Bella Vista

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A well preserved and large, late 19th century merchant’s house on the suburbs of the city which affords fine views of the Faughan valley.

A T shaped plan presents a gable with a two storey canted flat roofed bay window, to one side of the entrance door. This projection obscures the entrance from the approach avenue which views the long head of the ‘T’. In the centre of the T's head is a two bay flat roofed, single storey extension which houses a function room . As in the square plan merchants houses nearby (Brookmount: HB01/08/11 and Strathmore: HB01/08/009) however, the return of the servants and kitchen wing is indicated by a lower roof and this alters the perception of the long elevation, to place the emphasis on the projecting front with bays already described.
The main roof is finished in the original Welsh slate. Windows are large paned one over one Victorian sliding sashes.The external finish is smooth rendered and painted white with the raised and staggered quoins painted brown. Rainwater goods are the original cast iron with square section downpipes and flat cloverleaf holding straps. The four chimney stacks are two stage in red brick. Three have sandstone cappings with moulded projections and the fourth has corbelled brick projections.
The entrance door is in a round headed opening, with a vestibule type door with glass panels and fanlight. A more substantial door sits in the normal location of the vestibule. The door opening is framed with pilasters which sit out as in Agnes Jones House (HB01/08/017) to support an entablature/canopy. All corners have quoins, the gables have parapets which are corbelled out at eaves level. A string course runs at upper cill level on the facade containing the entrance door, it reappears on the bay window, where there are more heavily moulded string courses at the top and middle of construction and a similar course at lower cill level. There are no other string courses except at the head of the projecting function room.

To the back of the kitchen wing is a flat roofed extension of 1960s construction.

A well preserved exposed stone stable block with brick trims to windows, complements the smooth white render of the main house and is located parallel to the long arm of the T. Both buildings have slate roofs and cast iron rainwater goods. A small 1960s flat roofed carport sits at one gable of the stable block. In the gardens, which are well landscaped (but drop steeply to Ardlough Road past a modern veterinary surgery and a nursing home which detract from the
setting,) is the original pump house with pump.

Historical information

Built c 1888 by the Smyth family, who were owners of the Drumahoe Mills, which could be seen from this elevated position. These mills closed in 1922.

References: Mr White - local resident.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A well preserved example of a late 19th century merchant’s house. Merits recording.