141 Whiterock Bay

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Much altered two storey house (with attic) built in 1936, originally in the International Style, by Philip Bell. The property is set on a slight rise on the S side of Whiterock Bay (road) overlooking Strangford Lough, roughly a mile W of the village of Killinchy.
This house is roughly square in plan and was originally ‘cubist’ in form with a full height projecting bay to front and lower projecting section at the rear. However, in recent times an attic storey with timber facade and gabled roof has been added, along with a single storey projecting bay and a large conservatory-like lean to porch to the front. To the rear a conservatory proper has been added as well as a single storey flat roofed extension. Many window openings have been altered and most now have PVC frames, though some of the original metal frames are still in evidence.

The facade is finished in rough cast and painted white. Concrete tiles to roof with single rendered chimney stack. PVC rw goods.

This house was originally one of four built to compliment the adjacent Strangford Lough Yacht Club. However, it and one of its companions have been radically altered, though in some respects the changes to this house show a certain degree of consistency and integrity in terms of its new overall expression.

Historical information

This house and its three neighbours to the east were built in c.1936 to designs by Philip Bell, who was at that time in the midst of the construction of the adjacent club house for Strangford Yacht Club. The modernist styling of the house matched that of the yacht club and the properties are said to have been constructed when the high tide prohibited work on the club house itself. The properties were intended by Bell as weekend accommodation for those visiting the area for sailing and were originally without running water or any kind of power.

This property has been greatly extended in recent times and now bears little resemblance to its original self.

References- Primary sources
1 'Irish Builder and Engineer' 6 August 1938, p.647.
2 'The Builder' 14 February 1941, pp.180-181.

Secondary sources
1 'RSUA Yearbook 1983', pp.20-23. [Obituary of Philip Bell.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey house with attic, originally built in 1936 in the International Style by Philip Bell, but whose original ‘cubist’ appearance has been obliterated with (among other things) the addition of the gabled roof and lean to porch