Watch House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three storey coastguard lookout station facing south east on coast opposite 87 Cranfield point Lane. This structure consists of a single room on each floor accessed by external steps. Ground floor is ¾ height.

Overhanging cast in-situ concrete roof is very slightly pitched to rear and drains through a cast iron downpipe to rear. The whole second floor is built on a similar roof structure which suggests this building may at first have been single storey. Walls are painted smooth render.

Front elevation (sea facing) is abutted at ground floor and part of first floor level by a WW2 pillbox, which continues to right (see later). At first floor centre there is a single fixed metal window with top hung transom and concrete cill. Between first and second floor is a cantilevered concrete viewing platform which is raised level above the sloping concrete roof, wraps around left and right sides and is enclosed by a tubular metal railing.

A second floor viewing window fills whole wall from corner to corner and is three paned timber with a small opening casement in bottom of central pane (allowing verbal communication with viewing platform).

Right elevation contains the entrance to first and second floors. Seven concrete steps rise from right corner to a concrete platform serving a first floor door which is slightly right of centre. This door is t+g sheeted with a small fixed metal window (with top hung transom) to its left. The platform advances forward and steps up one level and is supported from left by the brick work of the right wall of the pillbox (see later). From here a short metal ladder rises left onto the pillbox roof (All this is enclosed by a tubular metal handrail). From here a metal ladder with timber treads abuts the second floor viewing platform (in front of window). At second floor there is a glazed plywood door (in line with one below) filling wall to its left (from door jamb to corner)is a two paned timber window. Left pane has three small windows (again to allow verbal communication with platform).

Left elevation is abutted at ground floor right by a small lean-to structure. It has a corrugated asbestos lean-to roof, brick wall (as pillbox) and a doorway on left cheek, which is now boarded over. To its left, on main block, with cill at ground level, is a boarded over window with moulded render hood to its head. To right at first floor is a fixed metal window with top hung transom. To first floor there is a two paned timber window with small opening pane to right side (as that on right elevation), forming part of the wrap-around viewing window.

Rear elevation is blank but for a boarded small door to ground floor with moulded hood to head.

Pillbox at façade is red brick (200mm deep) and formerly white washed, with a cast insitu concrete roof. To front and left cheek are single precast concrete gun-loops. Right elevation now has a doorway but was likely to have been as left. It is accessed through an opening on its rear right, below main step to first floor platform. This opening was a small porch, a timber door within which is now gone (but traces of frame remain).

Historical information

Owner states that the structure was built early this century. It acted as a relay station between the Kilkeel Coastguard and Bangor HQ. The second storey was added in the 1960s. It was manned on a part time basis until c1990 when it was decommissioned.

Secondary Source:
1. Owner (1998)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Utilitarian structure, prominently sited above beach. There are few such structures as this now surviving in the province. However, its comparatively recent date and limited architectural and historic interest do not merit listing.