6 College Square North, Bessbrook, Co.Armagh

6 College Square North, Bessbrook

A two-storey, two-bay late-Victorian mill workers' terraced dwelling built around 1890 from local Newry Granodiorite in random-coursed rock-faced ashlar, possibly to designs by civil engineer John Hardy. The house forms part of a planned terrace of twelve similar dwellings that comprise the northern side of College Square, itself a formally designed square containing 53 dwellings arranged on three sides around a central bowling green and playground.

The building is constructed in an L-plan form, with a two-storey rear return added around 1981. The principal southeast-facing elevation is flush with the rest of the terrace and displays a near-symmetrical fenestration pattern, with two windows at first-floor level aligned with ground-floor openings. All windows are top-opening uPVC casements. The ground and first-floor openings feature stepped red brick dressings to the jambs, stone cills, and square-headed gauged-brick frames. The pitched natural slate roof carries roll-top black clay ridge tiles. Two chimney stacks are present: one to the southwest with three buff clay pots and one terracotta pot, and one to the northeast with four buff clay pots. The eaves are flush, with separate red and buff brick eaves courses and an alternating red and buff brick corbel course above. Guttering is principally half-round metal discharging to circular downpipes; some modern galvanized and uPVC fittings have been added at the front and rear.

The front yard faces southeast and is paved and enclosed by red brick dwarf walling with concrete coping topped with hooped painted metal railings. A similar gate on slim posts provides access via a paved path to a modern sheeted timber door with a small glazed section in its top half and a square-headed fanlight above. A window to the southwest side of the door serves the interior.

The building is terraced: No. 5 College Square North adjoins to the southwest, and No. 7 College Square North adjoins to the northeast.

The rear elevation faces northwest and includes the two-storey rear return projecting to the site boundary. The rear yard to the southwest is partly covered with a monopitched corrugated perspex structure at its southeastern end. The rear elevation has rough-cast cement render finish with uPVC casement windows and slim concrete cills. An oil tank raised on three concrete lintels partially obscures the lower openings. Access is via a sheeted timber door at ground-floor level opening into the rear yard, with another four-panelled painted timber door serving the rear return. A two-part uPVC casement window is positioned adjacent to this door.

The square itself comprises formal arrangements of east, north, and west terraces set back from perimeter roads with modest front yards. The east terrace contains 23 dwellings stepped in groups of six to respect the site's subtle relief, terminating at the southeast with the former Town Hall. The west terrace comprises 18 dwellings, mostly paired, built in similar style with some detailing variations, and includes the former school building at its southeastern end. The central area contains bowling green facilities enclosed by painted hooped metal railings, a separate lawn, and an open children's playground with three granite monuments commemorating long-serving mill workers and James N. Richardson, with inscriptions recording Bessbrook's quarrying and mill history from 1760 onwards.

The building's principal materials are Newry Granodiorite walling, natural slate roof covering, and modern uPVC windows and guttering.