1 Strand Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey former townhouse in the Georgian style, now flats over commercial unit; number 1 was built c.1850 to designs by Samuel Angell as the rear return to number 2 Waterside (HB03/16/001K), and extended c.1890; number 1a has been demolished and completely rebuilt and is no longer of interest. Located to the west side of Strand Road in Coleraine town centre, overlooking the River Bann. Rectangular plan with three-storey mono-pitched modern extension to rear.

Hipped natural slate roof with blue-black angled ridges and hips and a red-brick and rendered chimneystack each having tall clay pots. Plastic rainwater goods on projecting boxed eaves. Walling is Flemish-bonded dark red brick with channel rusticated and painted smooth render to ground floor. Windows are replacement 6/6 timber sash with horns in flat arched openings with rendered and painted reveals; projecting painted sills.

East-facing elevation comprises original bay to right, having three windows to upper floors and modern shop front at ground floor with raised and canted entrance accessed via a set of tiled steps. Left bay (c.1890) is narrower with two windows to upper floors; window and modern doorcase at ground floor.

The south elevation is fully abutted by the modern extension (number 1a).

The west (rear) elevation is largely concealed. To re-entrant angle at left is the mono-pitched extension; open walkway connects to upper floors connects a modern extension at south and a neighbouring extension to west.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/16/001K).

Setting:

Prominently situated on a corner site at the junction of Strand Road and road bridge, to south of the Clothworkers building (HB03/16/001A), and forming part of a terrace in an area largely characterized by commercial units. Underground car park beneath modern extension to rear.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Flemish-bonded red brick and painted smooth render
Windows: Replacement 6/6 timber sash
RWG: uPVC

Historical information

Nos 1 and 1A Strand Road originally consisted of two c. 1850 buildings, No. 1 Strand Road, a three-storey five-bay redbrick building which abuts the adjoining No. 2 Waterside (HB03/16/001K), was constructed in c.1850 as part of the associated Waterside Terrace (HB03/16/001A-T). Curl states that the Waterside Terrace was constructed in c. 1850 by Samuel Angell (1800-1866), a London-based architect who was appointed the surveyor of the Clothworker’s Guild in 1824 and also designed the Clothworker’s’ Arms Hotel; Angell replaced a former street that was depicted on the first edition of the ordnance Survey maps (1830) and adhered to the same layout (Curl, p. 313; Dictionary of Irish Architects). No. 1 Strand Road was originally constructed as the rear return of No. 2 Waterside and, as a result, shares much of the same history as the attached building. The First Survey Image (c. 1970) records that No. 1A Strand Road was originally a two-storey three-bay building that possessed a central coach arch and quoins; the building was demolished in the late-20th century when the current three-storey modern building was erected.

The second edition of the Ordnance Survey map (1849-50) first depicted No. 2 Waterside and its return (No. 1 Strand Road) as an L-shaped building; at that time No. 1A Strand Road was detached from No. 1 and was originally utilised as a stable or coach house. By Griffith’s Valuation in 1856 the total value of the site was set at £48; this value included No. 2 Waterside and also nos 1 and 1A Strand Road which continued to be jointly valued until 1875. In 1856 the house and offices were leased by the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers to a Mr. Edward Gribbin. The Ulster Town Directories note that Gribbin resided at Waterside from as early as 1843 and was employed as a haberdasher, a linen yarn merchant and a soap manufacturer, also possessing offices in Church Street, Ballymoney; by 1852 Gribbin’s business had been named Edward Gribbin & Sons (Ulster Town Directory – 1843-1852). No. 2 Waterside and nos 1 and 1A Strand Road continued to be valued as a single property until 1875 when the site was subdivided into the house, (which continued to comprise No. 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road) valued at £30, and the adjoining two-storey former offices (1A), which were valued at £18 and used by Edward Gribbin as a warehouse.

By 1875 Gribbin no longer resided at No. 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road, then occupied by a Mr. Alexander Tannahill who the 1877 Ulster Town Directory notes was employed as a Draper; the same directory notes that by 1877 Edward Gribbin & Sons’ linen business also possessed a bleaching green in the townland of Dunarg and possessed two residences at Holm Lea (HB03/16/008) and Clifton Terrace. Edward Gribbin had died in 1875 when his sons, Henry Albert and John Gribbin took over control of their fathers business, perhaps facilitating the sale of No. 1 Strand Road to Tannahill in the same year (PRONI Wills). The contemporary Town Plan of Coleraine (c. 1882-1907) records that the connecting block between No. 1 and No. 1A Strand Road was added in the mid-to-late-19th century; the extension comprises the two bays immediately between the buildings and was constructed in a sympathetic manner in redbrick.

