10 Canal Street, Newry, Co Down, BT35 6JB

10 Canal Street, Newry

A late 18th- to early 19th-century townhouse located on the west side of Canal Street, built between 1820 and 1839. The building is of particular architectural interest for its complete plan form, attractive staircase, and partly surviving interiors, notably the reeded doorcases. The side entrance to the living quarters and stairs positioned to the rear of the house are of especial note, a feature found in only a small number of Newry properties, including 12 Canal Street and 18 Castle Street.

The building is three storeys plus basement, comprising two bays with the left bay half the width of the right. A pitched natural slate roof sits above, with rendered chimneys to each gable—the left dashed and the right smooth rendered and coped. Semicircular metal rainwater goods with a downpipe are positioned to the right.

The east elevation, which faces Canal Street, is painted lined render with a raised chamfered base course and raised eaves course. A single granite step leads to the main entrance, set off-centre on the left bay. The entrance door is ten-panelled timber with horizontal panels (top two and bottom two) and is flanked by two-paned sidelights with painted granite cills and mesh grills over. Above the door and sidelights sits a decorative radial fanlight. All are set within a semi-elliptical headed opening with render architrave, scrolled at the base and featuring a raised reeded keystone with ears to each side. The ground floor right contains two 1/1 sliding sash windows, each with a moulded rendered cill and render architrave with scrolled base, eared head, and decorative rosette above. The first floor has three equally spaced windows detailed as the ground floor but sharing a continuous moulded cill course supported by paired corbels below each window jamb. The second floor has three equally spaced 2/2 (vertically divided) sliding sash windows with plainer decorative rendered architraves and a continuous moulded cill course (damaged to the right); these windows are diminished in height. The south gable is abutted by a lower building with an exposed smooth rendered section. The north gable, abutted by an adjacent property, similarly has an exposed smooth rendered section.

The west rear elevation is entirely abutted by a contemporary inverted L-shaped three-storey plus basement return. The section abutting the rear of the main house is denoted Block 1, and the section at right angles is denoted Block 2. Both blocks share a corrugated asbestos roof, hipped at the right end of Block 1 and gabled to the left end of Block 2. Block 2 has a single dashed chimney on its rear gable. The walls of both blocks facing the rear yard are modern wet dashed cement with an attractive carved sandstone eaves course, consisting of a fluted frieze and moulded head.

Block 1's right cheek is flush with the left elevation of the main building. It features two granite steps leading to a reproduction six-panelled painted timber door with sidelights and a semicircular fanlight over the door only. This entrance is accessed through a coach arch belonging to the adjoining property at number 8. Block 1 has a single modern painted timber casement window to each upper floor with a granite cill; the first floor opening has been infilled between the present window and the original cill. A lean-to outhouse with a corrugated metal roof, dashed walls, and tongue-and-groove sheeted door is positioned to the ground floor. Just above its roof, on the rear wall, is a modern four-paned painted timber fixed window. Each upper floor has a single window matching those on the right cheek. The rear wall of Block 1 is a single opening wide.

Block 2 has a smooth rendered gable and left wall. The gable features a modern timber window to the first floor and one to the second. The left elevation, abutted by returns of number 12, has a single modern painted timber window to the first floor left. The right elevation, facing the yard, has four equally spaced modern painted timber windows to each floor, all with granite cills. Those to the ground and first floors are fixed four-pane windows with two-paned transoms over (the ground floor right window is partially obscured by the outhouse). Those to the second floor are fixed single-pane timber with a top opening transom. Below the second ground floor window from the left are a small pair of tongue-and-groove sheeted doors in a former window opening leading to the basement. There was formerly a window to the left of this opening and two to the right (in line with those to the ground floor), now infilled and rendered over and only visible from inside.

Historical records indicate a house has stood at this location since at least 1835, when shown on the Ordnance Survey town map. The 1838 Valuation describes it as measuring 27ft 6in × 38ft × 33ft 6in and occupied by John Treanor. Similar measurements appear in the 1863 Valuation. The 1884 Valuation revision suggests extensive refurbishment, with the property's valuation increasing from £20 to £45. By this date it was described as a house, saw mill, and offices occupied by Alexander Wheelan, a well-known building contractor of the period. The 1914 entry notes the sawmill at rest. From 1920 onwards, the Royal Irish Constabulary occupied the premises, having expanded from the neighbouring property at 12 Canal Street, which had served as a police station since 1865.

The front elevation displays applied late Victorian ornamentation, which has not detracted from the overall quality of the building. The property retains its architectural interest for its style, proportion, plan form, quality and survival of interior features, and notable alterations that enhance the building. It is situated within a conservation area.