36 Kerr Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-bay three-storey rendered terraced townhouse with attic; built c.1860 and located to the east side of Kerr Street in Portrush. Square on plan with two-storey return, single-storey extension and modern conservatory to rear; integral carriage-arch entry to right bay.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled ridge tiles and parapet to front; three rendered chimneystacks all with tall clay pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods to rear, parapet gutters to front. Walling is roughcast render with smooth rendered straight quoins and smooth rendered eaves band with moulded cornice; lime render over masonry to ground floor at south gable. Windows are 6/6 timber sash without horns in smooth surrounds with projecting stone sills, surmounted by label moulds.

The principal elevation faces west and is four openings wide to each floor; those to right bay over carriage arch are set slightly further to right; square-headed carriage-arch entrance to ground floor has timber-sheeted gates. Four-panelled timber door to centre in panelled recess, accessed via two stone steps and surmounted by a transom light inscribed with “36”; doorcase is flanked by panelled pilasters with decorative console brackets surmounted by a corniced canopy.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/10/007B).

The east elevation is abutted to centre by a two-storey return, which is further abutted by a single-storey extension. Three small skylights to roof and three-windows to second floor; to right at first floor is a window; panelled and glazed timber door with three-pane sidelight to left at first floor. To ground floor right is a modern conservatory. Return is two openings wide to north elevation.

The south gable is abutted to second floor by adjoining building; upper section is blank. At ground floor is a four-panelled timber door.

Setting:

Street-fronted overlooking Portrush harbour. Decorative cast-iron arrow-head railings on a stone plinth wall, with scrolled end having central cast-iron post topped by ball finial. The carriage arch-entrance leads to a rear yard. A row of two-storey rendered outbuildings runs to the rear of the terrace, servicing each of the houses. Outbuildings have slated roof with terracotta ridge tiles. That to number 36 has been converted into a garage in the early to mid-twentieth century; access from east via double-leaf timber doors opening on a hinge with timber casement window over, with a variety of timber casement windows and a timber-sheeted door at right.

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

Historical information

The current terrace of three houses was built in 1859/60 just as the fashionable bathing resort of Portrush was experiencing a dramatic expansion due to the arrival of a railway branch line from Coleraine in 1855. Initially named ‘Clarence Terrace’ the group of three first enter valuation records as unfinished dwellings in 1859 and measurements are given for each house, rear return and separate outbuilding. The valuer describes the group as new houses ‘well built and tolerably well finished’. The terrace was built by Thomas Black and number 36 was valued at £31, slightly more than the other two because of a shed to the rear. By 1863 all the houses had acquired tenants and in the 1870s the group was renamed ‘Charlotte Terrace’.

The first occupier to be noted in number 36 was James Watt in 1863 followed by Robert Crookshank (1873). An addition was made to the property in 1872 which increased the valuation to £33. Subsequent tenants were John Roe Watt (1879) Frederick H Watt (1881) Miss Elizabeth Browne (1897) Frances Lindsay (nd) Carolyn Browne (1902) and Frederick H Watt (1905). Captain F H Watt was a JP, County Councillor and Director of Portrush Harbour Company who was also a steamboat agent. (Street Directories)

At the time of the 1901 census the dwelling was being run as a boarding house by Frances P Lindsay from County Louth. A general domestic servant was also resident, 50-year-old Catherine Crossan and boarding were a 47-year-old married woman and her son. Next to run the boarding house were the Jacksons, a mother and daughter who kept a general domestic servant. (1911 census) The house passed to the McGugan family in 1923 and in valuer’s notes of the 1930s the accommodation is listed as two receptiosn, eight bedrooms, a kitchen, scullery, pantry and WC. The rent was £65 yearly. An extensive refurbishment was carried out in the early 1930s.

The building was listed in 1977 and in the late 1980s work took place on the doors, roof, staircase, chimneys and windows. In 1995 the exterior railings were replaced and in 2009 repairs and restoration took place to the windows. (HB file)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/2/1 First Edition OS Map 1831-2
2. PRONI OS/6/1/2/2 Second Edition OS map 1853
3. PRONI OS/6/1/2/3 Third Edition OS Map 1906
4. PRONI OS/6/1/2/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1921-31
5. PRONI OS/6/1/2/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1946-50
6. PRONI OS/8/42/1-2 – Town Plans of Portrush (1895-6)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/30B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/2A-E Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/22A-D Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
10. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/30 First General Revaluation 1933-57
11. PRONI VAL/3/D/1/15/A/21 First General Revaluation 1933-57
12. 1901 census online
13. 1911 census online
14. HB file – 03/010/007A

Secondary Sources

1. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in North Antrim including the towns of Portrush, Ballymoney and Bushmills” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1975

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A three-bay three-storey rendered terraced townhouse with attic and integral carriage-arch entry; built c.1860 and located to the east side of Kerr Street overlooking Portrush harbour. Displaying proportions and detailing typical of the mid-Victorian period, architectural detailing is of good quality and is largely intact. Prominently sited, the building is one in a terrace of three and the group is one of the earliest surviving examples of Victorian waterfront development in the town. Of special architectural and historic interest, the terrace makes an important contribution to the historic character of Portrush.

General comments

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