louth county council · 13705128 duffner bros 40 clanbrassil street attached three-bay three-storey...

CONSERVATION REPORT

PART 8 APPLICATION CLANBRASSIL STREET AND THE ST. NICHOLAS QUARTER

LOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL

JANUARY 2018

BDP-R12A Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Conservation Report

24-01-18 Alastair Coey Architects 1

CONTENTS 1.0 DESIGNATED ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION AREA 2 2.0 PROTECTED STRUCTURES 3 3.0 OBSERVATIONS ON THE SCHEME ROUTE 8

3.1 Historic features to be retained 3.2 Condition of existing buildings 3.3 Historic layout of the street

4.0 PART 8 CONSIDERATIONS 9

4.1 Implementation Stage 4.2 Preservation of historic street 4.3 Existing design guidance 4.4 Protection of key views and vistas 4.5 Interpretation 4.6 Conservation Area Management Plan



1.0 DESIGNATED ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION AREA

Clanbrassil Street is designated in the Dundalk and Environs Development Plan as an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA04). The Conservation Area Boundary is shown on the map below, highlighted in green. Protected Structures are shown in red.

Clanbrassil Street ACA boundary



2.0 PROTECTED STRUCTURES

The area covered by this project contains a total of 28 Protected Structures, which are recorded on Louth County Council’s Record of Protected Structures, highlighted on the attached map (marked in red) and summarised in the following table, in which is also notes physical features on the street indicating the presence of basements:

NIAH No. Name Address Type Comments 13701005 Dundalk

Bridge Newry Road Triple-span road

bridge, built c.1860

13701006 Dixons (Former) Public House

36 Bridge Street Attached three-bay two-storey with attic public house, dated 1875.

- M Deane 62 Bridge Street House and Shopfront , single-bay two-storey retail building c.1880

- Grennells 79 Bridge Street Shopfront, Terraced three-bay three-storey retail building c.1870

13701004 St Nicholas’ RC Church

Bridge Street/Church Street

Free-standing double-height Roman Catholic church built c.1860. Rectangular nave on eastwest axis, gabled transept to north added 1937, single-height transept to south added 1904, chapel of adoration added 1937.

Original historic setting, including boundary walls and railings, is retained

13701002 Agnew Consultants Ltd

Dundalk House, Church Street

Office Detached multiple-bay two-storey with attic brick office building, dated 1909. Gabled breakfront to north end of west elevation with two-storey half round bay windows.


13701003 17 Church Street Shop/retail outlet attached three-bay two-storey former house, built



c. 1780. Rectangular main block, two-storey return to south east, Painted timber shopfront, c. 1860.

- 17 Church Street, stone warehouses to rear

Warehouses c.1850 industrial buildings

13701001 Carroll House, Boylans Shoes

38-39 Church Street

Five-bay three-storey shop and office, built c. 1880. Red brick to first and second floors, shopfront c. 1910 with carved stone detailing.

13702030 Connell & Co 5 Church Street End-of-terrace two-bay three-storey former house, built c. 1830. Shopfront c. 1880 to ground floor.

Original cast iron basement light with coloured glass inserts (grill by Bushy Park Ironworks); historic interest, consider retaining

13702024 St Nicholas’ C of I Church

Church Street Freestanding gable-fronted Church of Ireland church, originally built c. 1400, extended c. 1650, remodelled by Francis Johnston c.1760.


13702029 St Nicholas’ Graveyard

Church Street Graveyard, established 1770

Original historic boundary walls and railings are retained

- Permanent TSB

1-2 Clanbrassil Street

Shop/Commercial c.1770 end of terrace three-bay three-storey Georgian building with shopfront c.1900

Presence of basement confirmed by ROD survey



13704002 Ulster Bank 100 Clanbrassil Street

Corner-sited attached three-bay three-storey red brick and stone bank, built c. 1890. Extended to west

13705129 Hanrattys 10A Clanbrassil Street

1910, end of terrace two-bay single-storey Classical style retail building

137044013 Former Clanbrassil Hotel

15 Clanbrassil Street

Attached two-bay three-storey with attic former shop, built c. 1870

Presence of basement evident on street surface: modern steel plate cover over opening; of no historic interest, however, further features may survive below street level

13704012 McKeowns 16 Clanbrassil Street

Attached two-bay three-storey house, built c. 1810, now with public house to ground floor.


13704011 Backhouse Centre McEvoys Pricesless Shoes


Attached two-bay three-storey house, built c. 1810, now with public house to ground floor.


13705125 Formerly Deary’s


Attached six-bay three-storey former house, built c. 1860, formerly a pair of three-bay houses, Shopfront c. 1880


13705127 36 Clanbrassil Street

Attached three-bay three-storey house, built c. 1870, with timber shopfront c. 1900, carriage arch to west.




