Boat House to east of

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached single-storey single-cell boat house, built c.1870, located to east side of Beach Road. Rectangular-on-plan. Building is in poor repair; brick repairs, exposed timber rafters where roof has deteriorated.

Roof is half-hipped and corrugated tin; ornate fretted timber bargeboards. Walls are coursed basalt rubble with fieldstone quoins and brickwork repairs. Windows are square-headed with flush sills (now blocked with brickwork).

Principal elevation faces north and comprises large square-headed opening with steel lintel; brick and vermiculated sandstone quoins; containing double-leaf timber vertically sheeted doors; window at right.

East elevation contains small window to eaves at centre.

South elevation is blank.

West elevation is abutted by concrete block retaining wall to Beach Road.

Building set in low site below Beach Road, bounded by timber fence. Railway above to east; concrete bridge to beach (1927). Entrance to site from north.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Basalt rubble
Windows Square-headed (now blocked)
RWG N/A

Historical information

The current Coastguard Station on Beach Road first appears on the third edition OS map of 1902. An earlier group of Coastguard cottages, sited at Marine Pararde, is recorded on the first edition OS map of 1832.

The terrace was built in 1870 to replace these earlier cottages. Accommodation was originally provided for a chief boatman and five coastguards. Early photographs show no entrances to the cottages on the east (shore) side, and information from the current owners suggest these were added in the latter half of the twentieth century. The photographs also show that the Captain’s house (no 10) was originally brickwork as the other cottages.

The coastguard service in Whitehead was established in 1820-1, listed as in Black Head. According to a current resident, whose father was a coastguard at Whitehead, a passage formerly ran the length of the terrace from the Captain’s house to the fortified watchtower aiding freedom of movement between the cottages in the event of an attack, a suggestion reinforced by the gunports and musket loops present throughout. Renovation of the terrace, including replacement windows, doors, and kitchen extensions, was carried out in 1986-9.

The Valuation Revisions of 1864-1879 lists a Coast Guard Station, house and garden, valued at £20. A note from the 1880s Revisions notes ‘there is no chief officer’s house here’. An entry in 1914 notes ‘one house vacant since January 1911, [with a] value of £3.

According to Brett the coast guard cottages were built in 1870 at a cost of £1,732 18s 2d. These were part of ‘the extensive series of “stations” erected in the mid 19th century around the coastline of Antrim, and of Ireland. The Coastguard was at this period administered by the Admiralty: “a naval force maintained in Great Britain and Ireland to suppress smuggling, aid shipwrecked vessels and serve as a reserve to the navy”’.(Brett, pg.281).

The following is an extract from a letter sent in December 1871, by D. Hornby Sec of the O.P.W (Office of Public Works) to William Gray Esq. Belfast regarding the Whitehead Coastguard Station. It reads ‘Sir, the Admiralty has been requested to authorize the proper officer of the coastguard to arrange with you the taking over the possession of the new buildings at Whitehead as soon as the few matters now in hand are finished by the Contractor’.

References

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/47 - Third Edition OS Map (1902)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/47- Seventh Edition (1930)
3. PRONI VAL/12/D/1/47C - Valuation Revision Map
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/18A-F - Valuations Revisions (1864-1929)

Secondary Sources:
1. Brett, C.E.B; Buildings of County Antrim. UAHS, 1996.
2. Board of Works Letter Books. National Archives, Bishop St. Dublin
3. Coast Guard History Website. [Internet source].
Available from: , accessed
11/12/08
4. Information from current owners

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

This detached single-storey single-cell boat house was originally constructed to house the lifeboat, in conjunction with the coastguard cottages (HB22/06/011A-D, G-H). Despite the current near-derelict state, original features are still partially intact, such as ornate timber fretted bargeboards and stone detailing. The boat house, along with the terrace, is a fine remnant of the maritime history of the area. The boat house has strong group value with the terrace of coastguard cotages and shares the same historical interest.

General comments

This record was renumbered as part of a group - previously HB22/06/006.