7 Dhu Varren Park

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-bay, two-storey with dormer attic, mid-terrace rendered townhouse built c.1908 and located to the south side of Dhu Varren Park in Portrush. Square on plan with projecting ground floor to front and full-height gabled return to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta angled ridge tiles and yellow-brick chimneystack; timber bargeboards and terracotta finials to gables. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is painted smooth render on a contrasting plinth; scotia moulded string-course supporting rainwater goods between first floor and attic; roughcast render to rear return. Windows are original 1/1 timber sash with margin panes, multi-paned top-lights and horns, in stop-end chamfered reveals with projecting painted sills; bullnose continuous sills to grouped windows.

The principal elevation faces north; two wall head dormer windows to attic over three windows at first floor (paired at right ). Monopitched red tiled roof at ground floor; group of three windows at right (outer windows narrower); replacement raised-and-fielded four panel timber door at left with lion-head knocker and doorknob in a stop-end chamfered reveal accessed via two concrete steps, having original timber transom light over with margin panes and multi-paned top-lights.

The east elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/10/063B).

The south (rear) elevation is abutted by the full-height return having uPVC window to second floor (see surveyor’s comments).

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/10/063D).

Setting:

Situated on a rectangular plot in a residential area of Portrush, directly opposite the Coleraine-Portrush train-line and Dhu Varren halt. Single-storey modern garage to rear with up-and-over metal door. Lawned garden to front with concrete pathway to entrance door, enclosed to either side by modern timber fence and to street at north by metal railings with latch gate supported by ornate square metal piers.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: 1/1 timber sash with horns, margin panes and multi-paned top-lights
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The current building is one of a terrace of six dwelling houses built c1908 and first shown on the fourth edition OS map of 1922-31. The end terrace, number four, is of a different design but was constructed contemporaneously with the remainder of the row. The terrace was originally named ‘Grangemount’ and enters valuation records in 1908 as a newly-built vacant row, number 3 valued at £31 and the remainder at £27. Number 3 was built by James Lyon, manager of Ballyrashane Creamery (1918 Street Directory) and the remainder of the terrace by James Kennedy who was in residence at number 5 by 1910, letting the remaining houses to a series of tenants. After the First World War all the houses were sold off and were separately owned and let, occasionally for use as boarding houses serving the flourishing nearby resort of Portrush.

The first occupier to be noted at number 7 was Alexander McCormac in 1910. Alexander McCormac was a retired rent collector from County Monaghan who lived at the house with his wife and adult daughter (1911 census). The McCormacs were followed by Albert W Todd (1916), W D Lester (1918), James Kennedy (1929). A motor house was added to the plot c1930. Valuer’s notes record that at this period the house was still lit by gas. The building continues in use as a domestic house.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/6/1 First Edition OS Map 1831-2
2. PRONI OS/6/1/6/2 Second Edition OS map 1855
3. PRONI OS/6/1/6/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/1/6/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1922-31
5. PRONI OS/6/1/6/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1946-50
6. PRONI OS/8/42/1-2 – Town Plans of Portrush (1895-6)
7. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/5 – Valuer’s Note book (1908-9)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/4A-F – Annual Revisions (1862-1929)
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/1 First General Revaluation 1933-57
12. 1911 census online

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Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-bay, two-and-a-half-storey, mid-terrace rendered townhouse built c.1908 and located to the south side of Dhu Varren Park in Portrush. The building forms part of a coherent group of Edwardian townhouses, (HB03/10/063 A-E) typical of the type built as part of the rapid expansion of suburban areas in the early twentieth-century. This terrace was built relatively late and although the houses have some interesting features, it is not of special architectural or historic interest.