1 CLIFTON TERRACE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey single-bay end-terrace with side entrance blackstone townhouse, built 1873 and located to the south side of Main Street in Castlerock town centre. Rectangular plan with large three-storey return to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, having sand-lime chimneystack to gable. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on rubbed brick eaves with decorative black and yellow brick banding under. Walling is uncoursed squared blackstone; lined render to ground floor at east elevation, remainder with scratch coat finish. Windows are generally 1/1 replacement timber sash with horns in stepped painted brick surrounds and with painted projecting sills; 2/2 to canted bays with painted surrounds and continuous sill course; raised cambered heads with applied moulding to jambs to second floor windows; uPVC windows to return.

North-facing principal elevation has been altered to ground floor left with bipartite window insertion. 1/1 window to upper floors at left. uPVC window to right over two-storey canted bay with leaded roof and moulded cornice over window openings.

The east gable has irregularly arranged fenestration with three openings at each floor; diminutive windows to second floor left. Main entrance door to ground floor right, comprising raised-and-panelled four-panel timber door with panelled sidelights and etched glass panels, surmounted by transom reading “1 CLIFTON TERRACE” and accessed via a single slab stone step.

The south (rear) elevation is abutted at right by the large three-storey return, which has two-storey gabled abutment to west elevation. Window to first and ground floor at gable. Variety of irregularly arranged windows at east elevation, with raised-and-fielded six-panel timber door with brass door knob to ground floor right.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/12/002F).

Setting:

Street-fronted and situated to the west of Babington Terrace (HB03/12/002A-D) in the centre of Castlerock. Communal yard to rear accessed via gravel alleys at east and west of terrace. Bounded to railway line at south by modern metal fencing.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Uncoursed squared blackstone
Windows: Replacement timber sash and uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The current blackstone terrace of three buildings first enters valuation records in 1873 as vacant houses leased from Joseph Connell, the likely developer. Castlerock, formerly part of the Clothworker’s Company estates, developed along a coastal site near Downhill House following the opening of a railway halt in 1853 (McCutcheon). This, along with active promotion by the railway company, who offered cheap tickets to those who would build or buy villas (Girvan), led to the growth of a bathing resort in an area which had previously been open countryside. (Eccles) Sir Henry Hervey Bruce, the local landlord, took a particular interest in the development of Castlerock and required all new building there to be of a certain quality and size. (www.dia.ie; Eccles)

The first occupant to be noted was Mrs Linton, who occupied this house and number two from 1874. The initial valuation was £13, but additions were made to the rear in 1875 and the valuation was increased to £14. This house and its neighbour were taken over by Jane Alcorn in 1892 who was present at the time of the 1911 census and living in the house alone. Alcorn was a widow of 60 working as a grocer.

The house passed to Jane Duggan in 1921 and in 1925 the valuation was raised to £25 and ‘shop’ was added to the designation. Although it is likely that the premises operated as a shop before this date, given Jane Alcorn’s profession, improvements must have taken place at this period, perhaps including the circular treatment to the ground floor window which can still be discerned on the facade of the building. Subsequent tenants were Jane West in 1928 and Miss E Maud Duggan in 1946. In 1962 the valuation was dropped from £52 to £39, the shop was deleted from the description and it is likely that the ground floor window surround was repainted at this period.

Valuation notes of the early 1930s give a plan of the building with extensions to the rear including a brick and corrugated iron motor house. The rooms comprise, a shop, reception, kitchen and pantry, scullery, four bedrooms, bath and WC and two attic bedrooms. The shop measured about 15 by 20 feet and was open only during the summer season.

The building was listed in 1977 at which time it had been converted into four flats. In 1984 repairs and alterations took place and c2005 the building was remodelled internally and extended. (HB file)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/2/1 First Edition OS Map 1831
2. PRONI OS/6/5/2/2 Second Edition OS map 1848
3. PRONI OS/6/5/2/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/2/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1923
5. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/5 Valuer’s Notes 1909
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/10A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
1. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
2. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/H/6 First General Revaluation 1933-57
7. HB file – 03/12/002E-G
8. Belfast Newsletter 21st June 1892

Secondary Sources

1. Eccles, J “Downhill, A Scrapbook of People and Place” London: Bath Press, 1996
2. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in North Derry including Limavady, Ballykelly, Castlerock, Downhill and Magilligan” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1975
3. McCutcheon, W.A. “The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland,” London: HMSO, 1980.
4. www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A late-Victorian three-storey single-bay blackstone end-terrace townhouse, built 1873 with later alterations and located to the south side of Main Street in Castlerock. The building has been sub-divided into apartments, resulting in a loss of historic detailing and changes to the internal floorplan. Despite these alterations, the building has important group value as part of a terrace, which retains much of its late-Victorian character and, along with Babington Terrace (HB03/12/002A-D) to east, makes an important contribution to the architectural character of Castlerock.