1 Coastguard Cottages

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey end of terrace house part of a former Coastguard station built in 1896. The station consists of the detached two-storey station building/commander officer's house, and six two-storey dwellings - of which this is one - arranged in a terrace, as well as original outhouses and a later boathouse / associated store. Designed in a simple, loosely Georgian-style, the entire grouping may originally have been finished in brick but is now almost entirely rendered. The buildings are set in urban surroundings, to the north of Portrush town centre, on a slight rise between Main Street (in the south) and Causeway View Lane (in the north). Gardens belonging to each of the dwellings are detached and set to the to the west side.

The terrace (1-6 Coastguard Cottages) is orientated north-south with the former station (130 Main Street) to the south end of the site with its south side facing on to the pavement onto Main Street.

The terrace (1-6 Coastguard Cottages) is orientated north-south with the former station (130 Main Street) to the south end of the site with its south side facing on to the pavement onto Main Street. Cottages 3-4, and 5-6 are paired, with a mirrored internal layouts and identical internal accommodation. These are entered from the east side, with access off Causeway View Lane. Nos.1 and 2 are also paired with mirrored internal layouts and are entered on the west side with access off Main Street and are slightly larger than Nos 3-6. The relative size no doubt reflected the status of the occupants with no.130 occupied by the commanding officer and Nos 1-2 by middle ranking officers.

No.1 Coastguard Cottages

This house is at the south end of the terrace. To the right of the rear, there is a two-storey return. The front entrance is set on the west façade and to the rear there is a small private yard. To the east side of the return there is a communal access yard that gives access to the rears of nos.1-2.

The roof is hipped and finished with natural slate and grey fireclay ridge tiles; eaves are overhanging with exposed rafter tails. Rainwater goods are uPVC. There is a shared rendered chimneystack to the ridge; this has the ridge and this has corbelled bands and matching clay pots. Walls are rendered with a ruled and lined finish: that to the west side is set on a rubble stone canted plinth.

The front west façade has a flat-headed door to the right of centre. To the left side there is a flat-headed window with a cut stone sill; the painted timber sash frame has a 6/6 arrangement. To the right side here is a similar but smaller flat-headed window; the frame is as before but for a 2/2 arrangement. Directly above each is a similar window at first floor. To the right side of the first floor, south façade, there is a window; this is as before, but for a 3/6 arrangement. Windows to the rear are as before and include 3/6 and 6/6 arrangements.

Setting

The gardens extend to the west side. To the east side there are two communal access yards, separated by a masonry wall. The area to the north side gives access to the front entrances of nos.3-6 while the southern area gives access to the rears of nos.130, and 1-2. To the rear of Nos 3-6 there is a small range of single-storey outbuildings (HB03/10/057H) , containing a communal washhouse and two small outhouses per dwelling (one an outside WC, the other a fuel store).

Historical information

This former coastguard Station, which originally consisted of the station itself (No.130 Main Street) and the six dwellings –with detached gardens- to the north (1-6 Coastguard Cottages), was built in 1896. It replaced a pre-1857 station, which was made up of a station house itself and four smaller dwellings, all arranged in a terrace fronting directly on to Main Street (and which may not have been purpose-built). The Board of Works tender notice for the construction of the new buildings appeared in August 1892, however, it is only in 1896 that the valuations make reference to a 'new coastguard station in progress'. The identity of the architect is not known, but the valuations appear to suggest that the building costs amounted to £2,500.

In 1923, with the placing of the Coastguard under the Board of Trade and the changes that this entailed (see below), the number of staff was cut back and the dwellings began to be rented out. In that year ‘one house’ [‘No.6 Cottage’] is recorded as ‘let to Mrs. Millar’. By 1925 ‘Cottages’ 2-6 were tenanted by George Scarborough, William Elliott, John Henry, Chas Meadows, and the aforementioned Mrs. Millar, respectively. ‘Cottage No.1’ and the station itself were retained by the Coastguard service until at least 1972, with ‘No.1’ acquired by the present owner in the mid 1980s.

