Terence McCourt Solicitors

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-bay three-storey end-terrace red brick commercial premises built c.1900 and located on the south side of Bachelors Walk in the centre of Lisburn. Rectangular on plan with flat-roof single-storey return and lean-to to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles; conjoined red brick chimneystack with yellow brick plinth and clay pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on decorative yellow brick and edged brick eaves course. Walling is English garden wall-bonded red brick with yellow brick string courses at springing and sill level. Windows are 2/2 segmental-headed timber-framed sliding sash with margin panes and horns, having yellow brick lintels and projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces north and is three windows wide, regularly spaced, to upper floors. Ground floor has entrance to right of centre; two windows to left and a window to right. Replacement timber door with plain fanlight in deep reveal having yellow brick lintels with black brick keyblock (also to ground floor windows).

The east elevation is cement rendered and blank.

The south (rear) elevation is irregularly arranged. Window to second floor left and right with diminutive window to right of centre; to centre (at landing level) is a modern uPVC door to fire escape. First floor has a window to left, centre (at a lower level) and at right; to far right is a modern timber door with oversized transom light to fire-escape. Ground floor is abutted at left by the single-storey flat-roof extension; replacement window and lean-to to left of centre. To right is a large replacement timber casement window.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building.

Setting:

Corner-sited at the junction of Bachelors Walk and Graham Gardens. Car-park to rear enclosed by rough-cast rendered wall and timber fencing on rubble stone plinth to south; timber entrance gates and timber-sheeted gate to pedestrian entrance.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: English garden wall-bonded red brick
Windows: 2/2 timber-framed sliding sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This house once formed part of a terrace on the south side of Bachelor’s Walk. The row is first shown on the third edition OS map of c1900, but several houses were demolished after 1900 in order to allow entry to the newly-laid-out Graham Gardens, number 19 appears to be the last remaining property. In the 1920s, 19A Bachelor’s Walk, identifiable as the current house, was the lodging of Miss Maud Hunter, for many years the owner of the Egan harp, now in the possession of Lisburn Museum. This classical concert harp, manufactured by the eminent harp maker John Egan in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century has now been fully restored to playing condition. (Lisburn Historical Society Journal)

Miss Hunter was a harpist who gave concerts in Belfast and also taught the piano at her Bachelor’s Walk lodgings, even after losing her sight in later life. She was central to the production of music at Seymour Street Methodist Church (HB19/16/019A) and the Lisburn Historical Society Journal carries an account of her contribution, as small boys watch her arrival in a jaunting car at Seymour Street Lecture Hall, “The Jarvey seated on the dickey with a foot on each shaft stirred himself and, after climbing down via a foot pedal, removed the rug from the passenger's knees and assisted the little lady to alight. She immediately commenced giving instructions regarding the unloading of the musical instrument strapped on the other seat of the jaunting car. The boys watched wide-eyed, for this instrument was not a violin, 'cello or even a double-bass but a harp, and was generally only seen once or twice a year, and they never ceased to be amazed by the fact that when placed carefully on the path, the instrument was taller than its owner, who was under five feet in height. The lady's name was Miss Maud J. G. Hunter and no history ... of Seymour Street would be complete without mention of her name. She was organist for thirty ... years and although the actual dates of Miss Hunter's service may be uncertain ... she was organist and continued for some considerable time after the new organ was installed in 1920”

References:

Primary Sources

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

Secondary Sources

1. Kee, F “Lisburn Miscellany” Lisburn Historical Society, 1976 (available at www.lisburn.com)
2. Vincent, I ‘New Life for an Egan Harp’ Lisburn Historical Society Journal, Volume 10, 2005-6

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A three-bay, three-storey end-terrace red brick commercial premises; built c.1900 and located on the south side of Bachelors Walk in the centre of Lisburn. The polychromatic brickwork and proportions are typical of the late-Victorian period, and detailing to the main elevation is largely intact. An off-centre entrance indicates some modification to ground floor. The interior has been completely refurbished, with little or no historic fabric remaining and there are alterations to the original floor-plan. Although of local historic interest as the former residence of the Lisburn harpist Miss Maud J. G. Hunter, the building is relatively late and not considered of special interest and worthy of listing.