Beach Park

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A group of two two-storey former outbuildings to Seaport Lodge (HB03/05/002), predating 1830, modified and converted into a restaurant and dwelling with office in recent years. Situated to the north side of Bayhead Road at the entrance to Seaport Lodge in Portballintrae.

Hipped natural slate roofs with leaded ridges and hips; tall ashlar sandstone chimneystack (rendered to south block) having tall clay pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is roughcast render on a contrasting plinth. Windows are replacement 6/6 timber framed sash in contrasting surrounds with flush painted sills (unless otherwise stated).

The south block has been converted into a modern restaurant. Principal elevation faces south and comprises four segmental-headed windows at first floor and two 6/6 sash windows at ground floor, flanking a modern sympathetically styled semi-circular entrance porch. Abutted at ground floor left by a modern flat-roof service block. The west elevation is accessed at first floor level via a grassy verge; modern metal door at left with small abutment at right, opening to north with a modern timber door. The south elevation has a variety of modern window openings and an off-centre modern timber-sheeted door with fanlight. The east elevation is fully abutted by a modern uPVC conservatory.

The north block has been converted into a dwelling and office. Principal elevation faces south and comprises two round-headed recessed bays to far left and right; left bay has a window at first and ground floor; right bay has a window at first floor over a modern timber-sheeted half-door. Central bay has three glazed oculi at first floor over two round-headed windows and a round-headed entrance containing a timber-sheeted door with cast-iron door furniture, surmounted by a four-paned fanlight. The west elevation has a central square-headed recess containing a modern timber sash window. The north elevation has three segmental-headed modern 6/6 sash windows. The east elevation has a round-headed window at ground floor left.

Setting:

Situated southeast of Seaport Lodge (HB03/05/002), with shared access from Bayhead Road. Roughcast rendered boundary wall topped by undressed stone coping to Bayhead Road at south; modern rubblestone wall to entrance at east. Large gravel parking area at front of south block; yard between north and south blocks laid with reclaimed square
setting.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Roughcast render
Windows: Replacement timber sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

No. 6 Seaport Avenue, a pair of two-storey rendered and whitewashed buildings, currently utilised as a restaurant and private dwelling, was originally constructed in the Georgian period prior to the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1832. The pair were first depicted on the 1832 map which shows that no major alteration has been made to the layout of the site in almost two centuries. The two-storey buildings were formerly utilised as the coaching stables for Seaport Lodge which was the property of James Leslie Esq. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs noted that in 1832 the village of Portballintrae consisted of only a few houses, chiefly occupied by pilots, but ‘near this to the west side of the bay is Seaport House, the summer residence of James Leslie Esquire.’ In 1835 the Memoirs continued the description noting that the house was built around the year 1790 and although its situation was ‘exposed and unprotected, [the location] was admirably calculated for that of a bathing lodge’ (Ordnance Survey Memoirs, pp 105; 110). Seaport Lodge’s coaching stables were likely constructed around the same period as the main dwelling and were situated at the main approach to the estate from the village. The contemporary Townland Valuation did not value the stables individually from the house but they were included in a joint value of Leslie’s estate which was settled at £38 in c. 1830.

Throughout Griffith’s Valuation and the subsequent Annual Revisions, the coaching stables remained jointly valued with the estate and were not recorded separately making it impossible to determine the individual worth of the buildings. Griffith’s Valuation noted that the value of Seaport lodge and its outbuildings had increased to £40 by 1859; by that year occupation of Seaport Lodge had passed from James to Henry Leslie who was also recorded as owner of the site. Henry Leslie continued to reside at Seaport Lodge until his death in 1864 at which time the property passed to his widow Harriet Ann Leslie (PRONI Wills Catalogue). The Annual Revisions continued to record Henry Leslie as the occupant of the property until as late as 1882 when a Colonel E. Douglas Leslie came into possession of the site and its associated outbuildings including the coaching stables.

