9 Trevor Hill, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1DN

9 Trevor Hill, Newry, Co Down

A substantial early 19th-century classical revival town house, forming the left-hand element of a symmetrical pair with no. 8. The pair is built around a central coach arch on the east side of Trevor Hill and forms part of an important architectural grouping within Newry's conservation area.

The building is three storeys with a basement and attic. It is constructed of painted smooth render with a raised eaves course. The pitched roof is natural slated with a cast iron skylight to the front pitch. A rendered cement chimney stack stands on the left gable. Rainwater goods are semi-circular plastic with a downpipe to the left of the façade.

The principal façade is two bays wide. The main entrance is set at the right and is reached by three granite steps rising from street level. The door itself is six-panelled decorative timber with raised and fielded panels, a beaded muntin, and brass furniture. It is framed by a pair of slender painted timber Doric columns (painted to resemble granite) supporting a moulded timber entablature with raised sections over each column. Above this is a semi-elliptical metal fanlight with central glazing bars missing. The entire composition sits within a semi-elliptical headed opening with painted ashlar granite jambs, head, raised imposts, and keystone. The right doorjamb is shared with the central coach arch. A brass plaque is mounted on the left jamb.

To the left of the front door is a 2/1 exposed box sliding sash window with horns. The bottom sash bears painted lettering reading "Robert A. Mullan and Sons Solicitors". This window and all others on the façade have painted granite cills. Two basement windows, both two-paned casements with security grilles, are set below. The first floor contains two equally spaced 2/2 exposed box sliding sash windows. The right window is positioned slightly to the left of the ground floor door. Each first-floor window has a delicate modern wrought iron balconette with small cast iron rosettes attached. The second floor features two 2/2 exposed box sliding sashes, diminished in height and without balconettes.

The left gable abuts the gable of the adjacent property. The right gable forms a party wall with no. 8.

The rear elevation is three bays wide. The left bay is cement rendered and contains a coach arch to ground floor, a 6/6 sliding sash window to first floor, and a 6/3 sliding sash to second floor. A three-storey projecting return abuts the right bay; a smaller return projects from the central bay. The return to the central bay (not inspected to ground floor) has a modern top-hung timber window to first floor and a four-paned metal window to second floor, both on the rear wall, with a plain left wall abutting an adjacent return and a plain right wall. The right return (not inspected to ground floor) has a 6/6 sliding sash window to first floor and a 6/3 sliding sash to second floor, both to the rear wall, with a plain right wall. All windows to the rear elevation have granite cills.

The front steps and partially infilled basement are enclosed by plain metal spikes resting on a granite base wall. A wrought iron boot scraper is inset into the steps to the left of the front door.

The building is shown on the 1835 map and was described in the 1863 valuation as three storeys high. It was in this office that John Mitchell, the 19th-century Irish patriot, served his legal apprenticeship. The building currently operates as offices.