Unit 18A

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey red brick building of rectangular plan, with a flat roof, and crenellated parapet around all four sides, originally built as offices for a weaving company.

Entrance faces east. East elevation two windows wide to the first floor; one window to the right of the door on the ground floor; segmental arched heads to openings. Walls red brick with red sandstone keystones to ground floor openings; some repointing in lighter mortar than original dark mortar; moulded brick string course at first floor level rising over segmental arched openings; moulded brick cornice with egg and dart ornament; moulded copings to crenellations; square ventilator grille in each floor, later insertions; narrow PVC downpipe to lower storey. Front door wooden, six panel, raised and fielded, original, with modern metal handle; plain glazed fanlight with iron security bars. Windows timber with transom and one or two vertical glazing bars to upper division, may be original but modified so that now all fixed; red sandstone cills; brick aprons to upper windows; modern security grilles to all windows. Projecting forward near right hand extremity, later red brick gate screen, damaged at top, with scrolling wrought iron pedestrian gate; linked to main gateway of double wrought iron gates of similar style, mounted on steel posts; gates surmounted by barbed wire, no longer in original condition. At left hand extremity of entrance front, smooth cement rendered wall of single storey extension; cement dressed rectangular doorway with steel folding doors.

North elevation, facing main road: similar style and character to previous, but three windows wide each floor; windows all with two mullions to upper portion above a central one below, security grilles as previous. To each extremity, a cast iron downpipe; one to left missing lower portion; ornamental iron brackets and hoppers. Extending to right hand side, later blank red brick wall, tall single storey height, with concrete coping, linking with original blank red brick building with moulded string course.

West elevation similar style and character to previous, two windows wide to first floor; lower floor enclosed by later extension.

South elevation similarly enclosed and mostly hidden from view but crenellated parapet and original hopper at right hand extremity visible, but PVC replacement downpipe returns to entrance elevation.

The building is located in a narrow street within the built-up area of the town, and stands beside the main entrance to what is now an industrial estate, with two of its original elevations clearly visible from the roadway but the rest enclosed by the extensive single-storey warehousing behind it. Another feature of the factory complex, a tall red brick water tower, extends from a corner of the warehouse accommodation to the east.

Historical information

Designed in 1906 by Hobart and Heron, architects, as offices for the Larne Weaving Company.

References - Secondary

1. IHR 5601

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An Edwardian industrial office block, now used as a store, of distinct but modest architectural character which displays most of its original features, but is degraded by the inappropriately treated extensions which spoil its setting.