13705128 Duffner Bros 40 Clanbrassil Street

Attached three-bay three-storey house, built c. 1880, now with bakelite and chrome shopfront c. 1960.

13702031 Formerly Boyles China Shop


Corner-sited attached three-bay three-storey former house built c.1820. Timber shopfronts c. 1900 to ground floor.


13705126 Trust House 34 Clanbrassil Street

Attached two-bay two-storey former house, built c. 1870, Timber shopfront

Presence of basement evident on street surface: perforated grill cover over opening; of no historic interest however, further features may survive below street level

13704006 Modern Fashions


Attached four-bay three-storey house, built c. 1830, now with glazed and chrome shopfront c. 1940.

Presence of basement evident on street surface: glass blocks set into concrete surround with exposed aggregate; of no historic interest however, further features may survive below street level


Attached three-bay three-storey former house, built c. 1870, with decorative plaster detailing

13704005 Leavy’s Opticians


Attached three-bay three-storey house, built c.



1820, with shopfront to ground floor


Attached four-bay three-storey commercial premises, dated 1863.

Basement evidence on street surface: steel plate cover over opening; of no historic interest however, further features may survive below street level


Attached three-bay three-storey former bank, built c. 1900,

- 74 Clanbrassil Street

c.1850 terraced three-bay three-storey retail building

13704007 Central Cards 75 Clanbrassil Street

Terraced three-bay three-storey former house, built c. 1820, now with shop to ground floor

Basement evident on street surface: Iron grate largely covered over; original, however, much altered, consider restoration

13704004 Dundalk Post Office


Attached three-bay two-storey red brick post office, built c. 1910.

13704003 AIB Bank 96-98 Clanbrassil Street

Attached five-bay four-storey bank, built c. 1930.Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond, Portland limestone pilasters with fluted capitals and central Ionic columns supporting entablature The former Munster and Leinster Bank is an




ambitious exercise in Classical style bank building. The giant orders give the building an appearance

13702028 25 Linenhall Street Attached three-bay two-storey house, built c.1860, shop to ground floor.

3.0 OBSERVATIONS ON THE SCHEME ROUTE 3.1 Historic features to be retained

Very little of the original street fabric is retained on Clanbrassil Street; historic photos show cobbled pavements with stone with stone kerbs and crossing points, and freestanding lamp standards, all of which have been lost. There is a significant number of historic timber shopfronts remaining on the street, which should be protected from damage during any construction works. In addition, a number of original tiled floors remain to the shop entrances, most notably, the mosaic tiled threshold to 5 Church Street. Where these features remain, they should be protected and retained within the streetscape. Several basement light wells are evident on the street, with varying degrees of historic fabric remaining; those to Protected Structures are noted in the table above, however, these are also evident at the following properties: • 83 Bridge Street - Steel grille to external basement light well; of no historic interest,

however, light to be retained to basement windows • 4 Church Street - Steel plate over opening; of no historic interest, however, further features

may be retained below street level In addition, the presence of 28 basements have been confirmed to unprotected buildings within the ACA, no evidence of which are manifest on the street. Further details are included in the Basement and Cellar Survey Report, undertaken by Roughan & O’Donovan.

3.2 Condition of existing buildings Initial cursory inspection of the area indicated a number of historic buildings which appear, from the street, to be in poor condition. These have been marked on the attached map (marked in green). Depending upon the extent of work proposed, consideration should be given to surveying these buildings in more detail to ensure the proposed works will not cause detriment to the surviving historic fabric. In addition, one such building, 90 Clanbrassil Street, has been listed on Louth County Council’s Dangerous Structures List due to a dangerous chimney; this issue does not appear to have been rectified to date.

3.3 Historic layout of street The arterial route comprising Clanbrassil Street, extended to Church Street, along with Bridge Street and Linenhall Street (previously Meeting House Lane) is a historic route and forms much of the retail core of Dundalk town centre; the route is clearly distinguishable from the earliest drawings and maps of the town, as far back as the sixteenth century, and culminates in Market Square to the south end of Clanbrassil Street.



Early street patterns (OS Map c.1829-1842) show a clear assembly point at Market Square to the south of the route, and at the Linen Hall, at the convergence of Bridge Street and Meeting House Lane (now Linenhall Street), with a break in the street line only at St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Church. On later OS Maps (1888-1913), the linen hall has been replaced by St Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, which serves to terminate the vista along Church Street. This vista is key within the streetscape today and should be preserved, as should the views from Market Square along Clanbrassil Street. In these historic maps, further punctuation of the streetscape has been granted by the removal of buildings on Church Street opposite St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Church, and the Market Square has been carved up somewhat by timber structures along the main thoroughfare; this area still sees traders, albeit in temporary structures, today. Otherwise, the street layout has remained largely unchanged over the last century and should remain so by the proposed scheme.

