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

A Grade B2 listed building, 1 Coastguard Terrace is a two-storey house with attic storey, forming the north-east end of a prominent five-house terrace built to overlook Kilkeel Harbour. The building was constructed to specifications drawn up by the Irish Commissioners of Public Works in 1901, with work commencing around 1902 and occupation achieved by 1904. It replaced an earlier coastguard station at Leestone Point.

The principal south-east facing elevation projects forward from the line of the remainder of the terrace. The solid red brickwork is enriched throughout by decorative banding in yellow and black brick, particularly notable in the crow-stepped yellow brick quoins to both gable ends, the three-course bands of yellow, black and yellow running horizontally across the façade at the head of all window openings on each floor, and similar bands at cill level. The pitched natural slate roof is aligned at right angles to those of the adjoining houses so that the gable forms part of the main elevation. It is finished with clay ridge tiles, plain bargeboards and boxed eaves.

Two tall slender chimneys are a prominent feature: one rises from the eaves at right of the main elevation, and a second of square cross-section sits at the base of the valley gutter to the left, shared with the adjoining house. Both are detailed with bands of yellow, black and yellow brickwork at approximately one-third their height and towards their corbelled tops. A metal tie bar runs between the right chimney and the roof ridge.

The main entrance, located to the left of the principal elevation, comprises a four-panelled door with raised and fielded panels and brass furniture, with a plain transom light above. To its left is a small 1/1 painted timber sash window on a granite cill. To the right is a one-storey canted bay window with a hipped leaded roof and three cants, which originally featured sliding sashes (2/1, 6/1 and 2/1 respectively) now replaced by modern stained timber top-opening casements. The first floor has a large central window opening with a pair of 4/1 sliding sashes, and the attic storey contains a single 6/1 sash within the apex. All windows have black brick ornamental keystones and granite cills. The left gable is abutted by the adjoining house with a blank wall above ground level. The right gable has a pair of 4/1 sashes at ground floor in a segmental headed opening, with the triple-course brick band continuing from the front. A brick dormer with a 4/1 sash and painted render cheeks rises from the roof immediately right of the chimney.

A contemporary one-storey side annex, originally used as the coastguard office-cum-watchroom, is attached to the right of the main block. It has a hipped natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles, painted timber eaves and half-round metal gutters, with wall detailing matching the main façade. Its south-east facing cheek features a canted bay window—a more recent addition—with continuous cill and head around all cants and top-hung stained timber windows to each cant (4/1, 6/1, 4/1). Its north-east façade has a 3/6 top-opening window. Above a one-storey return to the right, a satellite dish is affixed to the wall.

The rear elevation (gable) is similarly detailed with a slender brick chimney rising from the apex of the roof. The ground floor is abutted by a one-storey lean-to with a monopitched natural slate roof, painted eaves boards and half-round metal gutters. The first floor has 6/3 sashes on either side of the chimney breast, and the attic has a narrow 1/1 sash on each side. The lean-to contains an opening to the left, with a small 8/2 sash at right and a similar window in the return; a narrow 1/1 pivoted window is set in the return's gable cheek.

A one-storey return adjoins at right angles to form the side wall of the back yard. It has a flat felted concrete roof with an aluminium flue rising at the rear, plain red brick walls and quoins as the main block. Its north-east facing front wall has a painted tongue-and-groove sheeted door within an opening with stepped black brick jambs, and the right cheek contains a single 2/2 sash with plain dressings.

The frontage to the house is gravelled and grassed to the side. The tarmac yard is enclosed to two sides by rendered walls.

The building is architecturally distinctive within its provincial context. The solid red brickwork enlivened by yellow and black brick banding, prominent chimneys and varied fenestration make it markedly different from the plainer and smaller-scale 19th-century coastguard houses elsewhere in the Mourne area. It demonstrates the shift in design philosophy from the fortified barracks typical of the 1800s to the more domestic structures of the 20th century. As part of the terrace overlooking the harbour with clear views out to sea, it holds significant group value and contributes substantially to the setting of Kilkeel Harbour. A contemporary boathouse (HB16/03/031) was erected at the harbour at the same time.