Millburn Terrace, 41 Millburn Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1QT

A mid-Victorian two-bay three-storey mid-terrace townhouse built circa 1866, located on the east side of Millburn Road close to Coleraine town centre. The house is square on plan with a single-storey canted bay to the front and a two-storey return to the rear.

The pitched natural slate roof features angled ridge tiles and rendered chimneystacks with tall clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods sit on projecting dentilled eaves. The walling is painted roughcast render on a contrasting plinth. Windows are replacement uPVC in simple painted render reveals with projecting painted sills, except for a 1/1 timber sash with horns and projecting painted sills to the rear elevation.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is two openings wide at each floor, with a canted bay window to the ground floor left. A classical-style doorcase at right comprises panelled pilasters, a frieze carved with Greek key motif, and scrolled acanthus-leaf console brackets supporting a corniced canopy. It contains a replacement panelled-and-glazed timber door with transom light, accessed by two sandstone steps.

The northeast elevation is abutted by the adjoining building. The southeast rear elevation has a window to the right at all floors and is abutted at the left by the two-storey return, which has a replacement uPVC window to the first floor of the gable over a 2/2 timber sash window at ground floor. The northeast elevation features a replacement glazed timber door. The southwest elevation is abutted by the adjoining building.

The property sits slightly elevated on a lawned and shrubbed site with a gravelled pathway leading to a paved patio at the front. It is bounded to the road by a mature hedge and rubblestone wall topped by sandstone coping. Square rendered piers with pointed caps support a replacement timber gate and have two stone steps. The rear yard is enclosed to the southeast by a two-storey painted roughcast render outbuilding with modern uPVC entrance door and windows. A single-storey painted roughcast render outbuilding to the southwest side of the yard has a replacement timber-sheeted door and uPVC window with projecting concrete sill.

The interior has been fully refurbished with a modern metal spiral staircase leading to the first floor.

Originally named Clifton Terrace, this building was constructed circa 1866 on land owned by Richard Olphert of Millburn House. The terrace was first shown on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1904. After the Coleraine Building Society was established in 1864, it sought sites for workmen's cottages and purchased plots from the Olphert estate on Millburn Road. The terrace was the Society's first major development, comprising eight dwellings with a ninth added circa 1875. The contractor was Joseph Esdale, and the terrace was named 'Clifton' after the family name of Lady Bruce, whose husband Sir Henry Hervey Bruce was president of the building society. The original terrace had canted bays and railings to the front and a row of outbuildings to the rear.

Well-known Coleraine merchants such as Hugh Cheyne and James Brookes were the first occupiers. By the turn of the twentieth century, residents included retired farmers, professional people, and merchants, some of whom employed servants. Number 41 was originally a house, office and garden occupied by Robert Given and leased from James Brooks, valued at £16 and 15 shillings for the garden. Subsequent occupiers included James G Fyvie, Reverend David Macrory, Mrs Given, Maria Martin, the Misses Craig, Adam A C Mathers MD, William Knox, and Miss Moore. In 1901, William Knox of county Tyrone occupied the property as a commission agent and school attendance officer. He lived with his wife, his cousin who was a mantlemaker, and three boarders who were a dressmaker, a telegraphist, and a pharmaceutical chemist. A resident domestic servant was employed, and the eleven-room house was designated first class. The terrace was listed in 1997 and the current dwelling remains in domestic use.

The terrace forms part of an important group of mid-nineteenth century terraced architecture in Coleraine town centre, one of the best preserved examples, making a considerable contribution to the architectural quality and character of the town. The terrace is prominently sited on the east side of the River Bann, overlooking The Rose Gardens and Anderson Park.