coastguard station

Detached two-storey former coastguard station, built c.1875, now used as Garda station and for various other civic purposes, comprising L-plan station at south-east end having three-bay front and south-east elevations with porch to front, and lower eleven-bay block, formerly five or six coastguard houses, recessed from front and rear elevations of station. Various later single-storey ancillary blocks to rear. Artificial hipped slate roofs with clay ridge tiles, timber eaves and rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls with rendered plinth. Shot-hole details to north-west-facing walls of station and to south-east side of porch, and machicolation to upper part of south-east wall. Camber-headed window openings having raised reveals and replacement uPVC windows. Square-headed replacement timber battened door to porch. One camber-headed and one square-headed doorway to lower block.

This large civic building continues to have a role in the islands' security, changing easily from a coastguard station to a Garda station. The small and simple houses for the coastguard personnel contrast with the station itself which is guarded by shot-holes and a machicolation for firing at attackers.