Hillsborough Police Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical two-storey police barracks with incorporated sergeants quarters and associated telephone exchange, located on Lisburn Road, north of Hillsborough village, formerly the main route between Belfast and Dublin. Built 1936 to designs by Department of Finance architect, TFO Rippingham. L-shaped plan with sergeant's quarters located in the return.

Hipped Rosemary tiled roof with two rustic brick chimneystacks and original iron rooflights to rear; original profile cast iron gutters with plastic downpipes on heavily projecting timber-sheeted eaves. Walling is rustic brick throughout. Windows are original horned timber sash, 8/8 at first floor, 8/12 at ground floor, all with internal security glazing (variety of configurations to rear). First floor window heads are at eaves levels, and have a continuous reconstituted stone profiled cill course, advancing over ground floor projection which contains the entrance porch. Ground floor windows have soldier brick lintels, slightly recessed, and openings to projection are set within semi-circular recesses with advanced brick imposts.

Principal elevation faces W and has seven regularly spaced openings to each floor. Ground floor has an advanced projection to left of centre, containing an arcade of three openings including central recessed porch. Porch cheeks are each lit by a small three light window; the original panelled entrance door has brass door furniture and a fixed panel to left side.

North elevation has a single window at ground floor.

Rear (east) elevation is abutted at far left by the sergeant's wing, and is lit by several irregularly spaced openings to each floor, including a tall 9/9 stairwell window; ammunition unloading bay abuts to right side. N elevation of sergeant's wing is similar, with E end lit by windows to each floor and opening onto a small enclosed yard.

Long S elevation has four unequally spaced windows to first floor, and entrance door to right of centre having two windows to right and four to left.

The telephone exchange is single-cell single storey building located immediately to north of the station. It is similarly detailed with steep hipped roof. It is plainly detailed with a door to left and a series of seven security windows with heads at eaves level, divided by dropped brick projections. There is a small later outshot to east side and a window at west flanking two infilled windows.

Setting:
Area to front landscaped with low hedges, with parking to front and rear. Mature trees and steel security fencing surrounds the site. The rear yard is bounded at east by a series of redbrick stores.

Historical information

Hillsborough’s former police station, a seven-bay two-storey redbrick barracks, was opened in December 1938; the station, which until recently was occupied by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, was originally designed by Thomas Francis O. Rippingham (c. 1896-1964). With the establishment of the Northern Ireland state in 1922 the newly-established Ministry of Finance appointed Rippingham as its official architect; early in his career Rippingham was tasked with creating a standard design for a series of barracks for the (also newly-formed) Royal Ulster Constabulary and between 1922 and the 1950s dozens of new stations were constructed throughout the six counties employing Rippingham’s standard neo-Georgian design (DIA)

In the aftermath of partition, Ulster architects had rejected modern trends and embraced a neo-Georgian revival. Dixon states that Rippingham’s barrack design is the ‘most outstanding’ application of the neo-Georgian style; the ‘basic design ... while having its own distinct identity derived some of its elements from earlier types of building in the province. The combination of hipped roof with chimneys rising from the end walls looks back to the early-18th century, while the arched recesses of the front door and its flanking windows borrowed from the Regency of Late-Georgian styles give the facade a simple yet positive dignity. The design was adaptable in size varying from three windows in width to eight or nine; it also proved an environmental success, blending with the older buildings along the streets of Ulster’s towns, or taking its place quietly in more isolated country situations.’ Dixon suggested that the police station in Seaforde Co. Down was ‘the most outstanding in the series,’ however the example at Hillsborough is arguably more striking; the building is typical of Rippingham’s neo-Georgian design whilst character of the building was complemented by the employment of redbrick in the façade (Dixon, p. 189).

The former police station on Lisburn Street, Hillsborough was constructed in c. 1938; prior to this date the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.) and R.U.C. had occupied nos 5-7 Main Street (HB19/05/016-017) in the centre of the village. The two-storey Georgian building on Main Street was utilised as the local police barracks from at least the mid-19th century until the 1930s when the current building was erected on Lisburn Street. The Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) records that the new station and its outbuildings was originally valued at £96.

Field inspection conducted at the site has noted that the local telephone exchange for Hillsborough was situated within the perimeter of the barracks; the exchange was fitted within the grounds of the station to protect the local communications network from possible sabotage (a common tactic of republic paramilitaries in the immediate aftermath of partition and throughout the Northern Ireland Troubles). This was common practice at the time, but few exchanges were passed into the ownership of the RUC/PSNI once new exchanges were constructed, and therefore this represents a relatively rare survival. In 2004 a refurbishment of the interior of the station was undertaken in order to comply with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (2004); as a result the interior layout of the station underwent minor alterations. Hillsborough Police Station has been excellently preserved. Due to its proximity to Hillsborough Castle, the residence of the Secretary of State and the official residence of the Queen, the station has frequently hosted visiting security forces for political and diplomatic events and, as a result, over £400,000 has been spent on the maintenance of the building in the past decade alone (Ulster Star)

Hillsborough’s former police barracks continued to be used as the local P.S.N.I. station until very recently. The building was closed and put up for sale in 2012 (along with 43 other stations throughout the province) due to cost-cutting measures. In the following year the Belfast Telegraph reported that the former R.U.C. and P.S.N.I. Station was ‘the only example of 1930s architecture in Hillsborough’ (Belfast Telegraph).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/49 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1956-1972)
2. Ulster Star (16 Mar 2012)
3. Belfast Telegraph (28 Oct 2013)

Secondary Sources

1. Dixon, H., ‘An introduction to Ulster Architecture’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2008.
2. Walker, S., ‘Hillsborough: An illustrated history and companion’ Belfast: Cottage Publications, 1994).

Online Resources

1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A fine asymmetrical two-storey former police station, conforming to the standard Department of Finance design under TFO Rippingham, and one of the finest examples of its type, having been maintained to very high standards and remaining largely original. The building is located on Lisburn Road, Hillsborough, formerly the main road from Belfast to Dublin. This example is distinguished by high quality materials using Rosemary tiles, rustic brick and tile detail, perhaps reflecting its location close to the state residence in Northern Ireland. Most were rendered and used natural slate for roofing. Interest is greatly enhanced by the associated telephone exchange, built in a similar style and reflecting one of the main security functions at that time, to protect vital communication links. Although many such exchanges were built, few are thought to have survived, and therefore this would is a relatively rare survival. It is well proportioned and detailed and enjoys a good setting, positioned well back from Lisburn Road.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.