Belfast Trussed Roof Building

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-storey, street-fronted Belfast Truss-roofed garage of perhaps c.1935-40 set within the north-west corner of the former gardens of the adjoining houses (nos.1-6 Coastguard Cottages), in an urban location to the north of Portrush town centre. To the east side the building abuts the stone boundary wall of the gardens; to the west side it abuts a tall rendered wall.

External walls are faced with corrugated iron.

The north front face is symmetrical and gabled. To either side there is replacement door; these are both modern steel 'up and over' domestic garage doors. The panel between the doors is finished with horizontal timber boarding. The 'tympanum' is faced with vertical timber boarding with a serrated lower edging.

The east wall is entirely obscured by planting. The roof is barrel vaulted and covered with mineral felt.

The north wall merges with the stone boundary wall that encloses gardens of the coastguard cottages. This is topped with a rubble stone coping. To the centre there is a coach entrance that gives access to a communal parking area; the opening is flanked with squared dressed-stone gate pillars; these are topped with chamfered copestones. Replacement timber gates have been added. The gates and gates pillars along with the eastern side of the wall is associated with the house and terrace.

[This record has been prepared as part of the Belfast Truss roof survey.]

Historical information

This Belfast Truss roofed structure is built on part of gardens originally belonging to the adjacent nos.5-6 Coastguard Cottages. It 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. It is shown on the OS map of 1965.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS6/1/2/4 OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1921
2 NIEA OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1935
3 NIEA OS map, County Antrim sheet 2, 1965

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This garage is an example of a Belfast Truss-roofed structure of the early to mid 20th century. A native and mainly locally-produced form of truss, buildings with this roof type were once common throughout the country, but have greatly diminished in the last half-century. Consequently, this garage is of some interest but is a minor example of the system, of a late date and not one of the best examples of the type.