Arts Centre, Bank Parade, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1PG

A two-storey building with a classical façade located on Bank Parade in Newry. The entire building was recently rebuilt following terrorist action, but the original portico and some other features have been retained in the replica façade.

The façade fronts Bank Parade with cement-rendered walls over a granite base course. The render has banded rustication to the ground floor and is lined to mimic ashlar at first-floor level. Between the ground and first floors runs a finely-dressed granite platband. The façade is five openings wide, with the centre three bays slightly projecting. Four granite steps lead up to the main entrance at the centre, which comprises a pair of six-panelled timber stained doors with a narrow transom light above. The door opening has an ashlar granite surround flanked by a shallow rendered and painted pilaster on each side. The portico in front comprises a flat-roofed ashlar granite entablature supported on a Doric column at either end, with the feet resting on ashlar granite plinths. To the left, parallel to the façade, is a disabled access ramp in granite with a metal handrail. On both sides of the door are two windows, all 6/6 timber sliding sashes with granite cills, now fitted with fixed metal security grilles. Four Ionic pilasters rise up the projecting section of the façade at first-floor level, breaking a platband running across the façade just below the first-floor window cill level; the stones comprising this platband are probably reused originals. There are five window openings at first floor, aligned with the ground-floor openings. They have moulded architraves with horizontal drip moulds above, each containing a 9/6 sliding sash window without horns. Some of the earlier window frames and panes appear to have been reused. The pilasters terminate below a plain entablature, above which is a dentillated cornice running across the entire façade. Above this is a moulded parapet, pedimented above the projecting section.

The right elevation has cement-rendered walls with modern window and door openings. At the rear is a four-storey flat-roofed extension, with a similar three-storey extension to the right, both rendered with modern windows. The left elevation is now abutted by a modern extension which forms the main entrance and reception area to the Arts Centre. The flat roof is of reinforced concrete.

The building's history is complex. An Assembly Room was originally erected in 1794 as a "plain granite building" in Hill Street according to the 1836 Ordnance Survey Memoir. However, the 1838 Valuation Book notes the building on Bank Parade as a "Savings Bank in progress of building", which was almost certainly its original function, with completion appearing to have occurred in 1840. The 1863 Valuation Book indicates it was a Trustees Savings Bank. It continued in this use until around 1889, when the Valuation Revision Book notes it as vacant and "to be town hall". By 1890 it was in the ownership of the Newry Town Commissioners and appears to have served as the Town Hall until the opening of the present town hall on Armaghdown Bridge in 1894. The 1897 Valuation Revision notes its continued use as Assembly Rooms and also as a Free Public Library. These rooms continued to be used by Newry Urban District Council, which succeeded the Commissioners in 1898, until 1902, when the old Town Hall became the Municipal Technical School and Free Library. The Valuation Revision Book also indicates that the street name was changed from Salt Yard to Bank Parade around 1906. The premises were acquired in 1980 by Newry & Mourne District Council and refurbished as Newry & Mourne District Arts Centre, entailing the demolition of the entire building and the incorporation of the original portico, platband and possibly some windows in the rebuild.