Store at Red Bay Pier

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey/ single-bay sandstone store erected c.1858 to serve the adjoining Red Bay Pier.

The store is located on the east side of the road leading on to Red Bay Pier, immediately NE of the store. It is a three-storey, single-bay structure aligned NE/SW with its principal elevation facing NW towards the Coast Road.

Pitched natural slate roof with replacement half-round plastic gutters and down pipes. Walls are of rubble sandstone brought to courses, with roughly dressed quoins. All openings have flat heads; those to GF and FF retain their original voussoired heads, but the original timber heads to the SF windows have been replaced with reinforced-concrete. None of the windows have cills.

The NW elevation has a large doorway to centre, with corrugated metal sliding door to front. This opening is original, but has been heightened to accommodate lorries; its upper jambs are of concrete block and its flat head is of reinforced concrete faced with sandstone. There is a window to each side of the doorway, long infilled with rubble sandstone. The doorway is also flanked by larger windows at FF level; both are sheeted over with corrugated plastic. There are three small window openings to SF, also sheeted over.

The SW gable is devoid of openings except for a large window at FF left, now infilled with concrete blockwork.

The SE elevation (facing to the sea), has two openings to FF and to SF, all sheeted over; there are no GF opes.

The NE gable has no openings.

Setting:
The ground on which the store stands is undoubtedly reclaimed from the beach and has been enlarged seawards in the relatively recent past. Storage containers abut its SW and SE elevations and there is a concrete hardstone in front of its NW side.
The pier lies NE of the store, and a concrete-walled coal bunker to its immediate west, beyond which is the Coast Road, which here passes through the Red Arch (HB05/01/021), a sandstone headland from which which the pier projects. At SW is a relatively modern single-storey dwelling, with a goods depot beyond.

Roof: Natural slate.
Rainwater goods: Half-round uPVC.
Doors: Corrugated metal.
Windows: Corrugated plastic.

Historical information

Red Bay Pier was opened c.1851 by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland to facilitate trade to and from Waterfoot, a short distance south along the Antrim Coast Road. It was transferred to the ownership of the Co Antrim Grand Jury in 1857.
Much of its trade focused on the export of Antrim ore from the Cargan District to Scotland. There was even an aerial ropeway connecting the mines to the pier which opened in 1872 but which was sabotaged by disgruntled hauliers the following year. Trade declined once a mineral railway from Retreat to Ballymena opened in 1876.
The pier is shown on the 1857 map and cited in the 1859 valuation as belonging to the Co Antrim Grand Jury. The store is not shown on the OS map but is cited in the 1859 Valuation book as belonging to Henry Hugh McNeile; it had a rateable valuation of £4.10s.0d.
The fact that McNeile's holding is given as being "in fee" indicates that he was the outright owner of the building, not merely its lessor. This would suggest that it was erected by him rather than the Board of Works to serve the harbour.
The Valuation revision books note that the store became unoccupied in 1865 but was taken over by James Fisher in 1868. It remained in the hands of representatives of the Fishers until at least 1929.
The store has since been acquired by Murphy Oil & Coal Importers and has been converted into an oil storage depot. The pier was owned until recently by Moyle District Council, and now by Moyle & Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/20/2. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 20 (1857).
2. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/20A. Second Valuation map (1859).
3. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/40A. Second Valuation book (1859).
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/19A-F. Valuation revision books (1864-1913).
5. G.H. Bassett. The Book of Antrim, p.131 (1888); reprinted by Friars Bush Press as County Antrim One Hundred Years Ago (1989).
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/13A. Valuation revision book (1923-29).

References - Secondary Sources:
1. House of Commons questions, Hansard 9 May 1884 ().

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Although the quality of construction of this modest store is excellent and its setting close to the pier also of interest, the external alterations to its facade and comprehensive internal alterations have diminished its character to such an extent that it does not merit listing. It is however a building of significant local interest.