The 1901 Census records that Tannahill (60, Reformed Presbyterian) was a widower and resided at No. 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road with his six children; the census building return described his property as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 12 rooms. The valuation records note that Alexander Tannahill continued to reside at the site until 1930 when a Mr. David Lamb took over possession of the dwelling; until the cancellation of the Annual Revisions in 1931, the adjoining No. 1A was recorded as the property of John Gribbin who had taken over as manager of Edward Gribbin & Sons after his father’s death in 1875.

Under the First General Revaluation of property in Northern Ireland in 1935, Edward Gribbin & Sons were recorded as the occupants of No. 1A Strand Road for the final time; in that year the value of the two-storey warehouse had been slightly increased to £19, whilst the adjoining No. 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road was valued at £27 and was occupied by a Mr. Hugh McDermott. There was no further revaluation of either building for over two decades due to the disruption caused by the Second World War, however by the second revaluation (1956-72) nos 1 and 1A Strand Road had been acquired by D. Todd & Sons, a local firm, who leased the buildings as offices and commercial premises; the First Survey Image (c. 1970) records that the ground floor of No. 1 Strand Road had been converted into commercial space with the installation of modern shopfronts (there was no such alteration to the adjoining No. 1A which appeared to have been relatively unaltered since its construction in c. 1850).

Girvan states that the Waterside terraces are amongst the earliest remaining and most significant buildings to survive in Coleraine; he states that ‘as terminating points of the bridge these buildings are of outstanding importance and form the only coherent street facades in the town; many of the glazing bars are still intact.’ However, despite the importance of the terrace, Girvan, writing in 1972, noted that ‘the building on the southern corner [No 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road] is not well cared for’ (Girvan, p. 25).

The Fist Survey Image records that in c. 1970 No. 2 Waterside and No. 1 Strand Road was occupied by Joblink Training Agency whose offices utilised all of the ground floor apart from the two-bay connecting block situated between the building and the adjoining No. 1A Strand Road (the two bays were occupied by a separate firm at that time and possessed a modern shopfront at ground level.

Both No. 2 Waterside and nos 1 and 1A Strand Road were listed in 1977, however in the late-20th century No. 1A was demolished and replaced with the current modern three-storey building (the new building reflects the style and features of the original two-storey structure, possessing a cream-coloured façade and dark quoins). The ground floor of No. 1 Strand Road continues to be utilised as commercial premises (currently occupied by a Chinese Medical Centre), whilst the upper floors have been converted into residential flats; the alterations to the former dwelling have resulted in the loss of all historical interiors, however the façade still retains its original Georgian character, and together with the associated No. 2 Waterside represents the sole surviving example of an intact mid-19th century streetscape in Coleraine Town.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/7/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map 1830
2. PRONI OS/6/5/7/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1849-50
3. PRONI OS/6/5/7/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/7/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1923
5. PRONI OS/6/5/7/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1949
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/16H – Griffith’s Valuation 1856
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/156/3/4 – Annual Revisions Town Plan 1919
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/9A-P – Annual Revisions 1859-1931
9. PRONI VAL/3/B/6/3 – First General Revaluation of property in Northern Ireland 1935
10. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/3 – Second General Revaluation of property in Northern Ireland 1956-1972
11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (21 Jul 1875)
12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
13. Ulster Street Directories (1843-1918)
14. First Survey Image – HB03/16/014 (No Date)
15. Ordnance Survey map – 13-13NW3 (1967)

Secondary Sources

1. Curl, J., ‘The Londonderry Plantation: 1609-1914’ Chichester: Phillimore & Co., 1986.
2. Girvan, W. D., ‘Historic Buildings in Coleraine and Portstewart’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.

Online Resources

1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

A three-storey former townhouse built c.1850 to designs by Samuel Angell as the rear return to number 2 Waterside (HB03/16/001K) and extended c.1890, it is representative of the typical urban form of living accommodation over a shop. Although it retains its original character at the upper floors, characterized by restrained detailing and regular fenestration, the integrity of the design is compromised by the insertion an inappropriate shop front and openings at ground floor. This area of Killowen Parish, now known as Waterside, was originally a suburb of Coleraine town and under the ownership of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers, one of the London Merchant Companies charged with developing and ‘planting’ the county of Londonderry during the early 17th century. Reflecting the spirit of the times, it was deemed more appropriate to demolish and rebuild the entire area of Waterside, in order to create a more dignified entry into the Company’s estate from the main part of Coleraine to the east. No 1 Strand Road facing onto the River Bann forms a prominent addition to the corner on one of the main approaches into Coleraine. They have group value with the other listed terraces fronting Waterside (HB03/16/001A-T)

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and U - Historic Associations also apply.