Former Herring Smokery

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey rendered brick building incorporating a herring smokery at south-east corner of harbour directly below steep grassy bank. There are three contemporary components to this complex: (1) smokery, (2) lean-to to east, and (3) two-storey building to north.

1. Smokery

The smokery has a pitched natural slate roof with raised timber-louvred ridge, also slated. Clay ridge tiles and verges. Painted eaves boards, but no gutters. All walls are smooth cement rendered over brick.

The west elevation is abutted at ground floor by a modern one-storey shed with trough-corrugated metal roof. Exposed section has two window openings, each with two timber shutters and concrete cills.

North gable abutted by a large two-storey shed. On apex of exposed gable is date '1913'.

East elevation abutted to eaves level by lean-to (see below).

South gable is blank. It may have been abutted by a lower one-storey building, now gone. Much of the render has fallen away to reveal the underlying brickwork.

2. Lean-to

Trough-corrugated monopitched metal roof. Walls are as smokery. Left cheek has two infilled windows at first floor and is abutted to ground floor by a lower lean-to. Its east elevation has two two-pane timber windows (with transom light and granite cills) to ground floor and two infilled windows to first floor. Its right cheek is abutted by the two-storey building which also abuts the north gable of the smokery.

3. Two storey building

The two storey building to north has a pitched roof, now covered with trough-corrugated metal sheeting. Half-round metal gutters. Raised brick verge to west gable and plain flush bargeboards. Walls are as rest of complex.

Its east gable has, at centre, a large double-leaf painted timber door, with a smaller pedestrian door at left. At first floor is a central t+g sheeted door (with transom), with steps rising from left. [note stair materials] There is a hoisting beam in the apex. There is a window to either side, detailed as lean-to.

The left sidewall (to south) is abutted by the smokery and lean-to.

The ground rises on the rear gable to first floor level, which has two sheeted timber doors. [confirm]

The right sidewall (to north) has four window openings to ground floor, detailed as east gable. At first floor are six regularly spaced openings, all 3x3 paned except fifth from left which is a loading door.

Historical information

Datestone attests to erection in 1913. First entered in 1915 valuation book as ‘herring curing factory’ belonging to Chambers & Co. Cited in 1919 OS map as 'curing station'. According to its present owner, each kiln was capable of handling in excess of 20,000 fish at any one time. The herring was gutted, soaked in brine, then hung to dry before smoking, a process which lasted several days. Smokery seemingly last used in late 1940s.

Primary sources:
1. Mr F. Chambers (owner).
2. PRONI – OS 6/3/56/4.
3. PRONI - VAL 12B/19/14E, p.115.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An unusual structure of functional design and plan form, strategically located on the quayside of a once flourishing herring fishery.