Oakleigh

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three-storey, two-bay Victorian end-of-terrace townhouse built c.1900; square plan form with a large two-storey rectangular rear return. Located off Belsize Road, north of Lisburn town centre, directly adjacent to Wallace Park.

Natural slate hipped roof with clay finial over; leaded hips and crested clay ridge tiles. Large stucco cavetto cornice at eaves level, painted white with cast-iron ogee moulded gutter to the front and side elevation, semi circular cast-iron to the rear; large section box cast-iron downpipes to front elevation. Altered brick chimney stack located over the ridge line with six large clay pots over, reduced in height with the removal of corbel courses with the installation of concrete flaunch. Red-brick Flemish bond walling with projecting brick plinth changing to English Garden Wall bond to the rear return. The windows are single-glazed timber 1/1 sliding sash with horns, painted white with large rectangular sandstone cills. 1 ½ brick flat arches over window openings; brick keyblock with moulded cornice detail over. Timber door with four bolection moulded, raised-and-pointed panels with rectangular fixed light over flanked by plain pilasters, decorated at cornice level with egg-and-dart moulding, rising to large foliated console brackets, supporting cornice over.

The principal elevation faces south and is asymmetrically arranged. The front door is located off centre to the left and is accessed by two stone steps and flanked by two windows: on the left, a half circle arched timber framed 1/1 sash; on the left, a rectangular sash window. Upper floors have two equally spaced windows. The first floor windows have projected brick detailing under the cill. The heads of the second floor windows are embedded into the large cornice detail at eaves level. On the far right is a two-storey, shallow pitched, lead cover box bay, projecting from the corner of the building at a 45º angle with a single window to either side and paired windows to the front; additional decorated terracotta string course over openings, rising to a corbel brick course at eaves level.

The left elevation abuts adjoining building 3 Parkmount. (HB19/15/010C)

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged with a large hipped two-storey return projecting northwards from the right hand bay overlooking the rear garden. Uniformly arranged windows, with reduced detailing, serving all levels are located on the left. The return is asymmetrically arranged with modern alterations to existing openings. Centrally located is a double width sliding door with single brick soldier course over. To the right is a new tripartite timber casement window with painted concrete lintel over and a concrete cill. Evidence of an existing opening to ground floor has been infilled. There remaining opens have been left unaltered. The rear chimney which also serves the adjoining property is located to the left over the ridge line and has had alterations to the upper bricks courses. Some cast-iron rain water goods remain however much has been replaced with uPVC. Metal framed roof light located to the left of the chimney-stack serving a light-well over the first floor hallway. A further single storey flat roof modern extension projects northwards extending partially across the rear garden and abutting a masonry perimeter single-storey wall.

The right elevation is asymmetrically arranged, matching the detailing of the principal elevation. Large projecting bay located at the left hand side with a single window over. To the right are uniformly arranged windows serving all levels.

Setting:

The building directly overlooks the large mature trees and open green space in the adjacent Wallace Park and Lisburn cricket ground. To the west is the remaining terrace block of matching style and quality. The garden is located to the front of the house beyond a vehicular access to the other buildings within the group. The land to the side of the building has been cover with tarmac to create off street parking. The rear is enclosed by timber fence and masonry wall with no direct access to the rear. Modern dwellings erected beyond.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Red brick
Windows: Timber sliding sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Parkmount Terrace first appears on the third edition OS maps 1901-02 and is illustrated as a simple oblong row with no apparent returns. It is possible that the terrace was only part complete; still under construction at the time of printing the map, as the completed terrace includes rear returns and a stable block adjacent to number 1. On its first appearance in the Annual Revisions of 1901-11 all the buildings are recorded as being vacant in 1902, suggesting that they were either just completed, or at least nearly completed. The landlord was recorded as Hugh G Larmor who also occupied ‘Montreagh’, the larger, earlier house located on the same plot, thus suggesting that the terrace was a development to the rear of his own house.

Number 4 was first occupied by Robert Alex Endrican and was valued at £34, owing to it being slightly larger than the two centre dwellings but not having the luxury of a separate stable block. This value was subsequently reduced to £30 in 1911 at which point a new tenancy was taken up by Edward Riddall. The Riddall family remained as occupiers with the tenancy being handed over to Henrietta Riddall in 1924, followed by an increase in value to £35.

Primary Reference:

1. PRONI OS/6/1/68/4 – OS Map 1921
2. PRONI OS/6/1/68/5 – OS Map 1939
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/9P – Annual Revisions 1901-11
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/9Q – Annual Revisions 1911-22
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/9S – Annual Revisions 1921-24
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/10B – Annual Revisions 1924-31
7. PRONI VAL/12/A/1/108 – Annual Revisions Notebook 1901-04
8. PRONI VAL/12/A/1/114 – Annual Revisions Notebook 1921-22

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey Victorian end-of-terrace townhouse built c.1900, located on the perimeter of Wallace Park surrounded by mature trees and open green space. The external fabric to the front elevation has been largely unaltered and the style and proportions of the building and its adjoining neighbours are of a higher quality than most Victorian terraces. As a small group of four, each one forms an integral part of their group value and setting.