14 Clonevin Park

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey redbrick and rendered house, built c.1905. T-shaped on plan facing south with pair of canted bays and two-storey redbrick return to rear. Set back on the north side of Clonevin Road within its own landscaped grounds.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and pair of redbrick chimneystacks with profiled cement coping and clay pots. Cast-iron guttering on exposed rafter feet, sheeted overhanging eaves having timber bargeboard and shaped brackets to either gable and cast-iron downpipes. Painted pebbledash rendered walling to the upper floor with redbrick walling laid in English garden wall bond to the lower level having a splayed render string course between floors and a projecting redbrick plinth course. Generally square-headed window openings with redbrick surrounds, red sandstone sills and original timber sash windows with original glass.

Symmetrical three-bay two-storey front elevation with pair of three-sided canted bays to the ground floor with lead roofs, moulded cast-iron guttering, chamfered flush red sandstone lintel and sill course and single-pane timber sash windows. Paired windows to the upper floor with 6/1 timber sash windows. Central three-centred arched door opening formed in moulded redbrick and red sandstone with a compound arch, chamfered brick jambs and decorative red sandstone carved stop chamfer at sill level. Original tripartite timber doorcase with Art Nouveau leaded coloured glazing, bolection moulded flat panels, brass doorstep and plain tripartite overlight.

West gable has two window openings to the ground floor (as per front elevation), a single off-centre window opening to the first floor with brick surround and 6/1 timber sash window and a pair of round-headed window openings to the attic level with single-pane timber sash windows.

Rear elevation is abutted by a lower two-storey redbrick return and a central lucarne rising from the centre of the rear elevation having a segmental-headed single-pane timber sash window. Details as per remaining elevations with natural slate hipped roofs to the return, diminutive single-pane timber sash windows and a timber panelled and glazed door. To the west elevation of the return a pair of single-pane timber sash windows with single concrete sill, inserted c.1980 and replacement timber glazed door opening into a small rear yard.

East gable is blank.

Setting:
Set on the north side of Clonevin Road on a modest landscaped plot with gravel driveway and enclosed to the road and neighbouring properties by hedging. The north side of the rear yard is enclosed by a single-storey redbrick outhouse having a single pitched natural slate roof with original sheeted timber doors and timber sash windows.

Roof: Natural slate
RWG: Cast-iron
Walling: Pebble-dash render / redbrick
Windows: Original timber sash

Historical information

The current house is first shown on the fourth edition OS map of 1921, but the third edition shows that Clonevin Park had been laid out and building along it had begun by 1900. The 1901 census lists only one house in Clonevin Park.

A field survey of the building has given an approximate date of c1905. The census for 1911 records 17 houses along the road and it appears that most of the dwellings on the north side were in place by this date.

Trevor Neill’s reminiscences of Lisburn during the Second World War record that the current house was used as a firestation during this period. “In Clonevin Park on the right hand side going from Antrim Road was a field, part of which is now Sepon Park and houses on Clonevin Park. This field was a brick store which was greatly needed as bricks were used for air raid shelters and other buildings. There was a Fire Station at No 14 Clonevin Park with a large garage for fire engines in the rear garden. On the opposite side of the road the branches of the lime trees were used to hang the hosepipes to dry! Lisburn fire engines and crew assisted at the Belfast Blitz in 1941, as did the Fire Services from Dublin and Cork.” (Journal of Lisburn Historical Society)

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
4. Journal of Lisburn Historical Society, Vol 10, 2005-6 (available at www.lisburn.com)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey redbrick and rendered house, built c.1905. Rectangular on plan facing south with pair of canted bays and two-storey redbrick return to rear. A good example of a late Edwardian suburban residence retaining a wealth of original fabric and detailing both internally and externally. Mostly Edwardian in character, the Fort Hill district of Lisburn is largely unspoiled and this house makes a significant contribution to the heritage of the area. The building is of additional interest as it was used as a fire station during the WW2.

General comments

Criteria R- Age and S - Authenticity also apply.