2 Coastguard Terrace, The Harbour, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4AU

2 Coastguard Terrace, Kilkeel

This is a Grade B2 listed building: a two-storey terrace house with attic, one of five similar dwellings overlooking Kilkeel Harbour with clear views out to sea.

The building was constructed to specifications drawn up by the Irish Commissioners of Public Works in 1901. Work commenced around 1902, and the houses were occupied by 1904. This terrace replaced an earlier coastguard station at Leestone Point and was built at the same time as a boathouse at the harbour.

The terrace is architecturally significant for its contrast with the much plainer and smaller-scale 19th-century coastguard houses elsewhere in the Mourne area. The design demonstrates the transition from fortified barracks of the 1800s to more domestic structures of the 20th century, and is unusual in a provincial context.

The principal elevation faces south-east towards the harbour. The building has solid red brickwork enlivened by decorative yellow and black brick banding, prominent chimneys, and varied fenestration. A course of yellow brick runs at cill level on both ground and first floors. A three-course band of yellow, black, and yellow brick rises near the top of the windows on both floors and above their heads, all of which have black brick ornamental keystones.

The pitched natural slate roof has a wide leaded ridge, plain bargeboards, and boxed eaves with half-round metal rainwater goods. Two skylights light the rear pitch. A square-section chimney rises from the front eaves, shared with the adjacent No.1, embellished with a band of yellow, black, and yellow brick around its middle and corbelled top. A second similar but lower chimney rises to the roof apex.

The main entrance on the left comprises a nine-panel door with glazed upper panels and plain transom. To its right is a pair of 4/1 sliding sashes. At first floor centre is an identical but diminished pair of 4/1 windows. A roof dormer contains a pair of 1/1 sashes to the front with painted blank cheeks. All windows are painted timber with shallow segmental heads and stooled granite cills.

The rear elevation features a two-storey return abutted on the right, one half belonging to the adjacent No.3. The exposed section of the main block has a three-course band of yellow brick and black brick at upper floor window level, and a course of yellow brick at first floor cill level. It contains a pair of 4/1 sashes at ground floor left and a 6/3 sash at first floor. The return has a pitched natural slate roof tied into the rear slope, plain eaves boards, and half-round metal gutters. Its end gable facing north-west contains a flat-headed five-panel painted timber door with glazed top panel and plain transom, with a small circular electric light affixed beneath. The cheek facing into the yard has two small 2/2 sashes to ground floor and a single 2/2 sash to first floor, with various cast-iron downpipes.

The left and right gables form party walls with the adjoining houses. The frontage is gravelled. At the rear is a small flat-roofed shed, shared with No.3.