E. Douglas Leslie resided at Seaport Lodge until 1908 when James G. Leslie took possession; despite the change in ownership during this period, Seaport Lodge remained sporadically occupied as a summer residence laying vacant during both the 1901 and 1911 censuses which were both conducted in the month of April. James Leslie continued to be recorded as the occupant of Seaport Lodge until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1929 at which time the value of the site remained at £40.

As a result of a more peaceable climate and the development of good communication links by the 18th century, the increasingly confident landed gentry in Ireland began to construct more capacious and attractive residences; Seaport Lodge is a fine example of a mid-to-late-Georgian seaside dwelling built as a leisure retreat rather than a defensive structure. Both Brett and Girvan give the construction date of Seaport Lodge as c. 1770, despite the Ordnance Survey Memoirs claiming a later date of c. 1790; Brett states that the dwelling was constructed by James Leslie, soon after the completion of his other main residence, Leslie Hill, in 1772. James Leslie’s ability to erect two major houses within such a short period led Brett to suggest that Leslie ‘much overstrained the family finances’ to realise his ambition of possessing a grand country house with a leisurely seaside retreat.

Local tradition states that Seaport Lodge was constructed gradually over a period of many years. Seaport Lodge’s main domestic block was the first section of the building to be constructed; Brett states that the two-storey western service wing was added later, most likely in 1827 as that date is inscribed on many of the later wing’s wall plates (Brett, pp 83-84; Girvan, p. 4; p. 23). It is not known at what stage in the estates development the pair of two-storey coach stables were erected, however it was certainly prior to 1832. Seaport Lodge remained in the possession of the Leslie family until the mid-20th century; the northern former coaching stable was listed in 1977 and since that time has continued to be privately occupied. By the 1970s the two coach stables, which formed part of Leslies original estate, were no longer utilised as out offices but had been converted into a private dwelling named Beach Park and designated No. 6 Seaport Avenue; the First Survey Record (1972) described the northern block as a two-storey rendered and whitened house with hipped slated roof although no reference to its previous use as coaching stables was recorded.

In the late-20th century the south block of Beach Park was converted into a restaurant called Sweeney’s, however the north block has been maintained as a private dwelling and office space. As part of the conversion of the site a modern glass conservatory was added to the east elevation of the south block whilst the interior was completely refurbished; the First Survey Image notes that a number of new windows have been installed to the north block, however the general Georgian character has been maintained.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/3/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1832
2. PRONI OS/6/1/3/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1855
3. PRONI OS/6/1/3/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/1/3/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1921
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/3 – Townland Valuation map c. 1830
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/140 – Townland Valuations c. 1830
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/34A – Griffith’s Valuation 1859
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2A – Annual Revisions 1859-1864
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2B – Annual Revisions 1864-1876
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2C – Annual Revisions 1876-1884
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2D – Annual Revisions 1885-1889
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2E – Annual Revisions 1889-1895
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/21A – Annual Revisions 1896-1909
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/21B – Annual Revisions 1909-1921
15. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/13A – Annual Revisions 1923-1929
16. Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
17. Ordnance Survey Memoirs, Co. Antrim Vol. 16, V (1830-38)
18. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
19. PRONI Wills Catalogue (5 July 1864)
20. First Survey Record – HB03/05/003 (1972)
21. First Survey Image – HB03/05/003 (1975)
22. Ordnance Survey Map – 6-8 (1965)

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of County Antrim’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1996.
2. Girvan, W., ‘North Antrim: Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in North Antrim including towns of Portrush, Ballymoney and Bushmills’ Belfast, Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Beach Park is a group of two two-storey former outbuildings to Seaport Lodge (HB03/05/002), predating 1830, modified and converted into a restaurant and dwelling with office in recent years. The buildings have been substantially refurbished, however they retain their original proportions and efforts have been made to preserve something of their original character. The buildings are of interest mainly due to their relationship with Seaport Lodge (HB03/05/002), with which they have important group value. Of local interest they add to the architectural character of Portballintrae.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.