1 QUB Marine Biology Centre 2 30 Shore Road 3 20 Ferry Street 4 Portaferry Credit Union 5 Portaferry Market House 6 17 The Square 7 Northern Bank 8

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4 acknowledgements Know your PLACE: Portaferry was written by Ryan Orr and developed by PLACE. Ryan is from Portaferry and he is currently studying Architecture at Queen s University Belfast. PLACE would like to thank Ryan for researching content and creating activities for this publication. Thanks also to Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Portaferry Library. PLACE is the Architecture and Built Environment Centre for Northern Ireland. Our mission is to positively influence the creation and sustaining of excellent places and buildings, making Northern Ireland an environment of exceptional quality for all. We work with a wide range of people, from architects, planners and artists to government departments, community groups, voluntary/cultural organisations and the general public. Our work is made up of a public programme of events and exhibitions and various special projects. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Know your PLACE helps you rediscover your town and amaze your family and friends with facts about the buildings you think you know. What type of buildings are in the tour? Warehouses, banks, a hotel, a church, a shop, a market, a courthouse, a university building, a house and more! LOCATE yourself at the first point on the map NAVIGATE your way along the route using your map INVESTIGATE each of the 9 buildings CREATE by adding your own ideas and drawings and completing the activities Know your PLACE is designed for young people, families and schools to develop awareness of their local built environment. It s also really useful for grown-ups and visitors! We want to: protect our urban and rural assets; enhance the quality of our cities, towns and villages; improve the knowledge of our places; encourage ambition and raise expectations. 4

5 1 QUB Marine Biology Centre 2 30 Shore Road 3 20 Ferry Street 4 Portaferry Credit Union 5 Portaferry Market House 6 17 The Square 7 Northern Bank 8 Belfast Banking Company 9 Presbyterian Church

6 building #1 Queens University Marine Biology Centre The Strand 6

7 Built in 1810, Queen s University Marine Biology Centre is an example of Neo-Classical architecture.during the 18th and 19th Centuries, Portaferry harbour was a very busy area. It became the primary place of trade and commerce within the town. The town exported local agricultural products such as potatoes, wheat and barley to major industrial cities such as Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Liverpool. All trading and transportation was done via sailing boats as the motor car had not yet been invented! The building currently owned by Queens University was once the town bank. As the majority of trade was done along the harbour at the time; it was practical to build a bank in close vicinity to help facilitate ongoing business. Like many of the Neo-Classical buildings in the town, the Marine Biology Centre features include: sash windows, pilasters marking the main entrance and an intricate fanlight. Neoclassical: the architectural style with dominated the 18th and 19th Centuries. The style was heavily influenced by the Classical Architecture of Ancient Greece and Rome. ACTIVITY What Material do you think this building is built from? This Building along with all the others along our journey is classified as listed. Listed buildings are recognised for architectural or historic value and are protected by law against prohibited alteration or demolition. Do you think it is important to preserve old buildings? If so why? Sash Window: window composed of two framed glass components (sashes) hung one above the other within a window opening. They operate using a pulley system of ropes and weights concealed within the primary window frame. Pilaster: in terms of appearance a pilaster looks rather similar to a column, but has a completely different function. Unlike the Column which is a primary structural element used to carry the weight of the building, a pilaster is primarily used for decoration purposes, with no structural function. Fanlight: semi-circular shaped window typically placed above doorways and other ports of entrance. A: Stone; Rendered in Stucco Plaster 7

8 building #2 30 Shore Road 8

9 30 Shore Road was built in the Victorian Era, using imported red brick and tropical hardwoods that became available around that time. During the Victorian Era, ornamentation was extremely popular. Stained glass, mouldings, stone sculpture and elaborate plasterwork are often found on buildings from this era. 30 The Shore includes Victorian features including large bay sash windows a fancy ornamental hood over the main entrance, made from expensive hardwood and intricate stained glass. The building also features mouldings upon its front facade, between ground and first floor levels as well as an elaborate cornice below the roof line. ACTIVITY The ornamental hood over the main entrance is made from expensive hardwood such as mahogany and stained glass. Hoods like these are often designed using forms found in nature such as foliage or cobwebs. Can you see the leaves used in the stained glass? Can you design your own hood using different shapes and forms found in nature? Cornice: horizontal decorative moulding found near the top of a building. Used as a form of decoration. Moulding: typically a carved or cast ornament used for decorative purposes on a building s exterior. Hood: projecting element providing shelter to the primary entrance. 9

10 building # Ferry Street 10

11 Built in the 18th Century, Ferry Street is an excellent example of a Neo-Classical combined house and warehouse. During the 18th and 19th Centuries warehouses played a very important role in the growth and prosperity of Portaferry. The warehouses were typically owned by wealthy merchants who employed the local people to work in them, loading, sorting and storing goods intended for trade. Workers in many warehouses were responsible for handling and preparing agricultural goods, which were grown and cultivated in the surrounding area, for export. In other warehouses workers would have handled the imported goods such as timber and coal which would were transported to Portaferry Harbour via boat along Strangford Lough. ACTIVITY Can you see the hoist on the front of the building? What do you think it was used for? What do you think life would have been like for a worker in the warehouses? A: The hoist would have been used to transfer cargo to the upper floors. Before the invention of the mechanical lift, most warehouses operated using a hoist on the exterior of the building in order to transport bulky merchandise. 11

