78-84 Portmuck Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A terrace of four two-storey gabled houses with a later single-storey addition to one end. Two-storey houses roofed with Bangor blue slates in regular courses; red terracotta ridge tiles; white painted roughcast walls with red brick quoins and dressings to openings; windows segmental arched, timber sliding sash, vertically hung, with horns, 2 over 2 with one vertical glazing bar each sash; six chimneys in red brick but three rebuilt without cornices or strings; original ledged timber door with later circular glazed panel at no. 78; other doors replacements as follows: no. 80, new multi-panelled door; no. 82, new pseudo-Georgian door incorporating integral fanlight, inappropriate; no. 84, new panelled door with side lights.

Rear elevations similar character and details to front; walled yards to rear containing outbuildings in basalt rubble partly roughcast.

SETTING: The terrace stands in an isolated but elevated position surrounded by fields, reached by a lane and overlooking the coast at Portmuck Bay from where it is easily visible. Single storey addition at south end, appears as no. 76 on OS map, flat-roofed, roughcast walls to side and rear, red brick to front with canted glazing in aluminium frames, surmounted by timber fascia, all in modern style of mid-20th century, built and functioning as a coastguard station, inappropriate replacement for small single-storey store originally there. Alongside it is a large detached gabled garage which also detracts from the
setting of the terrace.

Historical information

Appears for the first time on OS map of 1902-3.

References - Primary

1. OS Map 1902-3, Co Antrim 41.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A terrace of houses which forms a group of some local historic interest, which retains a number of original features but is of limited architectural merit. There are more interesting examples of the type elsewhere, as well as more interesting and imaginative examples of the architecture of the period. It is also severely spoiled by a later addition in a modern style at one end, which diminishes its setting.