Semidetached lightkeepers' houses

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

One of a pair of c.1916 semi-detached two-storey/ two-bay former lightkeeper's houses, this dwelling having a two-storey/ single-bay annex at one end. The block is aligned E-W at the S end of the lighthouse premises. This record refers to the house to the North East (left from front elevation)

Flat weatherproofed reinforced-concrete roof with low parapet, rendered chimneys to centre and gables, and raised skylight to each house. Smooth cement-rendered random rubble walls brought to courses (the stonework is only visible in GF3.1) and embellished with banded stucco quoins, advanced base course, shallow platband at FF cill level, and moulded eaves course. All openings have flat heads and stucco architraves. Unless otherwise stated All window openings have 2-over-2 timber sliding sashes and dressed granite cills.

The principal elevation of the block faces N. As each house elevation is identical, they have an asymmetric rather than symmetric composition. At left on each house is a projecting single-storey porch with t&g door (and granite threshold) to its right cheek and 1-over-1 sash window to its N elevation; the left check is blank. On top of each porch is a water cistern, originally fed with rainwater collected on the roof. Both porch and tank have moulded eaves and the latter has a low blocking course around a flat lid to the tank's interior. On the N face of each tank is a blank stucco roundel. The FF wall of each house is set slightly back from the tank and has a narrow 1-over-1 sash window. Each floor is also lit by a 2-over-2 window to the right of the projecting sections.

The S elevation has the same asymmetry as the façade. At GF left on each house is a projecting single-storey porch with pitched glazed timber roof and walls over a rendered base. On the left cheek is a t&g door. Left of each porch is an original window and left again is a smaller top-opening timber casement (with narrow concrete cill); the latter is evidently a later insertion. To the right of each porch is another original window and there are also two to FF. All the window surrounds to this elevation are plain (i.e. No stucco architrave) and some are now sheeted over.

The W elevation has no openings.

The annex at the W end of the block is slightly lower than the main block. It was originally one storey high but was raised to two in the 1970s. Except for the moulded string course between GF and FF (which was the original eaves course), it detailed as the main block in respect of its roof and walls.

The N elevation has a t&g door to GF and 2-over-2 sash window to FF. The E elevation has two windows to GF (with granite cills) and three to FF (with concrete cills); all are 1-over-1 sashes. The S elevation is detailed as N but has a wider doorway with plain surround.

Roof: Reinforced concrete.
Rainwater goods: None (water discharged into cisterns).
Walls: Rendered random rubble.
Windows: 1-over-1 and 2-over-2 timber sliding sashes.

Setting

A flagged concrete path runs around the block and there is a shared concrete yard at rear.

Just W of the block is a single-storey former standby generator house dating from the 1970s. Flat oversailing concrete roof, rendered walls and square-headed openings. The windows have timber casements and shallow concrete cills. The generators have been removed and the building has since been refurbished as a store.

This building is abutted to its S side by a sheeted-metal lean-to which contains two plastic fuel tanks and a two-wheeled bowser.
The area in front of and to the E of the houses is grassed over. A concrete footpath leads to the lighthouse at N (HB05/16/010A) and another to fog signal buildings at NE. A single-storey keeper's house lies to NW (HB05/16/010B). The yard behind is bounded by the rubble masonry wall around the premises. There are extensive views over the North Channel to Islay and the Mull of Kintyre.

Historical information

The East Light began operations in 1856 and the keepers and their families were accommodated in single-storey houses in the grounds (and one of which still survives, HB05/16/010B). The present pair of two-storey houses dates from c.1916 and is first depicted on the 1922 OS map. They were used to accommodate the families of the keepers who manned the West Light (1919), although in practise the families could be allocated any of the houses. The appearance of these new houses (including their porches and single-storey annex) is reflected in the 1916 Valuation revision book when the premises' rateable valuation increases from £21.10s.0d to £46. They are first depicted on the 1922 OS map and subsequent editions. The annex at the E end was heightened from one to two storeys in the 1970s to accommodate equipment to monitor the West Light and at Rue Point.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/18D. Valuation revision book, 1913-1929, p.4.
2. PRONI VAL/12/A/1/25. Valuation revision notebook, p.53 (1916).
3. PRONI OS/10/1/1/4/2. Second edition OS 1:2500 map, Co Antrim sheet 1-04 (1922).
4. PRONI VAL/3/D/1/3/N/1. Valuation revision notebook, Ballycarry td entry 12 (c.1935).
5. PRONI OS/11/3/3/1. First edition OS Irish-Grid 1:10,000 map sheet 3 (1971).
6. Irish Lights, 'Plan of Central Heating Installation, Rathlin Light East', dated 12 July 1972 (in annex GF office at time of inspection).

References - Secondary sources:
1. Mr Noel McCurdy, Irish Lights East Light Attendant.
2. Forsythe, W. And McConkey, R. 2012. Rathlin Island: An Archaeological Survey of a Maritime Landscape pp 305-306 and 418. Belfast, NIEA.
3. Irish Lights website, and .

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
G. Innovatory Qualities
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest
S. Authenticity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

This half of a pair of asymmetrically arranged semi-detached houses is of particular architectural interest for its in-built water supply system, namely the flat parapeted roof which collected rainwater and from which it was fed into an external tank on top of each front porch. Although some of the rooms have been modernised, the original interiors remain largely intact. A relatively modern addition has been made to the annex, but this is sympathetic to the original architectural style.

The block's original setting also survives, albeit marred somewhat by the generator house. It also has group value with the rest of the premises - the lighthouse (HB05/16/010A), and fog-signal buildings and single-storey keeper's houses (HB05/16/010B).

The fabric of the houses is original and they are of local historical interest, not only in accommodating the East Light keepers and their families, but also in reflecting the accommodation needs of the families of the keepers manning the West Light (which began operations in 1919) (HB05/16/016).