Presbyterian Manse, 16 Main Street, Hilltown, Newry, Co Down, BT34 5UH

Presbyterian Manse, 16 Main Street, Hilltown

This two-storey, three-bay house stands to the right of Hilltown Presbyterian Church on the north side of Main Street. Although associated with the adjoining church, it has been modernised to such an extent that it retains few features of architectural or historical interest and does not merit listing.

The building is shown on the 1834 valuation map and was probably erected in the early 1830s at the same time as the adjoining meeting house. The 1835 valuation describes it as measuring 33 feet by 29 feet by 19 feet 6 inches, with a single-storey rear return, and records it as then occupied by Reverend Robert Lockhart. The large-scale 1859 valuation map shows the rear return positioned at the right-hand side; the present central return is therefore a later addition.

The pitched roof is covered in natural slate with a modern red brick chimney to each gable. Semicircular metal rainwater goods are fitted throughout. The facade walls are painted lined render with raised stepped stucco quoins to the front. The main entrance at ground floor centre comprises a reproduction six-panelled stained timber door with raised and fielded panels, fitted with a semicircular-headed transom glazed in modern yellow glass. A run-moulded architrave frames the doorway with run-moulded archivolt over. The ground floor left and right bays each have a single reproduction 1/1 stained timber sliding sash window with horns; a similar window of diminished height stands to each bay at first floor. All windows have moulded painted stucco architraves. The left gable is pebble-dashed and blank.

The rear elevation is abutted to centre by a two-storey return with pitched natural slate roof tying into the main roof. Its walls are smooth rendered and painted. To the ground floor left bay are two modern top-opening timber windows; to the ground floor right bay is a pair of modern stained timber French windows with concrete steps up from the yard. The first floor right has a modern top-hung stained timber window. The return's left cheek contains a modern door and window to ground floor, with two tall modern top-hung timber windows to first floor left. The gable end of the return has a modern window to ground floor centre and one to first floor left. Its right cheek has two modern windows to ground floor and two to first floor. The right gable of the main block is pebble-dashed with a modern top-hung window to first floor right.

A small front area is enclosed by a rendered dwarf wall with spiked railings and matching gate hung on cylindrical one-piece granite gate posts with pyramidal caps. To the right of the house is a yard enclosed to the road by a high rendered wall.

A first HMBB survey slide from circa 1970 shows the building formerly had rendered and coped chimneys, a radial-spoked fanlight, and a four-panel bolection-moulded painted timber front door.