Police Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical two-storey four-bay red brick former Domestic-Revival style former house; built c.1930 and converted for use as a police station c.1960; corner-sited at the junction of Coleraine Road and Crocknamack Road in a residential area south of Portrush town centre. Plan comprises two adjoining rectangular blocks, with east block slightly set back. West block has projecting gabled bay to north with single-storey bow window, full-height red-brick extension (later) at west and a single-storey flat-roof extension to rear; east block has two-storey canted bay windows to north and west.

Hipped Westmoreland slate roof with rounded terracotta ridge tiles; tall red-brick chimneystacks with decorative clustering. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on overhanging timber eaves; guttering on dentilled stone eaves to bow bay window at north. Walling is stretcher-bonded red-brick (of various shades) with stone dressings. Stone mullioned windows at first floor and transom-and-mullioned windows at ground floor all with replacement security glazing, having blocked stone surrounds with moulded and chamfered reveals and oblique sills; security windows to rear in plain brick reveals with projecting stone sills (some with red brick voussoirs).

The principal elevation faces north and is irregularly arranged with extension (later) to far left slightly set back and similarly styled as main building. Entrance bay to right of centre is framed by gabled bay at left and two-storey canted bay at right, and lit by a three-light window at first floor and bipartite mullioned window at ground floor. Ground floor is surmounted by a modern timber canopy beneath an attached metal PSNI emblem; replacement timber-panelled entrance door and stone lintel to right, accessed via a modern concrete ramp with modern metal handrail. Gabled left bay has three-light window over five-light bow bay. Canted right bay rises to brick parapet (breaking eaves line), with stone coping rising to point and topped by a small stone finial; lozenge-shaped stone detail above seven-light first floor window. Far left bay is slightly set back and lit to each floor by a three-light window.

The east elevation is fully abutted by the modern extension.

The south (rear) elevation comprises projecting bay at left; hipped slated roof over ground floor boiler house pierced by projecting chimneybreast over. To first floor right is a window and large three-light transom-and-mullioned stairwell window with replacement leaded-and-stained glass panels. Right bay is abutted at ground floor by the single-storey flat-roof extension, flush with left bay, and lit to first floor by five windows.

The west elevation comprises gabled bay to right with two-storey canted bay having seven-light windows to each floor. Left bay has three-light window at first floor and four-light window at ground floor.

Setting:

Prominently sited on the corner of Crocknamack Road and Coleraine Road in a residential area to the south of the town centre. Overlooking open grass-land to north. Set back from the road with tarmacadamed parking area to front and west; enclosed yard to rear. Site is surrounded by high metal security fencing and bounded to north and west by a low rubblestone wall.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Stretcher-bonded red brick
Windows: uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The current police station in Portrush was built as a private dwelling house c1930 and is first shown on the fourth edition OS map dating from 1922-31.

The builder was Daniel McGrath, a local butcher, and the house was formerly known as ‘Ruabon’. The house, motor house, yard and small garden entered valuation records in 1931 with buildings valued at £65. Valuer’s notes of the early 1930s state that the building cost £3,000 and the accommodation comprised, a parquet-floored hall with cloakroom and WC off, a lounge, three receptions, five bedrooms with washhand basins and a maid’s bedroom, a boxroom, kitchen, scullery, pantry, bathroom and WC. The house had family stairs to the front and service stairs to the rear and outdoor facilities were a washhouse, coalhouse, WC and a garage with a boxroom over. The valuer commented that it was a ‘very good house substantially built’.

The dwelling house was converted c1960 and remains in use as a police station.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/6/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1922-31
2. PRONI OS/6/1/6/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1946-50
3. PRONI VAL/12/F/1/15/A/11 Annual Revisions (1930-35)
4. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/30 First General Revaluation 1933-57
5. PRONI VAL/3/D/1/15/A/11 First General Revaluation 1933-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An asymmetrical red-brick two-storey four-bay Domestic-Revival style former house; built c.1930 and converted for use as a police station c.1960; corner-sited at the junction of Coleraine Road and Crocknamack Road in Portrush. The change in use has resulted in some alterations and refurbishments. Although the building retains some historic detailing in a style typical of the interwar period, it is not of special architectural and historic interest.