38 Kerr Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid-Victorian two-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 to rear abutted by gabled extension.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled ridge tiles and parapet; rendered chimneystack to north gable. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods to rear. Walling is roughcast render with smooth rendered straight quoins and eaves band having moulded cornice. Windows are replacement timber sash without horns in smooth surrounds with projecting stone sills, surmounted by label moulds.

The principal elevation faces west and is three openings wide at each floor. Bolection-moulded four-panelled timber door to left, accessed by three granite steps and surmounted by plain transom light; flanked by panelled pilasters with corniced canopy on decorative console brackets.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building.

The east elevation has skylight to roof and two windows at second floor. Abutted at right by the two-storey return which has two windows to each floor at left cheek. Return is abutted by a gabled extension (lower) which is similar in style.

The south gable is abutted by adjoining building; HB03/10/007B.

Setting:

Street-fronted overlooking Portrush harbour. Decorative cast-iron arrow-head railings on a stone plinth wall encloses concrete slab paving to front. 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; rendered chimneystack with terracotta pot to number 38. East elevation of outbuilding has two widely-spaced 6/6 timber sash windows with horns and projecting painted sills at first floor; two timber-sheeted doors and a timber casement window at ground floor. North gable abuts rubblestone boundary wall.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Roughcast render
Windows: Replacement 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, numbers 37 and 38 were valued at £30 and number 36 at £31 due to its slightly larger size. 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 38 was James Watt, also noted as occupier at number 36. Watt was followed by Mrs Murray (1873), W G Henderson (1876) Miss Devonport (1878) Mrs Dickson (1886) James Orr Jackson (1888) Alexander Orr Jackson (1891)and Edward Campbell (1896). The Campbell family remained resident for some years until the house was taken over by Nora Currie in the 1930s and then William Magee who bought the house for £710 in 1944. The following year he converted outbuildings at the rear into bedrooms and the valuation was raised to £57.

Valuer’s notes of the 1930s list the accommodation as three reception rooms, nine bedrooms, a kitchen, scullery, pantry and WC.
The house was listed in 1977 and in 1986 was converted into four flats with associated internal works and renovations to the chimneys and roof. (HB file) The building is currently (2012) undergoing some restoration work.

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. HB file – 03/010/007C

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
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A two-bay three-storey rendered terraced townhouse with attic; 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, much of the original character has been preserved. 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; and S - Authenticity also apply.