4.0 PART 8 CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 Implementation Stage During the implementation stage, the Conservation Architect will work closely alongside the Design Team to advise on conservation aspects of the scheme, including the appropriate choice of materials and finishes, and to ensure that all works are carried out in a sensitive manner, with minimal disruption to retained historic features and fabric, for example, historic boundary walls and railings, coal chute covers and basement features, in accordance with conservation best practice.

4.2 Preservation of historic street The arterial route comprising Clanbrassil Street, extended to Church Street, along with Bridge Street and Linenhall Street (previously Meeting House Lane) is a historic route and forms much of the retail core of Dundalk town centre; the route is clearly distinguishable from the earliest drawings and maps of the town, as far back as the sixteenth century, and culminates in Market Square to the south end of Clanbrassil Street. Early street patterns (OS Map c.1829-1842) show a clear assembly point at Market Square to the south of the route, and at the Linen Hall, at the convergence of Bridge Street and Meeting House Lane (now Linenhall Street), with a break in the street line only at St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Church. On later OS Maps (1888-1913), the linen hall has been replaced by St Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, which serves to terminate the vista along Church Street. This vista is key within the streetscape today and should be preserved, as should the views from Market Square along Clanbrassil Street. In these historic maps, further punctuation of the streetscape has been granted by the removal of buildings on Church Street opposite St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Church, and the Market Square has been carved up somewhat by timber structures along the main thoroughfare; this area still sees traders, albeit in temporary structures, today. Otherwise, the street layout has remained largely unchanged over the last century and should remain so by the proposed scheme. The proposed scheme will ensure that the historic street layout is retained, and the main assembly points at Market Square, at the convergence of Bridge Street and Linenhall Street, and at St Nicholas Church, are enhanced and become vibrant spaces integral to the use of the ACA.

The Conservation Architect will work closely with the design team to advise on appropriate use of materials, surfacing etc. There are a significant number of Protected Structures along the scheme route, and many other fine historic buildings and shopfronts. The Conservation Architect will advise, where required, on the appropriate protection of historic shopfronts and other historic features during the works.



In particular, at St. Nicholas Quarter, which extends between St Nicholas Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Churches, improvements to create defined public plazas will sit alongside the existing curtilage of the Protected Structures, especially through the sensitive treatment of the interface between the new public realm and historic boundaries and railings, to ensure that the setting of the Protected Structures is protected and further enhanced by the proposed development. Prior to the commencement of works, the Conservation Architect will work alongside the design team to prepare a full inventory of all historic street features which are to be retained in the new streetscape, including, but not limited to, basement light wells and grilles, historic shopfront threshold tiling, coal chute covers, historic surfacing, boot scrapers and carriage wheel protectors, historic gates, boundaries and railings.

4.3 Existing design guidance

No physical improvements are proposed to the buildings within the Architectural Conservation Area under the proposed scheme; detailed design guidance for shopfronts in the ACA is provided in Louth County Council Shopfront Design Guidelines, including, most relevant to the public realm scheme, detailed guidance in relation to external flooring materials (especially building thresholds) and street furniture. The proposals will take into consideration these guidelines both in the retention and protection of existing street and building features, disabled access and new street furniture.

4.4 Protection of key views and vistas A number of key views and vistas have been identified as of historic significance, as follows: • General views north and south along Clanbrassil Street • The vista looking north along Clanbassil terminated with a view of St Nicholas C of I

Church spire • The vista looking north along Church Street, terminated with a view of St Nicholas RC

Church • View south from Clanbrassil Street to Market Square The proposed scheme will ensure that key views within the ACA are protected through the careful integration of new elements against the historic streetscape. The scheme is designed to enhance and complement the existing buildings and features.

4.5 Interpretation

Effective interpretation of the ACA is essential to enhance understanding and embody a wider appreciation of the area and its significance, in order to plan for its ongoing protection, conservation and management. Visitor interpretation panels have already been installed in the recent public realm works in Market Square. Current interpretation of Clanbrassil Street is limited; during the detailed design stage, the existing interpretation strategy will be reviewed and existing panels replaced in key locations along the route, to match those installed in Market Square. The Conservation Architect will work closely alongside the design team to identify and develop a suitable interpretation strategy for the ACA.

4.6 Conservation Area Management Plan

Given the significance of the Clanbrassil Street Architectural Conservation Area, the Conservation Architect will lead in the preparation of a Conservation Area Management Plan. The purpose of the plan will be to establish a management framework for maintaining the special character of the ACA, address key issues and provide a policy framework going forward. The CAMP will assist those responsible in maintaining, sustaining and enhancing the town’s historic environment in ensuring that the area’s special qualities can be retained for future generations, whilst meeting modern-day needs and aspirations.

louth county council · 13705128 duffner bros 40 clanbrassil street attached three-bay three-storey...

Documents