9 Abbey Yard, Newry, Co Down, BT34 2EG

9 Abbey Yard is the left-hand house of a terrace of three classical Georgian townhouses situated on the east side of Abbey Yard. It is a three-storey building with basement and attic, and dates from the early nineteenth century. The building is part of an important group in a prominent position within the town. It is classified as Grade B2, within a conservation area.

Exterior

The house has a mansard roof (hipped to the left) with natural slate and lead trimmings. Three metal skylights light the front pitch of the mansard, with three modern skylights to the rear pitch. A parapet gutter with metal downpipe runs along the facade (shared with number 8). The walls are painted, lined cement render with a granite parapet course at the wall head. Stepped V-channelled quoins mark the left corner: these are rendered and unpainted at ground floor level, but granite from first floor upward. An unpainted, chamfered granite string course runs between the basement and ground floor.

The main entrance is at the centre of the ground floor, accessed via two granite steps and a granite paved bridge over the basement passage. The door itself is a modern reproduction six-panel (raised and fielded) timber door with beaded muntin and modern furniture. It is set within two granite Tuscan demi-columns supporting a moulded granite entablature, with a segmental reproduction peacock-tail fanlight above. All of this is contained within a granite pole-mould chamfered segmental headed opening. The door is now fixed and not in use; access is from number 8. A modern coach lamp is mounted on the wall to the right of the door.

On either side of the door at ground floor are single 6/6 sliding sash windows without horns, set within granite cills. At basement level there is a central modern six-panel door beneath the front steps, with two 6/3 sliding sash windows flanking it. These windows are set within three-piece granite lintels and jamb openings with keystones, and have granite cills with security bars. The basement passage is shared with number 8 and is enclosed by plain spiked railings with urn-topped posts on a chamfered granite base wall.

The first floor contains three equally spaced 6/6 sliding sash windows, each with a plain wrought iron balconette decorated with small rosettes. The second floor has three similar but diminished windows, offset to the right of the ground floor openings. A modern security alarm box is mounted to the left of the central first floor window.

The left gable is abutted by a lower link block and the remainder is painted, lined cement render. The parapet continues from the facade across half the elevation, then steps down to rear eaves level with a semicircular gutter and downpipe to the left. At second floor level, slightly left of centre, is a small fixed timber window. The extreme left portion of the elevation has been cut back, including the roof, and contains a timber-clad stairwell projection.

Rear Elevation

The rear wall is painted lined cement render. The wall to the right has been cut back and formerly contained a timber stairwell return, now under reconstruction to accommodate a new stairwell with lift. Two openings occupy each floor. At basement level, the right side has a modern six-panelled reproduction door; the left side has a 6/3 sliding sash with security grille. At ground floor, the right side has a 6/6 sliding sash window (with horns), and the left side has a tripartite window consisting of a 6/6 sliding sash flanked by two 2/2 sliding sashes, all with granite cills. Upper floor windows match the ground floor pattern but are diminished in height at second floor. The rear basement passage is enclosed by modern railings and planters, with modern steps leading to the rear courtyard.

History and Alterations

The ground was owned by the Corry family from the mid-eighteenth century. This house was probably erected by Isaac Corry (Member of Parliament and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Irish parliament) sometime after 1760, as no buildings are shown on this site on John Rocque's map of 1760 (when the area was at the bottom end of Boat Street). It is of late eighteenth or early nineteenth century date and appears on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map. From the early 1900s until 1972, it formed part of the Christian Brothers School. When the school relocated, the premises fell into dereliction until restoration by Clanrye Community Workshop between 1986 and 1991.

The building underwent substantial restoration, and although the exterior is largely intact, few original internal features remain.

Current Use

The building is currently used as a university or college building.