7 Downshire Place, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1DZ

7 Downshire Place, Newry, is a fine example of an early 19th century Georgian townhouse, the second building from the right in a symmetrical terrace of four two-storey houses (with semi-basement and attic) built around the 1820s or early 1830s. The terrace was developed by the Marquis of Downshire as an improving landlord's contribution to town planning, and was shown in its present form on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map. It was owned by Robert Nicholson according to the 1838 Valuation records. The terrace appears to have been conceived as part of a longer development that was never completed.

The building is positioned on the east side of Downshire Road and is four openings wide at its front. It has a pitched roof of artificial slate with cast iron skylights to the rear pitch, and cement rendered chimneys with projecting caps to each gable, shared with adjacent properties. The facade is painted and lined rendered with projecting eaves course. Rainwater goods are semicircular plastic.

The principal entrance is in the third opening from the left on the ground floor, approached by two granite steps leading to a granite paved platform. The entrance is flanked by two three-quarter attached granite Tuscan columns supporting a moulded granite entablature, with a leaded Greek Revival transom light above. The opening has one-piece moulded granite jambs with scrolled consoles at the top supporting a moulded granite cornice. Original palmette-headed cast iron railings flank the sides of the platform, and to the right of the doorway is an iron bootscraper inset into the granite paving. The door is painted timber with beaded muntin, four bolection-moulded panels, and brass furniture, set within reeded timber frames. A modern light is attached to the underside of the entablature, and a modern intercom box is positioned at the left of the left jamb.

The facade displays restrained decoration enhanced by its symmetry and grouping within the intact terrace. To the left of the entrance are two windows and to the right a single window, all 6/6 top-hung plastic windows with painted granite cills. At basement level, to the left, are two 3/3 sliding sashes without horns, with metal security grilles over. The window to the right bay has been rendered over and its cill removed. Directly under the entrance platform is a porch dividing the passage across the front of the basement into two sections, accessed by concrete steps. The door on the right cheek of the porch is infilled. At first floor are four equally spaced windows, identical to those on the ground floor but diminished in height. Left and right gables form party walls with adjacent properties, numbers 5 and 9.

The basement to the rear elevation is at ground level due to the sloping topography of the site. The rear wall is painted and wet dashed with projecting eaves course. At the right of centre at basement level is a pair of modern timber doors with a boxed roller shutter over. A large open lean-to shelter with profiled plastic roof abuts the whole right half of the basement. On the ground floor, left and right bays have single 3/3 plastic windows. Between ground and first floor in the centre bay is a tall 6/6 plastic window. At first floor left and right are single 6/6 windows (sliding sash and top hung respectively), with a small timber six-pane casement window serving a small toilet to the right of the left window. All rear windows have metal security grilles except the ground floor left window.

The front garden is enclosed by a chamfered granite base wall with the remains of wrought iron railings. A cement path from the street leads to the front door, with small lawns and mature shrubs to either side. The rear garden is enclosed to the sides by granite rubble walls and to the rear by a pair of large sheet metal doors opening to a lane leading to Church Avenue.

The building has undergone various alterations including the conversion of window openings, addition of modern windows, security measures, and modern fixtures, though its essential character and proportion remain evident. It is now in use as an office.