24 Scotch Quarter

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey house with a segmental arched coach entrance to the right hand side. Main entrance faces south.

South elevation three-storey, five windows wide to upper floors. Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; three chimneys, one to each extremity and one at intermediate position on ridge. Roof contained by gable upstand to left, and continuous with roof of no. 26 to right. Moulded cast iron gutter, with cast iron downpipe to right hand extremity. Wall of smooth cement render, lined and blocked, and painted cream, with raised quoins to left hand extremity; projecting plinth.

Entrance is recessed in a segmental arched opening which has a continuous roll moulded surround; rectangular timber door, 4-panel, original, set between panelled pilasters, surmounted by a radial fanlight, with a plain rendered continuous border; modern letterbox to door.

Ground floor has three windows to left of doorway and a coach entrance to right of doorway. Windows are rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns; set in raised moulded surrounds, with projecting stone cills. Coachway has a pair of ledged timber doors, incorporating a small wicket door, set in a recessed segmental archway with drip mould over. Windows to two upper floors are modern rectangular timber fixed lights with top-hung vents, replacements for original sashes; all with surrounds as previous to ground floor.

Across front of building is a railed enclosure, concreted over; scrolling iron railings in poor condition, mounted on plinth walls. Concrete path to front doorway, with rendered wall projecting from front façade to separate main entrance from coach entrance.

West elevation comprises blank west gable of main block, smooth cement rendered, with cream paint to ground floor. Extending to left is three-storey side of rear return, with similar render. One window to second floor and one to first floor above a ground floor lean-to glazed roofed projection (partly obscured by modern diagonal fencing). Windows rectangular timber, sliding sash, 6 over 3, with horns; plain reveals; projecting stone cills. Extending to left is two-storey side wall of extension to rear return; blank smooth rendered wall, painted cream; PVC gutter and downpipe.

Rear wall of main block to right of rear return has one window to each floor, timber sashes with horns, 6 over 6 to second floor, and 6 over 6 with margin lights to first floor. Small ocular window to attic level.

Rear elevation comprises smooth cement rendered rear wall of main block of house with coachway under, with gabled rear return projecting forward to the right.

Main block has coachway under deep timber beam. Walls within coachway are of red brick whitened; underside of coachway plastered, carried on deep wooden beams; some damage to plaster and lath at rear.
One window to first floor, later rectangular timber fixed light, casement and top-hung vent.
One window to second floor, rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, without horns.

Rear return is three-storeys, gabled, with smooth cement render to main gable; red brick east side, a later extension, with red brick to its gable flush with main gable.

East side elevation of return has five windows, two to each of the lower storeys, all rectangular timber sliding sash, 2 over 2, with horns; later fire escape door beside one window on second floor. Gable of red brick extension to return has one window to ground floor, and one to second floor, as previous to side; original first floor window now replaced by modern fire escape door.

Main gable of return has two small windows to attic, rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 3, with horns; modern fire escape door to first floor; original sash window to ground floor, 1 over 1, with horns.

Return has short two-storey gabled extension projecting at right hand corner; built of red brick with smooth cement render, partly spalling. Flush wooden door; two sashed timber windows, 6 over 3, with horns; later timber windows, fixed lights; projecting stone cills in poor condition. Blank end gable to extension. PVC downpipe to main gable of return.

Rear yard of concrete; beyond rear yard is a two-storey outbuilding, smooth cement rendered, forming part of the outbuilding connected with the house to the west, no. 22 Scotch Quarter.

SETTING: The building stands facing the main road, overlooking a public park, with an open view to the sea. It stands in an urban area within the built-up area of the town, and forms the end of a terrace development, with another terrace immediately to its east beyond an alleyway closed by a modern railed steel gate and screen. The two-storey outbuildings of no. 22, which are of little architectural merit, extend behind this house and continue on past the plot line to also extend behind the adjoining house at no. 26, forming a large rear yard which is closed on the west by the extension to the rear return of this house and on the east by poor quality outbuildings and walls at the rear of no. 26; the rear of this property is thus encircled by buildings of no apparent architectural quality which spoil the rear
setting.

Historical information

The precise date of building is not recorded but it appears for the first time on the OS map of 1857, and probably dates from the mid to late 1830s. A small cottage appears on the site on the first OS map, of 1832. Used as offices in recent years before being acquired by present owner.

References - Primary Sources

1. OS Map 1857, Co Antrim 52.

Secondary Sources

1. UAHS, Carrickfergus (Belfast, 1978, revised 1980), p 33.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is an early 19th century house, originally of handsome exterior appearance and still retaining its original staircases, but it has lost a number of other original features to both exterior and interior and has suffered a number of alterations which detract from its original character.