Millburn Terrace

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

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

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridged tiles; polychrome brick and rendered chimneystacks having tall clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is painted smooth render on a chamfered plinth. Windows are replacement 1/1 timber sash with horns in painted smooth render surrounds with keyblock and projecting painted sills; canted bay windows have continuous sills and are framed by pilasters with lintel mouldings and central keyblock (keyblock to central windows are vermiculated); panelled aprons to second floor windows.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is two windows wide at second floor; two-storey canted bay at left with cornice and modillioned eaves. Classical-style doorcase at right comprises panelled pilasters, frieze carved with Greek key motif and scrolled acanthus-leaf console brackets supporting a corniced canopy. Doorcase contains a replacement bolection-moulded four-panelled timber door with brass knocker and transom light inscribed “45”; accessed by two stone steps.

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

The southeast (rear) elevation is fully abutted by the three-storey return with extension having canted bay window at second floor; abutting the two-storey outbuilding (described below) at first and ground floor.

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

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 concrete pathway leading to steps to paved patio at front of house. Bounded to neighbouring properties by hedges and to road by a rubblestone wall with sandstone coping and mature shrubbery. Rendered two-storey outbuilding to rear forms part of a terrace, modified and incorporated into main house with replacement window openings and timber-sheeted door to southeast elevation.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: Replacement 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 45 was a house, office and garden occupied by Andrew Steedman and leased from Richard Olphert. The house was valued at £16 and 15s for the garden. Subsequent occupiers were Alexander Crawford (1879) Mrs Crawford (1882) and Alice Schlotthauber (1891) with Andrew Steedman returning in 1894. In 1895 a new double-height bow window was added to the front elevation and an addition was made to the return which resulted in rise in the valuation to £17.5s. Andrew Steedman was a produce merchant, an insurance agent and the secretary of a building society. He lived in the house with his three adult children and a general domestic servant. The two sons and a daughter assisted their father in his egg and butter business on the Waterside (1901 census; 1907 street directory).

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. Street Directory 1907
9. 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, 1979
3. Snoddy, T “Dictionary of Irish Artists, 20th Century” Dublin: Merlin Publishing, 2002

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A two-bay three-storey mid-terrace Victorian townhouse; built c.1866 and located to the east side of Millburn Road close to Coleraine town centre. Proportions and detailing are typical of the mid-Victorian period and are relatively well-preserved with appropriate replacement fenestration throughout. Forming part of a prominent and important mid-nineteenth century terrace, number 45 has group value as one of the best preserved examples of Victorian terraced architecture in the town. The terrace of nine townhouses make a considerable contribution to the architectural quality and character of Coleraine. It is also of local interest.

General comments

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