List of Grade B+ listed buildings in County Down facts for kids
This article is about special buildings in County Down, Northern Ireland, that are officially protected because they are very old or have interesting designs. These buildings are called "listed buildings," and the ones we'll talk about here are given a special rank: Grade B+.
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What are Listed Buildings?
Imagine a building that's super important because of its history or how it looks. In Northern Ireland, these special places are "listed buildings." This means they are officially recognized as having "special architectural or historic interest." It's like putting them on a VIP list to make sure they are looked after for a long time.
There are different levels of listed buildings. Grade B+ buildings are those that are really important and almost as special as the very top "Grade A" ones. They might have a tiny flaw, like a part that was changed later, but they still have amazing features, cool interiors, or are in a really special setting. They stand out from regular Grade B buildings because of their unique qualities.
How Buildings Get Listed
The idea of protecting buildings started a bit later in Northern Ireland compared to other parts of the UK. The first laws for listing buildings came out in 1972. Today, the rules are set by the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.
The Department of the Environment is in charge of making lists of these special buildings. The actual work of deciding which buildings get listed is done by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). They look at different things, like how old a building is, its design, and its history, to decide if it should be protected.
A big survey of buildings in Northern Ireland started in 1974. By 1994, they had learned a lot, so they started a second survey to update all the information. This helps them keep track of both listed and unlisted buildings in a public database.
Protecting Our Historic Buildings
Once a building is listed, it means you can't just change it however you want. There are strict rules about making changes to its structure or even its inside parts. If someone wants to alter a listed building, they have to get special permission from the local authorities first.
Northern Ireland has about 8,500 listed buildings. That's about 2% of all the buildings there! Out of these, around 580 are Grade B+ buildings, which shows how special they are.
County Down's Special Grade B+ Buildings
County Down is a large area, covering about 2,448 square kilometers, and it's home to around 516,000 people. This county has a lot of history and beautiful places, including 164 Grade B+ listed buildings. Let's look at some cool examples!
Historic Churches in County Down
Many of the listed buildings in County Down are churches, which often have amazing architecture and long histories.
- The Holy Trinity Church of Ireland in Kircubbin is a Grade B+ listed church.
- The R.C. Church Lisbane in Kircubbin is another beautiful church with a Grade B+ listing.
- Near Kircubbin, the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church in Ballyhemlin is also on the list.
- St. Saviour’s C of I Parish Church in Greyabbey is a historic church that's now Grade B+ listed.
- In Ballywalter, the Holy Trinity (C of I) Church is a Grade B+ listed building.
- Christ Church in Carrowdore is a Grade B+ listed church.
- Donaghadee Parish Church is a significant church in Donaghadee.
- Comber Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church in Comber is a notable Grade B+ listed building.
- Killinchy Presbyterian Church is another important church in Killinchy.
- Seapatrick Parish Church (also known as Holy Trinity Church) in Banbridge is a Grade B+ listed church.
- The First Dromara Presbyterian Church in Dromore is also a Grade B+ listed building.
- In Dromore, the First Presbyterian Church (Non-Subscribing) is listed.
- Kilmore Presbyterian Church near Crossgar is a Grade B+ listed building.
- Christ Church in Ballyculter, near Downpatrick, is a Grade B+ listed church.
- St. Patrick's Memorial C Of I Church in Saul, near Downpatrick, is also listed.
- The Parish Church Of The Holy Trinity (St. Margaret's) in Downpatrick is a significant Grade B+ listed church.
- Bangor Abbey Parish C of I and First Presbyterian Church in Bangor are both Grade B+ listed.
- St Comgall's Parish C. of I. in Bangor is another important listed church.
- The Private Chapel at Clandeboye Estate is also a Grade B+ listed church.
- Holywood Parish C. of I. in Holywood is a Grade B+ listed church.
- Holy Trinity Church in Waringstown is a Grade B+ listed church.
- Waringstown Presbyterian Church is also listed.
- Clonallan Parish Church and the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church in Warrenpoint are both Grade B+ listed.
- The Chapel of St. Mary the Immaculate Mother of God at St Colman’s College in Newry is a Grade B+ listed church.
- St Patrick's Church (C of I) in Newry is a very important Grade B+ listed church.
- St Catherine’s (RC) Church and the Church of the Sacred Heart (RC) in Newry are also listed.
- The First Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church in Newry is a Grade B+ listed building.
Grand Houses and Estates
Many large and impressive houses are also protected.
- Portaferry House is a grand country house in Portaferry.
- Carrowdore Castle is another country house that's Grade B+ listed.
- Ballyvester House in Donaghadee is a listed house.
- Milecross House in Newtownards is a Grade B+ listed house.
- Ard View and Florida Manor in Killinchy are also listed houses.
- Banford House and Milltown House in Gilford are Grade B+ listed.
- Ballyward Lodge in Castlewellan is a listed house.
