Former Coach House for No.12, The Strand, Portaferry, Co Down, BT22 1PF

A two-storey gabled former coach house built around 1810-1830, constructed of random rubble and now used as a store by the QUB Marine Biology Station. The building stands to the rear of No.12 The Strand and carries a small date plaque inscribed "1831".

Exterior

The south elevation, facing the street, comprises the principal facade. The ground floor has five openings of varying sizes with single and double plain timber doors. To the far left is an elliptical arch doorway with red brick dressings, while the far right features a larger segmental arch coach way, also with red brick dressings. Three pedestrian doorways occupy the centre section, probably added later. The first floor contains three openings of various sizes and slightly differing levels. The central bay and far right bay are now boarded with timber sheeting, while the bay to the left has been altered from an elliptical arch head to a square opening. Small circular brick-dressed details mark the eaves between the second and third bays and at the far left.

The east gable is blank but has a small lean-to extension attached. The west gable abuts the boundary wall and is blank. The rear elevation backs onto a bank with the visible upper section blank. The walls show traces of former whitewash, and the south-east corner has been roughly rebuilt in concrete block.

The pitched roof is covered with Bangor blue slates with a slight overhang at the eaves. PVC gutters and downspouts are fitted throughout.

Historical context

The building was originally constructed as a stable block to serve No.12 The Strand. It appears on the Ordnance Survey map of 1834 and valuation plan of circa 1835-1838, with the valuation records grading it as "A" and suggesting construction occurred between 1800 and 1830, contemporary with the house it served. The property was owned by Hugh Boden (or Bowden) around 1835 and remained in the Boden family until 1865, when it was purchased by the Belfast Banking Company for use as banking premises. The Bank vacated the building in 1936 when new premises were constructed in Portaferry town square. Queen's University acquired the property, including the coach house, in the 1960s, and it has since housed the University's Marine Biology Station.