern door, and a small four-over-four sash window. The first floor has two windows with modern frames and a doorway (modern door) between, reached via modern metal stairs that cut through the eaves line. The return's east face bears a large modern ground-floor window with blank gable above. Its west face contains a small single-storey lean-to with modern glazed door and small modern-framed window, both to the west. The return's first floor has three windows of varying size: one plain sash frame and two modern frames. To the right of the return on the main building's rear elevation, the ground floor has a modern glazed door, then a pair of small modern-framed windows, then a six-over-six Georgian sash window. The first floor shows four small sash windows—three four-over-two with plain frames, one plain. The single-storey section's rear contains two large modern picture windows with adjacent flat panel doors.

The front façade is finished in painted lined render with in-and-out quoins. The rear is largely roughcast. The main gabled roof is slated, though a small rear section may be asbestos. Four rendered chimney stacks rise from the main roof; a taller, recent-looking stack serves the return. Cast iron rainwater goods predominate, with sections of PVC to the rear.

Historical Development

The large two-storey portion west of the eastern bay corresponds to property dimensions recorded in the 1836 valuation and shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map. Valuers dated its construction to around 1800 or slightly earlier. It was then occupied by Miles Logan and contained a house, office, and stores. By around 1860, Dr. Robert Cromie, a doctor, occupied the property and used part as his surgery, while Jane Donaldson occupied the single-storey section to the east. The eastern section was not present at this date but was likely built shortly afterwards. The building achieved its present form around 1900 when it was consolidated as a single block and the rounded bays were added. The single-storey western section (originally a separate property) appears largely of recent construction, dating to approximately the 1990s. Dr. Cromie retained the property until at least 1886. The building continued as a surgery and doctor's residence until the late 1970s, accounting for the retention of two front doorways. It functioned as an old people's home in the 1980s and subsequently as a residential home for people with learning difficulties.

The building retains special architectural and historic interest despite substantial alterations, particularly to the rear elevation and fenestration.