6 Queen Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, three-bay, mid-terraced commercial premises with traditional-style ground floor shopfront; built c. 1898 and located on the west side of Queen Street in Coleraine town centre. Rectangular plan with two-storey return to rear.

Pitched artifical slate roof with angled ridge tiles; chimneys removed. Ogee cast iron rainwater goods on projecting eaves course. Walling is painted smooth render. Windows are 1/1 timber sash with horns in moulded architraves with projecting painted sills; plate glass windows to shopfront.

The principal elevation faces east and has two windows at first floor over shopfront on right side, and a single window opening at first floor over a door and former coach arch to left. Shopfront is enclosed by panelled pilaster jambs rising to acroters and comprises central recessed entrance flanked by plate glass windows with timber frames on painted render stall risers. Recessed entrance is fully glazed, having modern double-leaf glass-panelled timber doors with narrow sidelights, surmounted by two moulded timber panels. Porch is splayed and laid with modern floor tiles, having timber-sheeted ceiling supported on two cast-iron columns on pedestals and enclosed by iron gates with arrow-heads.
The single bay on left side consists of a doorway (boarded over) flanked by painted moulded pilasters and topped by a small moulded pediment on left side of former coach arch on ground floor (timber frame insert with boarded over paired doors and plain overlight), with a single opening above on first floor. Small metal plaque on wall above former coach arch, stating: "QUEEN STREET - FORMERLY PREACHING HOUSE LANE AFTER JOHN WESLEY FOUNDER OF METHODISM PREACHED HERE IN 18TH C". Timber fascia over with moulded cornice.

Note: The ground floor (doorway under pediment & former coach arch) does not form part of this record.

The south elevation is abutted by No.4 Queen Street.

The west (rear) elevation is abutted to left side by a two-storey unpainted rendered return with artificial slate roof and two modern rooflights to north slope. A small section of the main rear wall is exposed (to right of return), but not see during survey. Extensions of surrounding buildings abut the rear return at ground floor level on north, west and south sides, with only the first floor level exposed. Rear gable elevation of return (W) is is blank and further abutted by a single storey building with asbestos tiled roof. South elevation of return has two blocked up openings, cast iron guttering. North elevation of return has a single blocked up & rendered opening.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building No 8 Queen Street.

Setting:
Situated on the west side of Queen Street in the central pedestrianised zone of the town centre, north of The Diamond and the Town Hall (HB03/18/001). Forming part of an early-nineteenth century terrace which has been modified and altered over the years.

Roof: Artificial slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: 1/1 timber sash with horns
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Queen Street in Coleraine was formerly known as 'Preaching House Lane' after John Wesley, founder of Methodism, preached there in the eighteenth century.

Buildings are shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1830, but the present structure was substantially rebuilt/remodelled in 1898, perhaps retaining earlier fabric.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) lists a structure occupying a much larger footprint than the present building as a ‘kiln and offices’ belonging to Alexander Mitchell and valued at £22. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) records the building as a corn kiln and stores valued at £14, but by 1872 the holding had been divided into three stores, each valued at £3.

In 1897 the building was taken over by Allan Shaw, auctioneer, and rebuilt as a house, offices and shop valued at £40. The premises were divided into a ground floor shop and offices on the upper floors which were sublet to a series of tenants. In recent years the building was in use as a beauty salon.

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/1/B/542A-D Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/3/A-D Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/9A-N Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/4 First General Revaluation 1933-57
10. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/2/A/7 First General Revaluation 1933-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest
R. Age

Evaluation

A two-storey, three-bay, mid-terraced commercial premises with traditional-style ground floor shopfront; built c. 1898 and located to the west side of Queen Street in Coleraine town centre. Retaining some typical nineteenth-century detailing and a traditional shopfront, the building is one of the better preserved examples of its type in the town. Incremental changes to neighbouring shopfronts have eroded the historic quality and character of the terrace and the setting of the building, but despite this, the uniform scale of the terrace helps retain something of its homogeny. Displaying proportions and detailing typical of the period, number 6 retains its now increasingly rare historic shopfront, and so despite its otherwise plain appearance its authenticity at ground floor level enhances the historic streetscape and the wider architectural character and quality of Coleraine town centre.

General comments

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