The tenancy of ‘Cottage No.2’ passed to a Daniel Aughlin in c.1926 and Patrick J. Fleming in 1928 before being taken back into Coastguard use once again c.1933 and remained as such until sold to the present owner in c.1973. ‘No.3’ remained in the Elliott family until 1944 and was later occupied by Mary C. Ferguson (1945-51), and James Gildea (1951-61). In 1961 the Thomas Patton became resident, and acquired the freehold in 1963; the house was bought by Alistair McCooke in 1985, who sold it in 1993. It was sold again to the present owners in c.2003. ‘No.4’ is recorded as the home of Catherine Minihan in 1926 and appears to have stayed with her family until 1954 when Thomas Patton is recorded as the tenant, followed by Thomas Hamilton in c.1961 and Anna Hamilton in c.1971. The present owner bought the house in the mid 1990s. Angus Mann is listed as the occupant of ‘No.5’ in 1926, followed by Marta C.G. Mann in 1945 (with a William Knox the immediate lessor). The present owner acquired the property in 1971. Finally, ‘No.6’ remained with Mrs. Millar’ until 1940 when a William Strathdee is noted as resident. A Mr or Mrs. Hamill is listed as the next occupant, from c.1957 to c.1972. According to the present owners (who bought the house in 1994), there were at least three other residents, including Vicky and Jimmy Doole (c.1974-84), Gail [?] (1984-86), and Brian Ross (1986-94).

It is possible (given the rear elevation of Cottage No.4) that all of the buildings were originally finished in brick, but this is not certain. The main station building originally possessed a ‘rocket station’ and ‘look-out hut’. The hut may have been elevated, but again this is not certain.

The Belfast Truss roofed building built on part of the gardens originally belonging to Cottage No.5 and No.6 was constructed some time after 1921, and possibly even after 1935, as it is not shown on the OS map partially revised in that year. It does not appear to have had any relationship to the cottages themselves.

Note on the history of the Coastguard
The Coastguard in Ireland can trace its origins to the Preventative Water Guard a UK-wide body, which was established in 1809 to combat smuggling. In 1816 the PWG was expanded and reorganised to take control of revenue vessels, and in 1822 this force was transferred to the Board of Customs and renamed the Coast Guard. Although in fact responsible for the rescue of those in difficulties at sea, revenue protection, not lifesaving, remained the official function of the body. In 1856 the Guard was transferred to the Admiralty and the staff (henceforth mainly naval men) became involved in coastal defence roles, as well as acting as a naval reserve. In 1923 the Coastguard was placed under the Board of Trade and its role restricted to ‘life-saving, salvage from wreck and the administration of the foreshore.’

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS6/1/2/2 OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1857
2 PRONI VAL2D/1/7 Valuation plan of Portrush, c.1859
3 PRONI VAL2B/1/30B Second valuation, Dunluce parish, c.1859
4 PRONI VAL12B/6/2A Annual valuation revision book, Portrush ED, 1859-64
5 PRONI VAL12B/6/2B Annual valuation revision book, Portrush ED, 1864-76
6 PRONI VAL12B/6/2C Annual valuation revision book, Portrush ED, 1876-84
7 PRONI VAL12B/6/2D Annual valuation revision book, Portrush ED, 1884-89
8 PRONI VAL12B/6/2E Annual valuation revision book, Portrush ED, 1889-95
9 ‘Irish Builder’, 1 August 1892
10 PRONI VAL12B/4/22A Annual valuation revision book, Portrush Urban ED, 1895-1906
11 PRONI VAL12E/46/2/1-4 Valuation plan of Portrush book, 1897[-1916]
12 PRONI VAL12B/4/22B Annual valuation revision book, Portrush Urban ED, 1906-13
13 PRONI VAL12B/4/22C Annual valuation revision book, Portrush Urban ED, 1914-25
14 PRONI OS6/1/2/4 OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1921
15 PRONI VAL12B/4/22D Annual valuation revision book, Portrush Urban ED, 1925-30
16 PRONI VAL12F/1/15 Annual valuation revision book, Portrush Urban ED, 1930-35
17 NIEA OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1935
18 PRONI VAL3B/1/16 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portrush Urban ED, 1935
19 PRONI VAL3C/1/30 First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portrush Urban ED, 1936-57
20 PRONI VAL4B/1/64 Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland, Portrush Urban ED, 1957-72

Secondary sources
1 Information supplied by owners, August 2009

Internet sites / articles
1 http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/History.htm

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two-storey end of terrace house part of a former Coastguard station built in 1896. The late Victorian Coastguard station of which this property is part has maintained much of its original form and appearance as well as some ancillary buildings and most of the gardens relating to the individual dwellings. Although lacking the architectural flourishes of some earlier stations, the main terrace has an attractive Georgian-style - almost ‘artisan-cottage’ - simplicity, whose impact is enhanced by its location, wedged between two streets with the properties facing into their respective detached gardens, whilst the main freestanding station building, again of Georgian derivation, has a sturdy, commanding presence which adds interest to the streetscape. It is a good example of the type and of interest as part of the Coastguard estate in the Province.