12 16-17 The Square 12

13 building #4 Portaferry Credit Union Until recently the building currently occupied by Portaferry Credit Union functioned as Portaferry Orange Hall. ACTIVITY Did you notice the shape of the windows used in the Portaferry Credit Union Building? Can you draw one of them? The building was built in 1870 and is influenced by Gothic revival architecture, which was popular at the time (this architectural style can also be seen at 17 The Square). Gothic Revival architecture is based on Gothic Architecture which was built in the period between 1200AD 1500AD. Gothic Architecture produced many excellent buildings including Westminster Abbey in London. Gothic Revival architecture influenced the design of buildings from Castle Ward to The Houses of Parliament London. 13

14 building #5 Portaferry Market House Portaferry Market House was built in 1752 by a man named Andrew Savage. The Savage family was one of the most powerful families in Portaferry between the 16th and 18th Centuries and had a major influence on the development of the town. They were responsible for the construction of both Portaferry Castle and Portaferry House. Portaferry Market House is a simple building, built in the Neo -Classical style. The building is situated right at the heart of Portaferry, suggesting the importance of this structure at the time of construction. ACTIVITY Did you know that the wind vane on top of the Market House is shaped like a sailing ship? Why do you think this is? Can you find the coat of arms on the market house? Can you draw it? The Market House is a simplified version of the Neo-Classical style of architecture which was common throughout the British Empire at the time. Its main features include a central pediment with inset clock, bell and wind vane Pediment: triangular architectural element found above the main body of the building. A: During the period in which the Market House was constructed, shipping was the primary mode of transport and Portaferry Harbour was a prominent trading destination bringing wealth and prosperity to the town. The fact that the Wind Vane is shaped like a ship is a testament to the influence which the shipping industry had on the town. 14

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17 building #6 17 The Square Constructed in 1850, 17 The Square was built in the Gothic Revival Style just like the Credit Union During this period in history, new materials such as brick and cast iron were being more commonly used in construction. As the town of Portaferry grew in size and wealth, new buildings were frequently decorated or ornamented, in an attempt by the owner to advertise their status. Can you see that 17 The Square is more decorative than the Market House? The building uses many decorative features such as mouldings, columned porch and parapet. ACTIVITY Can you count the number of mouldings on the parapet of the roof? Can you identify the animal featured on the centre of the parapet? What material do you think the chimneys are constructed from? Did you know that since its construction, 17 The Square has functioned as a Hotel, Embroidery Business, Drapers Shop and Grocers? Parapet: typically ornamented portion of the exterior wall which extends above the roof line A: Mouldings; Lion; Brick 17

18 building #7 Northern Bank Building No. 3 6 The Square 18

19 The former Northern Bank Building was constructed in 1918 in the Neo-classical style and is similar to many of the other buildings that appear in The Square. Features of Neo-Classical Architecture, inspired by the ancient worlds of Rome and Greece, are used to create some of the most important buildings throughout the Western World. Symbolising power, strength and wealth Neo-Classical Architecture has influenced buildings such as the White House in Washington DC to Buckingham Palace in London. ACTIVITY Look at the first floor windows on the Northern Bank Building. Can you count how many panes of glass are in one window? Can you draw one of the windows? The reason Neo-Classical architecture is often used in the design of banks is to reinforce the strong image the banks wish to portray to their customers. 19

20 building #8 Belfast Banking Company No. 2 The Square 20

21 The Belfast Banking Co, Portaferry Branch was built in 1936, 18 years after the facing Northern Bank Building. Unlike the opposing bank building, the Belfast Banking Company building is simple and quiet in its design. Designed using the International Style of Architecture, the Belfast Banking Company building looks very different from most of the buildings lining The Square. ACTIVITY Can you identify any differences between the Belfast Banking Co building and the Northern Bank Building? Did you know that before the construction of the Belfast Banking Company Building, McCauslands Hotel stood on this site? Look around the square; how many other buildings can you count that are built using brick? A: 12 21

22 building #9 Presbyterian Church St e e l D ixo n Av e n u e 22

23 Built in 1841, Portaferry Presbyterian Church was inspired by the classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. Architecture from the classical world was grand and impressive, eluding the impression of power, strength, wealth and importance. Look at the image below showing the Pantheon in Rome. Built over 2000 years ago, the Pantheon is one of the oldest buildings in the city of Rome. ACTIVITY Columns are a common feature of classical architecture. The three main types are illustrated below: Can you see that all three of the above columns have a different top? The top of each column is known as its capital. Can you identify how many columns are used on the church facade? Can you see the similarities between the Pantheon and the Presbyterian Church? Can you identify what type of columns are used on the church facade. A: 12: 6 on the North West Facade and 6 on the South East Facade; Doric 23

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