Coleraine 32. The victorian era, - Coleraine workhouse.

As the nineteenth century progressed, architecture took a more varied turn. The Victorians believed that architectural styles should be more freely used and reflect different functions.  Gothic was often selected for churches, alms-houses and educational institutions – like the Coleraine Workhouse (1842). This building on the Mountsandel Road consciously copied the style of medieval alms houses.  They were built to a standard plan across Ireland, with most towns having a similar building. Coleraine was designed for 700 inmates, with  two larger blocks beyond the entrance building which survives today.  This building contained a porter's room and waiting room at the centre with a board room for the Guardians on the first floor. Inmates were separated by sex and accommodated in different wings off the central spine. During the Famine of the late 1840's the roofs were raised over the boys dormitories to accommodate and extra 60 inmates and a 40 bed fever hospital (now gone) was erected to the south side of the building. A graveyard associated with the workhouse was located on the northern side. in line with most other workhouses, it developed into a hospital from 1929 onwards with workhouse functions stopping completely in the 1940's.  The site was vacated in 2003 with only the listed front block of the former workhouse remaining on the site.

After many years of neglect and increasing dereliction, and a catastrophic fire in 2017, new hope was found for the site in 2020 with a planning proposal to develop the site for high quality housing with the restored historic building converted into three apartments at the entrance. However, though the  housing development is now complete no work has begun on the historic building. Rather than a jewel making this a special and unique site, it looks destined to become a problem for the owners of the expensive houses surrounding the now boarded up ruin. Ironically, the  sales website for 'Earl's Gate' emphasises the access to built heritage in the surrounding area- 'A short drive and you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to historical and National Trust sites with Mussenden Temple, Dunluce Castle, Portstewart Strand and the Giant’s Causeway all within easy reach' (earls-gate). Let's hope that the proposed conversion of the workhouse building  is commenced and completed soon. In the last few years Enniskillen's similar block has been conserved and incorporated into the South West Regional College and  Derry-Londondery's  has been converted into an expensive dentists. it can be done.