D.U.P. Constituency Office

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid-terrace five-bay two-storey over basement with attic-storey redbrick former Town Hall, built c.1885, rectangular on plan facing south with integrated carriage arch bay to east, added at a later date.

Pitched natural slate roof with two tall profiled render and redbrick chimneystacks and boxed dormers behind balustraded parapet wall resting on projecting cornice supported by scrolled modillions. Replacement metal guttering breaking through parapet wall. Redbrick walling laid in Flemish bond, tuck pointing and rusticated render quoins to either end. String course below eaves cornice with platband to continuous sill course to both ground and first floors. Rustication below ground floor sill course resting on moulded plinth course. Square-headed window openings on continuous sill courses with moulded architrave surrounds and horizontally-glazed 2/2 timber sash windows. 6/6 timber sash windows with stone sills to rear elevation.

Symmetrical five-bay two-storey redbrick and stucco front elevation with additional two-storey bay to east. Window openings to first floor have full Doric entablatures above including the tripartite window over the carriage arch, all having knee mouldings. The central window has full pediment supported on scrolled console brackets. Window openings to ground floor have architrave surrounds on blocks to profiled sill. Central square-headed door opening with double-leaf timber panelled doors and overlight with architrave surround flanked by panelled pilasters on plinth blocks and pair of scrolled console brackets supporting segmental pediment. Door opens onto tiled step with terrazzo between jambs. Segmental-headed carriage arch opening with scribed voussoirs, bowtel moulding and linenfold keystone with naturalistic plaque above in relief depicting long-necked creature with serpent tongue rising from foliate arrangement. Pair of modern timber gates through brick carriage arch with loop-hole window and metal sheeted soffit.

West abutted by adjoining building No.27 (HB19/13/019).

Multi-bay three-storey north rear redbrick elevation with two-bay two-storey redbrick section built over carriage arch with flat roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods run across rear elevation with stepped brick eaves. Various square-headed window openings with mostly 6/6 timber sash windows and pair of timber casement windows to the second floor. Single-storey brick accretion to centre with square-headed door opening having hardwood glazed door opening into gravel paved yard lined with modern two and three-storey brick dwellings to east and north with early rubblestone boundary wall to the west.

East elevation abutted by adjoining building No. 33 (HB19/13/003)

Roof Natural slate
RWG Replacement metal / cast-iron
Walling Red brick
Windows Timber sash

Historical information

The current building, which was for a time Lisburn Town Hall, was originally built in 1883-4 as an estate office for Sir Richard Wallace, and is the site of a French Huguenot church of the early eighteenth century. This had, however, gone some years before the building of the estate office. (Lisburn Cathedral)

The current building is shown on the third edition OS map of c1900 and enters valuation records in 1883 when it is noted as ‘unfinished’, houses previously on the site having been ‘taken down’ after 1880. By 1884 it has been completed and is listed as the property of Sir Richard Wallace Bt. in fee, an ‘estate office and yard’ valued at £75.

Kee notes that, during the period when the building was used as an estate office, “speaking tubes were used between the rooms, and the name of the official was on a circular plate round the tube where it entered the wall. There was a secret stairway from what later became the Town Clerk's office, from upstairs down to the office below, once the surveyor's office. If Mr. Capron, chief estate agent, had no wish to see a client, he got out of the way down this stair and out on to the street… Due to alterations the stairway has disappeared.” (Lisburn Miscellany)

By 1902 the house was the property of Lisburn Urban Council and in 1905 is listed as the offices of the Urban District Council.
It is now in use as Democratic Unionist Party offices.

Primary References

1. PRONI OS/6/1/68/3 – Third Edition OS Map c1900
2. PRONI OS/6/1/68/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1921
3. PRONI OS/6/1/68/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/9A-T – Annual Revisions (1863-1924)
5. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/1/ – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1877-c1898)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/2/ – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1898-c1907)
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/4 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1907-c1927)

Secondary References

1. Kee, R “Lisburn Miscellany” Lisburn Historical Society, 1976 (available at www.lisburn.com)
2. “Lisburn Cathedral” (available at www.lisburn.com)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Five-bay two-storey red brick and stucco-fronted former Town Hall with decorative classical door and window surrounds and balustraded parapet. The intact front elevation with its additional bay to the east displays good style and proportions. There is good quality original fabric in the interior, including original joinery, plaster cornicing, an impressive stone and iron staircase and the original council chamber complete with decorative timber bookcases, coved ceiling and some fittings. Originally built as an estate office for Sir Richard Wallace, it has group value with no. 27 Castle Street (HB19/13/019) next door, also originally part of the estate office and Wallace House adjacent (HB19/13/004). With its interesting history as part of the devlopment of Castle Street it contributes to heritage of the Lisburn area.