1-3 The Diamond

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Formerly a two-storey rendered house, now a two-and-a-half-storey hotel with modern extension to northeast corner; built 1875 and altered 2006 for conversion into a hotel. Rectangular on plan; abutted to north gable by large modern extension (of little interest) and to rear by modern linking block.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles and painted render chimneystacks. Plastic rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is rubblestone with lime pointing and red-brick flat arches. Windows are replacement 6/6 timber sash with horns, flat brick arches and projecting cement sills (unless otherwise stated). Four gabled dormers to roof.

The principal elevation faces west with five openings at each floor (those to first floor are irregularly spaced). Ground floor has been altered with a large plate glass window insertion to left of centre. Modern panelled timber doors to far left and right surmounted by flat brick heads.

The north gable has window to right of centre at attic and is almost entirely abutted by the modern glass curved extension, which extends to northeast.

The east (rear) elevation was not viewed. Abutted by modern linking block to right of centre connected to modern extension.

The south gable is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/08/004C); upper section is blank.

Setting:
West-facing the terrace is prominently situated, facing an important junction on the approach to Portstewart town centre. The area is characterised by mainly commercial units housed in two-storey terraces on the southern edge of the town. Set back from the road with tarmacadamed public parking area to front, the hotel incorporates the neighbouring two-storey building; HB03/08/004C. The north gable is dominated by the modern glass extension which curves to east and extends the full length of the terrace to rear. To north side of The Diamond is Agherton Parish Church (HB03/08/001).

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Rubble stone with lime pointing
Windows: Replacement timber sash
RWG: Plastic

Historical information

Buildings are shown on the site of this terrace on the first edition OS map of 1830. However, valuation records record the dwelling houses then on the site as four structures of low value, ranging from £1 to £2.5s in valuation, and possibly therefore single-storey vernacular buildings. The terrace was remodelled in its present form as seven dwelling houses between 1875 and 1882, reflecting the growth of Portstewart into a successful bathing resort, although the row is without architectural pretension and is likely to have retained fabric from its simpler predecessors. The larger house and shop at the northern end were a successful commercial enterprise while the attached terrace was let out to a succession of working-class tenants.

The present houses, recently converted into a hotel, were originally a single dwelling built by William Martin, grocer in 1875 (Street Directory 1861). Martin had moved into the former house on the site in 1866 and gradually improved his holding, adding outbuildings in 1868, appropriating a garden which had belonged to the neighbouring house in 1872 and finally rebuilding the house altogether in 1875, increasing the valuation from £1.15s to £17. In 1888 the valuation was reduced to £15, possibly as the result of an appeal. In 1900 the house passed to Henry Dixon who ran the 16-room premises as a clothiers shop. Henry Dixon, 32-year-old merchant tailor lived with his wife and three young children and the family kept a general domestic servant, a young woman of 18. (1901 census)

In 1905 the premises passed to Charles Upson, a grocer with three children, falling vacant by 1912. Subsequent occupants were John Richardson who was present in the 1930s. The plan attached to valuation records shows that in the 1930s the two-storey house, containing a single-storey shop measuring 15x20 feet, had a single-storey brick scullery and bathroom to the rear and a separate WC. A separate outbuilding/store was in two sections, the single-storey section having a corrugated iron roof. The accommodation comprised two receptions, six bedrooms, a scullery, pantry bathroom and WC. Samuel Scott took over the house in 1939 and appears to have divided the building into two separate dwellings and they are so recorded from 1953. The building was listed in 1977. (HB file)

Girvan commented in the 1970s that the Diamond was ‘a pleasant enclosure, away from the sea-front...and dominated by the Parish Church’. (Girvan)

In 2006 permission was granted for conversion of 1-5 The Diamond and replacement of 2-4 Lever Road to the rear with a 17-bed boutique hotel with lounge bars, restaurant and conference facility to designs by Kevin Cartin Architects Ltd. The development ultimately also incorporated number 7 as a snug bar. As part of the conversion the roof line of the current building has been raised and dormer windows fitted. The front elevation has otherwise been retained, but little original fabric remains to the rear. (www.colerainebc.gov.uk; HB file)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/3/1 First Edition OS Map 1830
2. PRONI OS/6/5/3/2 Second Edition OS map 1856
3. PRONI OS/6/5/3/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/3/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1922-39
5. PRONI OS/6/5/3/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1939-50
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/539A-B Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/10 Griffiths Valuation (1861)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17A-H Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/18 First General Revaluation 1933-57
10. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/8/A/5 First General Revaluation 1933-57
11. 1901 census
12. 1911 census
13. HB file – 03/08/004A-B
14. Street Directory 1861

Secondary Sources

1. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in Coleraine and Portstewart” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1971-2

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

X. Local Interest
R. Age

Evaluation

An altered two-and-a-half-storey former house, now a hotel, with large modern extension; built 1875 and converted 2006; located to the east side of The Diamond in Portstewart town centre. Alterations include a raised roofline accommodating four dormer insertions and replacement chimneystacks, replacement fenestration throughout with enlarged opening at ground floor, and exposed rubblestone walling to facade, all of which detract from the the original character of what was a traditional two-storey rendered townhouse.
Despite the extensive alterations, it still is representative of late-nineteenth century domestic architecture and along with its prominent position on the approach to the town, the building remains of special historic interest. It has group value with the other listed buildings in this terrace.

General comments

This record incorporates that formerly known as HB03/08/004B. No first survey image was available for this group.
Listing Criteria R - Age; also applies.