Olderfleet Hotel

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A large three-storey hotel with a high basement storey and canted bays, laid out on an asymmetrical plan. Original main entrance faced east but now closed off, altered to a window; original side entrance now the main entrance. Mansard roof with pedimented dormers; roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, alternating with courses of fish scale slates. Dry dash finish of limestone chippings to walls, later replacement finish, inappropriate, with smooth cement rendered dressings, quoins, string courses, brackets to cornice, and dormers. Renaissance style open-work to sandstone parapets. Windows to first floor mainly segmental headed, timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns, original; windows to ground floor rectangular timber fixed lights with horizontal divisions, replacements, inappropriate. Basement area exposed and windows replaced, inappropriate treatment; new basement entrance created at north end of east front, mid-20th century style and appearance with facing of brown and yellow ceramic tiles, rectangular hardwood glazed doors, tiled screen wall to side road, and flat-roofed canopy, all inappropriate.

Single storey return to rear on south side with grassed garden in front, and two-storey gabled block to rear on north side, later extended with long two-storey return now known as ‘The Olderfleet’ bar and painted white which now distinguishes it from the main hotel block.

The hotel stands on a corner of two roads, its main front overlooking the reclaimed land of the harbour in an area which does not have a high level of architectural or environmental quality. The
setting was originally described as “beautifully situated facing the sea”.

Historical information

Designed in 1878 by S.P. Close, architect, for James Chaine.

References - Primary

1. G.H. Bassett, The Book of Antrim (Dublin, 1888), p 392.
2. Photograph in the Green Collection, UFTM (WAG 533) c 1915

Secondary

1. A.E. McGuinness, Samuel Patrick Close: Architect (1842-1925), unpublished MA thesis, The Queen’s University of Belfast, 1990, p 125.
2. D Corcoran, A Tour of East Antrim (Belfast, 1990), p 10 (reproduces a photograph from the Green Collection, c 1915).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A building of some architectural merit in its original state which still retains some original features but has been spoiled by insensitive and clumsy alterations and replacement fabric, and further degraded by the spoiling of the original setting.