8 Bath Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-bay, three-storey-over-basement rendered terraced house with dormer to attic; built c.1860 and located to the south side of Bath Street in Portrush town centre. Square on plan with three-storey canted bay to front; three-storey return and two-storey modern extension to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with rendered chimneystack. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on modillioned eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with plain frieze under eaves; roughcast render to gable. Windows are replacement uPVC to upper floors and 1/1 timber-framed sash without horns to ground floor, timber casement to basement, all with projecting painted sills, continuous to first floor; gabled dormer to attic.

The principal elevation faces northwest; full-height canted bay to left; right bay has window to upper floors and classical-style doorcase at ground floor. Doorcase comprises replacement panelled-and-glazed timber door with transom light in timber panelled reveal; flanked by panelled pilasters with mid-level circular motif; surmounted by Greek-key frieze and dentilled pediment on foliated consoles. Door is accessed via a set of seven sandstone steps, enclosed by decorative cast-iron balustrade; to left is a set of stone steps leading down to basement, with modern panelled-and-glazed timber door and modern window.

The northeast elevation has two windows to attic and second floor; window to left at first floor and two modern to left at ground floor.

The southeast (rear) elevation is abutted to left by the three-storey return, forming a gable with return of adjoining building (HB03/10/016A). Return has a variety of modern uPVC window openings and is partially abutted at left by the two-storey modern extension (of no interest).

The southwest elevation is fully abutted by adjoining building; HB03/10/016A.

Setting:

Street-fronted and situated between Main Street and the coastal path in the town centre. Terraced to both sides, Bath Street is made up of residential and mixed use buildings, dating from the mid-Victorian period. To northwest corner site is a twenty-first century three-storey modern apartment block. Lane to northwest leads to modern roughcast rendered garage, giving access to enclosed rear yard.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: uPVC and 1/1 timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This semi-detached pair in Bath Street, Portrush was completed in 1861 and the ‘splendid marine residences’ were advertised for sale in April of the same year. (Belfast Newsletter) The developer, Constantine Dornan, of Portrush had erected the buildings ‘at considerable expense, with all the Modern Improvements in Buildings’. The houses had ‘every accommodation suitable for a gentleman’s family and have only to be viewed to be appreciated’. Accommodation comprised; ‘Front and Back Drawing-Rooms and Dining-Rooms, Eight Bed-Rooms, Two Water-Closets, Shower and Plunge Baths, Butler, Housemaid and Mistress’s Pantries, Kitchen, Servants’ Hall, Larder, Wine Cellar and Coal Vaults’. A coach-house, stable and hay-loft had been built to the rear, ‘with a never-failing supply of pure Spring Water and sewerage direct to the sea”. It was expected that the buyer of the houses would let them out and a rent of £52.10s per year was suggested.

The semi-detached pair is first shown on the 1896 town plan of Portrush with steps and railings to the front and a stable block and yards to the rear. The bay-fronted houses had a rear return also accessed by a flight of steps. Griffith’s Valuation records the site as a building ground leased by ‘Cornelius [sic] Dornan’ and it is not until Annual Revisions of 1863 that the buildings are recorded at £36 each. Constantine Dornan is noted as the occupier initially, the houses apparently still unsold but they are later both occupied by Robert Erskine.

In the late 1880s the house was let to Dorah McClintock. The 1901 census records in number 8, Alexander Maxwell, building contractor from Ballymacall who lived with his English wife and four-year-old son. The couple had two female boarders, one working as a nurse and the other from County Limerick. Employed at the house was a servant girl of 17.

The 1911 census records both dwellings as boarding houses, but only number six was occupied at this date. The houses passed through a succession of tenants until 1932 when two-storey extensions were added to the rear of both houses and as a consequence the valuation was increased to £48.

Number eight became a youth centre, known as Haddon House, in 1945 but no structural alterations were made to the building. About 44 boys and girls were members and were occupied with woodwork, handicrafts and other recreations and games. Members ran their own canteen and paid a subscription of 3d each per week. A full time leader was employed and the Ministry of Education granted up to 75% of all approved expenditure including rent, the salary of the leader and the purchase of furniture. The remaining income was derived from donations and organising dances and whist drives.

By 1952 the house was no longer a youth centre and was used as auction rooms and for the repair of second hand furniture. The building was listed in 1983. All windows, except those to the ground floor were replaced in the 1980s and permission was sought to run a shop in the basement. (HB file) Girvan notes the ‘excellently detailed pedimented doors’ to this semi-detached pair.

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 (1859-1895)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/22A-D Annual Revisions (1895-1930)
10. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/30 First General Revaluation 1933-57
11. PRONI VAL/3/D/1/15/A/5 First General Revaluation 1933-57
12. HB File – 03/010/016
13. Belfast Newsletter 1st April 1861
14. Glasgow Herald 7th June 1882
15. 1901 census
16. 1911 census

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
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A refurbished two-bay, three-storey-over-basement rendered terraced house with dormer to attic; built c.1860 and located to the south side of Bath Street in Portrush town centre. Despite some inappropriate replacement fabric including uPVC windows and entrance door, which detracts from the original character, the building still possesses much historic detailing externally and internally. There is group value with number 6 (HB03/07/016A). Despite their alterations, the pair remain amongst the best examples of mid-Victorian townhouses in Portrush.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age and S - Authenticity also apply.