15-16 The Strand, Portaferry, Co Down

15-16 The Strand, Portaferry

A large two-storey terraced house with full-height canted bays and carriage gateway, presenting an Edwardian appearance that conceals a considerably older structure beneath. The main eastern portion dates from the 1770s. Around 1870, the western section was added to the house, occupying the former site of a small coast guard station built circa 1820. Between 1905 and 1910, the entire front façade was remodelled with the addition of the distinctive bays. To the rear stands a large three-storey warehouse complex, largely dating from the 1780s and originally constructed as part of a brewery operation. The property occupies the end position of the terrace at the western end of the Strand, overlooking Strangford Lough.

The front façade, facing roughly south, is asymmetrical. An off-centre front doorway features a timber panel door with a large plain fanlight, surrounded by a moulded fluted surround with a small decorative keystone. Immediately to the left of the door is a two-storey three-sided bay with a hipped roof of Bangor blue slate, moulded cement render ridges, and a small decorative finial. A similar bay stands to the far left, though its finial is now broken. Both bays contain three sliding sash windows without astragals on each floor, with first-floor windows slightly shorter than ground-floor examples. All window surrounds match the door surround. The ground floor of all bays is finished in plain render, the first floor in pebbledash, and the first floor between the bays in lined render. A chamfered plinth runs across the bays and entire front elevation. Vermiculated chamfered quoins ornament the first floor, with plain chamfered quoins below on the ground floor.

A large coach doorway with an uneven plain sheeted timber door and wicket gate sits between the first and second bays. Paired sliding sash windows occupy the first floor directly above the coach doorway, with surrounds matching those of the bays. The bay immediately to the right of the front door is similar to the others but broader in proportion. A single sliding sash window sits on the first floor directly above the front door. Three fanning steps lead from the front door, bounded by the inner sides of the flanking bays.

A dentilled eaves course runs across the façade. The exposed west gable displays three sliding sash windows to the far left—one each at ground and first-floor levels, with a third positioned to the right at an intermediate level. The gable is finished in lined render. A two-storey mono-pitch roofed return on the left side of the rear features a glazed door to the right of the ground floor and a 4 over 4 sash window to the right side of the first floor; the roof slopes towards No. 14. To the right of this return is a small single-storey lean-to return with modern windows and door, and a Velux window in the roof. A segmental arch-headed coach arch occupies the far right. Above the coach arch sits a modern window, with a sash window positioned to its right on the first floor.

A tall yellow-brick chimney sits to the right of centre at the eaves level of the main roof. Four cast-iron skylights punctuate the roofline. The gabled roof is covered with Bangor blue slates on the east side and what appear to be asbestos slates on the west. A stone parapet in the middle of the roof marks the junction between the original house and the portion added circa 1870. Three yellow-brick chimney stacks with bracketed corbelling and matching pots complete the roof furniture. Cast-iron ogee gutters and square downspouts drain the building.

The rear features a large line of snecked rubble warehouses to the west, displaying an assortment of doorways, windows, a large arch, and a small gable that formerly housed lifting gear. The second and third warehouse sections are level with one another, all of identical height and unified under one continuous pitched roof. Evidence of other demolished structures survives to the east.