- Ringdufferin House in Killyleagh is a beautiful country house.
- Montalto House in Ballynahinch is a significant country house.
- Echohall in Ballynahinch is also a Grade B+ listed house.
- Strangford House in Strangford is a listed house.
- Tyrella House in Downpatrick is a Grade B+ country house.
- Mount Panther near Newcastle is a large country house that's Grade B+ listed.
- Castlewellan Castle is a very famous country house in Castlewellan.
- Wood Lodge in Castlewellan is also listed.
- Seaforde House in Downpatrick is a grand country house.
- Ballykilbeg House in Downpatrick is a Grade B+ listed house.
- Finnebrogue House in Downpatrick is a country house with a B+ listing.
- Marlborough House and Ballydugan House in Downpatrick are also listed.
- Glenganagh in Groomsport is a Grade B+ listed house.
- Clandeboye House in Bangor is a very important country house.
- Ardnalea House in Craigavad is a Grade B+ listed house.
- The Hill and Glenmakieran in Holywood are also listed houses.
- Cultra House in Holywood is a Grade B+ listed house.
- Trevor House and Hill House in Hillsborough are listed.
- Hillsborough Castle is a very famous country house and a Grade B+ listed building.
- Union Lodge in Boardmills is a Grade B+ listed house.
- Berwick Hall in Craigavon is a significant Grade B+ listed house.
- Mourne Park House in Kilkeel is a country house with a B+ listing.
- Kilbroney House in Rostrevor is a listed house.
- Cabra House in Rathfriland is a country house with a B+ listing.
- Templegowran House in Newry is another country house on the list.
- Several houses and offices on Downshire Road and Downshire Place in Newry are also Grade B+ listed.
Other Interesting Structures
County Down also has other types of listed buildings that are important for different reasons.
- The Market House in Portaferry is a historic hall.
- The Mew Island Lighthouse is an important lighthouse off the coast of Donaghadee.
- Donaghadee Harbour is a significant listed structure.
- The Former Town Hall in Donaghadee is also a Grade B+ listed office building.
- Scrabo Tower (also known as the Londonderry Monument) in Newtownards is a very famous tower.
- The Town Hall in Newtownards is a listed building.
- The White Bridge near Gilford is a Grade B+ listed bridge.
- The Downshire Bridge in Banbridge is also a listed bridge.
- The Crozier Monument in Banbridge is a Grade B+ listed memorial.
- The Cleland Mausoleum in Dundonald is a very old and important tomb.
- The Waddell-Cunningham-Douglas Monument, Rainey-Goddard Monument, and Greg Monument in Knockbreda Churchyard are all Grade B+ listed mausoleums.
- The Corn Mill, Flax Mill, and Stable at Mary Brook in Crossgar are all Grade B+ listed structures related to old industries.
- The Saw Mill and Flour or Corn Mill at Castleward House are also listed.
- The Slidderyford Bridge (also called The Twelve Arches) near Newcastle is a historic bridge.
- The Walled Garden at The Castle in Castlewellan is a listed garden structure.
- The Clanbrassil Barn and Gateway and the Barbican gate in Tollymore Park are important estate structures.
- The Seaforde gate lodge and The Kennels at Seaforde Demesne are also listed.
- The Gatehouse at the New County Gaol in Downpatrick is a Grade B+ listed structure.
- The Downpatrick Courthouse is an important listed building.
- The Percival-Maxwell Tomb in Inch Parish Churchyard is a listed mausoleum.
- The Royal Ulster Yacht Club and the Local Heritage and Visitor's Centre (Bangor Castle) in Bangor are Grade B+ listed recreational clubs.
- The Bangor War Memorial is a listed memorial.
- The Railway Bridge in Crawfordsburn Country Park is a Grade B+ listed bridge.
- The Royal Belfast Golf Club and Lorne in Craigavad are listed recreational clubs.
- Moira Railway Station is a Grade B+ listed railway station.
- The Administration and drawing office block (Harland & Wolff) in Belfast is a significant Grade B+ listed office building.
- Sydenham Primary School in Belfast is a listed school.
- The Annalong Corn Mill is a Grade B+ listed mill.
- The Main Entrance to Silent Valley Mourne Scheme, the Overflow pipe Silent Valley Reservoir, and Ben Crom Reservoir are all important water works structures.
- The Haulbowline Lighthouse near Newry is a Grade B+ listed lighthouse.
- The Band Stand in Warrenpoint's Town Park is a listed bandstand.
- The Former Donaghmore Methodist Church is a Grade B+ listed church.
- The Crown Bridge near Newry is a listed bridge.
- Fisher and Fisher Solicitors in Newry is a listed office building.
- The Convent of Mercy in Newry is a Grade B+ listed religious house.
- The Armagh-Down Bridge in Newry is a significant listed bridge.
These are just some of the many amazing Grade B+ listed buildings in County Down, each with its own unique story and importance!