McCartan Brothers, 2-4 Sugar Island, Newry, Co Down, BT35 6HT

McCartan Brothers, Sugar Island, Newry

A pair of three and a half storey rendered stone buildings occupying a prominent corner location at the junction of Sugar Island and Bank Parade, dating from the 1820s–1830s. The complex comprises contemporary rear returns and outhouses, now combined as a single property with a ground floor shop frontage across both buildings on the Sugar Island side.

The buildings are substantially altered on their fronts, though the rear elevations retain most original features. Internal fittings survive in reasonably complete condition on all but the ground floors.

The pitched natural slate roof is punctuated by brick chimneys with oversailing copings at each gable, and a skylight to the rear pitch of number 4. Metal rainwater goods throughout. The front and gable walls are lined render, while the rear block has cement render (lined) on all but the rear wall, which is coursed and snecked random rubble granite with projecting eaves course.

The main façade presents each building with a ground floor door at left and shop window (7 by 3 panes) at right, though the left opening has been infilled as a shop window (3 by 3 panes), leaving sole access via the other—a pair of three-panelled doors with six-paned transom above. All openings are equipped with modern roller shutters. Six fluted Ionic demi-columns (hollow, probably fibreglass replacements) rest on a rendered plinth, delineating the openings and supporting a timber fascia topped by a dentilled cornice. At first floor, immediately above the fascia, are four equally spaced 6/6 sliding sash windows (without horns) with granite cills; identical but diminished windows occupy the second floor. A two-storey building abuts the right gable, with blank wall above.

The left gable has two modern 7 by 3 paned shop windows beneath a corrugated cement sheet canopy that extends leftward to the outbuilding gable at the rear. Both windows have boxed roller shutters. Above and to the right of the canopy is a plastic box sign; at the centre of the first floor is a 6/6 sliding sash window.

The rear elevation features a shallow central projection accommodating conjoining stair landings. Immediately above the ground-first floor stair landing, a gabled and slated link block connects to a building in the yard. Ground floor openings to the main back wall are now covered by a modern artificial-tiled lean-to extension filling both yards; this continues along the side of the link block and around the yard building. Upper floor openings to the rear wall have stepped brick jambs and flat brick heads with granite cills. A single 6/6 sliding sash window occupies each upper floor of each building, with a similar window at the projection serving the half landing between first and second floors. Above each of these upper landing windows is a semicircular fanlight with five panes radiating from a semicircular core.

The link block has a gabled natural slate roof with small projecting windows on each wall above the abutting lean-to additions.

The yard building is two storeys of rubble granite with an asbestos-tiled pyramidal roof and windows on both cheeks projecting above later extensions. The extension fronting Bank Parade has a modern timber door at left and two modern 5 by 3 paned shop windows at right, with raised skylights to the roof.

A three-storey random rubble granite outbuilding with pitched natural slate roof stands along the rear yard wall, facing the alley between it and the Arts Centre. Its main façade is four openings wide: at ground floor, a sheet-metal door at left and modern window at right (an enlargement of the original opening); at first floor, a loading door above the left-hand door (now infilled) and a similar door on second floor (with tongue-and-groove door); a projecting dormer gable rises above these doors. The right-hand line of openings almost certainly once contained loading doors, now modified to modern windows, with the dormer gable removed. Two 3 by 3 paned windows occupy the first floor between these openings, and two single-paned windows above. The right elevation facing Bank Parade has a 3 by 3 window with box roller shutter at ground floor, with the canopy noted above continuing upward. At first floor is a 3 by 3 paned window without cill and modern fascia directly beneath. The elevation facing the rear of the main block has one 3 by 3 window at the extreme left and right on first and second floors. A building belonging to the adjoining property abuts the remaining gable.

Historical Context

The Valuation Books of 1836 and 1838 record both houses "in progress of building" and belonging to Hugh Dalzell, owner of the Newry Salt Works in Bank Parade (then known as Salt Yard). The end gable and part of the façade of number 2 appear in the pre-1890 Lawrence photograph. By 1893, according to the Valuation Revision Book, the ground floors had been converted to commercial use—number 2 as a shop and number 4 as a public house. Modern alterations, including infilling of rear yards and extensions, date from the 1970s. The 6/6 sashes on the façade are a reinstatement.