Unit 18A, Stylux Industrial Estate, Waterloo Road, Larne, Co Antrim, BT40 1NP

Unit 18A, Stylux Industrial Estate, Waterloo Road, Larne

An Edwardian industrial office block, now used as a store, of distinct but modest architectural character which displays most of its original features, though degraded by inappropriately treated extensions that spoil its setting.

The building is a two-storey red brick structure of rectangular plan with a flat roof and crenellated parapet running around all four sides. It was originally built in 1906 as offices for the Larne Weaving Company, designed by architects Hobart and Heron.

The east elevation, which faces the street, contains the main entrance. The ground floor has one window to the right of the door, while the first floor has two windows. The openings are headed with segmental arches in red sandstone keystones on the ground floor. A moulded brick string course runs at first floor level, rising over the segmental arched openings, with a moulded brick cornice featuring egg and dart ornament above. Moulded copings crown the crenellations. Square ventilator grilles, later insertions, appear on both floors, along with a narrow PVC downpipe to the lower storey.

The front door is original timber construction with six panels, raised and fielded detail, and a plain glazed fanlight with iron security bars. The windows are timber-framed with transom and one or two vertical glazing bars to the upper division, possibly original but now all fixed. Red sandstone cills run beneath, with brick aprons to the upper windows. Modern security grilles have been added to all windows. Some repointing of the brickwork has been carried out in lighter mortar than the original dark mortar.

A later red brick gate screen, now damaged at the top, projects forward near the right-hand corner of the entrance elevation, featuring scrolling wrought iron work. It connects to a gateway with double wrought iron gates of similar style, mounted on steel posts and topped with barbed wire, though no longer in original condition. At the left-hand extremity of the entrance front, a single-storey extension with smooth cement rendered walls contains a rectangular doorway with steel folding doors.

The north elevation, facing the main road, follows a similar style and character but is three windows wide on each floor. The windows here have two mullions to the upper portion above a central mullion below, with security grilles throughout. Cast iron downpipes with ornamental iron brackets and hoppers mark each extremity, though the left-hand example is missing its lower portion. A later blank red brick wall of single-storey height, with concrete coping, extends to the right hand side, linking with the original blank red brick building which retains a moulded string course.

The west elevation displays two windows on the first floor in similar style, while the lower floor is enclosed by later extension. The south elevation is similarly mostly hidden and enclosed by later work, though the crenellated parapet and an original hopper at the right-hand extremity remain visible, along with a PVC replacement downpipe that returns to the entrance elevation.

The building stands in a narrow street within the built-up area of the town, positioned beside the main entrance to what is now an industrial estate. Two of its original elevations are clearly visible from the roadway; the remainder are enclosed by extensive single-storey warehousing behind. A tall red brick water tower, another original feature of the factory complex, extends from a corner of the warehouse accommodation to the east.

The building is of industrial archaeological interest. It retains significant original architectural features including the crenellated parapets, moulded cornicing, segmental arched openings, original six-panel front door, and cast iron downpipe fittings. However, its setting and character have been substantially compromised by later single-storey extensions and warehouse structures built in close proximity.