Survey Data
Reg No
31204070
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Previous Name
National Bank
Original Use
House
Historical Use
Bank/financial institution
In Use As
Shop/retail outlet
Date
1800 - 1838
Coordinates
124580, 318929
Date Recorded
09/12/2008
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced four-bay three-storey double-pile over basement townhouse, extant 1838, originally two separate two-bay three-storey townhouses. In alternative use, 1890. Renovated with replacement shopfront inserted to ground floor. Two of a terrace of six. Pitched double-pile (M-profile) slate roof with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks having rendered capping (north) or corbelled stepped capping (south) supporting terracotta or yellow terracotta pots, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-limestone eaves retaining cast-iron hoppers and downpipes. Tuck pointed drag edged tooled limestone ashlar wall (upper floors). Square-headed window openings (upper floors) with drag edged dragged cut-limestone sills, and drag edged tooled cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds centred on keystones framing replacement one-over-one (first floor) or two-over-two (top floor) timber sash windows replacing six-over-six (first floor) or six-over-three (top floor) timber sash windows. Interior including (upper floors): carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Street fronted with cobbled footpath to front.
Appraisal
A townhouse erected as two of a terrace of six identical houses (including 31204069; 31204071 - 31204073) representing an important component of the early nineteenth-century built heritage of Ballina with the architectural value of the composition, one of the 'many new houses built [within the last ten years] by merchants and others engaged in trade and commerce' (Lewis 1837 I, 104), confirmed by such attributes as the compact plan form; the "sparrow pecked" surface finish offset by sheer limestone dressings demonstrating good quality workmanship; and the diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a graduated visual impression. Although much modified at street level, the elementary form and massing survive intact overhead together with substantial quantities of the original fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior, thereby upholding much of the character or integrity of a townhouse forming part of a neat self-contained ensemble making a pleasing visual statement in Pearse Street.