Millburn Terrace

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid-Victorian two-bay three-storey mid-terrace townhouse; built c.1866 and located to the east side of Millburn Road in Coleraine town centre. Square on plan with single-storey canted bay to front and two-storey return to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled ridge tiles and rendered chimneystacks having tall clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting dentilled eaves. Walling is painted roughcast render on a contrasting plinth. Windows are replacement uPVC in simple painted render reveals with projecting painted sills; 1/1 timber sash with horns and projecting painted sills to rear elevation.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is two openings wide at each floor; canted bay window to ground floor left. Classical-style doorcase at right comprises panelled pilasters, frieze carved with Greek key motif and scrolled acanthus-leaf console brackets supporting a corniced canopy; contains a replacement panelled-and-glazed timber door with transom light and is accessed by two sandstone steps.

The northeast elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/18/034D).

The southeast (rear) elevation has a window to right at all floors; abutted at left by the two-storey return, having uPVC window to first floor of gable over a 2/2 timber sash window at ground floor; northeast elevation has a replacement glazed timber door.

The southwest elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB03/18/034B).

Setting:

Forming part of a mid-nineteenth century terrace on the east side of the River Bann in Coleraine town centre, overlooking The Rose Gardens and Anderson Park. Slightly elevated on a lawned and shrubbed site with gravelled pathway leading to paved patio at front of house. Bounded to road by mature hedge and rubblestone wall topped by sandstone coping; square rendered piers with pointed caps support a replacement timber gate and have two stone steps. Rear yard is enclosed to southeast by a two-storey painted roughcast render outbuilding, with modern uPVC entrance door and windows. Interior has been fully refurbished with modern metal spiral staircase leading to first floor. Single-storey painted roughcast render outbuilding to southwest side of yard has replacement timber-sheeted door and uPVC window with projecting concrete sill.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Painted roughcast render
Windows: uPVC and 1/1 timber sash with horns
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Millburn Terrace, originally named Clifton Terrace, was built c1866 on land owned by Richard Olphert of Millburn House (Mullin) and is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1904.

The closing decades of the nineteenth century saw a building boom of terraces and villas in Coleraine of which local people were extremely proud. After the Coleraine Building Society was established in 1864 a search was undertaken for suitable sites for workmen’s cottages but the sites advertised by the Olphert estate on the Millburn Road caught the Society’s attention and their first major development was the current terrace of eight dwellings (a ninth was added c1875). The contractor was Joseph Esdale and the terrace was named ‘Clifton’, the family name of Lady Bruce, whose husband Sir Henry Hervey Bruce was the president of the building society (Mullin). The terrace, originally eight houses, all with returns, was built with canted bays and railings to the front and a row of outbuildings to the rear. Well-known Coleraine merchants such as Hugh Cheyne and James Brookes were the first occupiers and by the turn into the twentieth century residents were a mix of retired farmers, professional people and merchants some of whom were able to employ a servant.

Number 41 was a house, office and garden occupied by Robert Given and leased from James Brooks. The house was valued at £16 and 15s for the garden. Subsequent occupiers were James G Fyvie (nd) Rev David Macrory (nd) Mrs Given (1881) Maria Martin (1884) Misses Craig (1890) Adam A C Mathers MD (1892) William Knox (1896) and Miss Moore (1920). In 1901 the occupier was William Knox of county Tyrone, commission agent and school attendance officer. Knox lived with his wife and his cousin who was a mantlemaker and three boarders who were a dressmaker, a telegraphist and a pharmaceutical chemist. A resident domestic servant was employed and the eleven-room house was designated first class (1901 census).

The terrace was listed in 1997 and the current dwelling remains in domestic use.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/7/1 First Edition OS Map 1830
2. PRONI OS/6/5/7/2 Second Edition OS map 1849-50
3. PRONI OS/6/5/7/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/7/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1923
5. PRONI OS/6/5/7/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1949
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/9A-N Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
7. 1901/1911 census
8. HB file – 03/18/034A-I

Secondary Sources

1. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in Coleraine and Portstewart” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1971-2
2. Mullin, Rev T H “Coleraine in Modern Times” Belfast: Century Services Ltd, 1977

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
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A mid-Victorian two-bay three-storey mid-terrace townhouse; built c.1866 and located to the east side of Millburn Road close to Coleraine town centre. Simply detailed with some replacement fabric including uPVC windows, the house forms part of an important terrace situated in the town centre, and is of interest primarily as part of this group. Prominently sited, the terrace is one of the best preserved examples of mid-nineteenth century terraced architecture in the town, making a considerable contribution to the architectural quality and character of Coleraine.

General comments

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