56 Lisburn Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical two-storey three-bay late-Georgian mid-terrace rendered townhouse, built c.1800 and located on the west side of Lisburn Street in Hillsborough town centre. Rectangular on plan with double-height return to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles; rendered chimneystacks with tall terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods. Walling is ruled-and-lined render. Windows are replacement 1/1 timber-framed sliding sash with horns and projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces east and is three openings wide. To centre at ground floor is a replacement glazed-and-panelled timber door in smooth rendered surround, accessed by a single stone step.

The south elevation is abutted by adjoining building.

The west elevation is abutted at left by the double-height return; timber-sheeted doors to left of centre and modern timber window above; south elevation has four small modern timber windows. To right is a modern timber door accessed by six masonry steps and a small modern window.

The north elevation is abutted by adjoining building; HB19/05/056.

Setting:

Forming part of an early nineteenth-century terrace on the approach to Hillsborough town centre, facing Hillsborough Presbyterian Church dated 1833. Gravelled driveway to rear accessed at lane to north.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Ruled-and-lined render
Windows: Replacement 1/1 timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

No. 56 Lisburn Street can first be seen on a c. 1800 map of Hillsborough where it depicted as an oblong building with a rear return situated at the top end of Lisburn Street and occupied by a Mr. J Magoveny. The oldest section of Hillsborough, Lisburn Street underwent development between c. 1800 and c. 1830 when a large number of buildings on the northern portion of the street were constructed; at that time Lisburn Street was named ‘Great Newport Street due to the construction of the Lagan Canal in the late eighteenth century (Barry, p. 39). No. 56 Lisburn Street was one of a number of earlier Georgian houses that were constructed in the mid to late 18th century before the later development of the street. There had been little change to the layout of the site on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps (1833) and the Townland Valuation map (c. 1830s) which showed the house with its double-height rear return, valued at £4 16s. and then in the possession of a Mr. Thomas Stewart.

Griffith’s Valuation (1861) tells us that between 1833 and 1861 the property passed to a Mr. Robert Smyth and Edward Ferrans who occupied the site jointly. The valuer described the two-storey property as a 1B- class dwelling which measured 8 ½ by 6 yds and possessed a two-storey rear return 7 by 4 ½ yds; the entire property was valued at £5 at that time. Both men had vacated the premises by 1864 when the Annual Revisions record that a Mr. William Dorman had come into possession. Dorman resided at No. 56 Lisburn Street until his death around 1887 at which time the house passed to his widow. Dorman’s widow lived at this address until c. 1890 when the house came into possession of a Mr. Thomas Beatty whom the Ulster Towns Directory records as a ‘car owner’ (1901) and later as a pork cutter (1910). The 1901 Census tells us that Beattie (42) was a widower who resided at No. 56 Lisburn Street with his three daughters, the oldest of whom, Agnes Beattie (19) was employed as a dress maker. The 1911 Census Building Return describes the house as a 2nd class private dwelling which possessed five inhabited rooms and two store rooms as its sole out offices. In 1911 two of Thomas Beattie’s daughters had left home, however at that time Beattie continued to live with his daughter Agnes, her husband Joseph Portland (30, an Army pensioner) and their newborn son Thomas Portland.

Thomas Beattie was recorded as occupant of the house until 1913 when Joseph Portland was recorded as Lessor; although by 1918 Agnes Portland was noted as the sole occupant in the Annual Revisions. Joseph Portland does not appear again in the valuations; Agnes Portland, however, continued to be recorded as the occupant of No. 56 Lisburn Street until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1930.
There has been no significant alteration to the site since the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1919-20; No. 56 Lisburn Street continues to be used as a private dwelling.

References
Primary Sources

1. PRONI D671/M/8/25 – Hillsborough Map c.1800
2. PRONI D671/M/8/57/1 – Hillsborough Illustrated Map 1803
3. PRONI VAL/1/B/344 A-B – Townland Valuations 1834
4. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/5 – Town Plan 1834
5. PRONI OS/6/3/14/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
6. PRONI OS/6/3/14/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1858
7. PRONI OS/6/3/14/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1902-1903
8. PRONI OS/6/3/14/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-1920
9. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/45A-C – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14A – Annual Revisions 1864-1879
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14B – Annual Revisions 1880-1889
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14C – Annual Revisions 1890-1908
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14D – Annual Revisions 1909-1928
14. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/14E – Annual Revisions 1928-1930
15. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
16. Ordnance Survey map 184-5 (1966)

Secondary Sources
1. Barry, J., ‘Hillsborough: A parish in the Ulster plantation’ (3rd ed.), Belfast, Universities Press., 1982.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A symmetrical two-storey three-bay late-Georgian mid-terrace rendered townhouse; built c.1800 and located on the west side of Lisburn Street on the approach to Hillsborough town centre. Simply detailed and well-proportioned, the building retains some of its historic character. Forming part of an early nineteenth-century terrace, number 56 contributes to the character of the historic street. Despite being of interest the building has replacement windows and front door and is not considered of special interest and suitable for listing.