20 Seymour Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid-terrace four-bay three-storey redbrick former townhouse, built c.1830. Rectangular on plan facing north with three-storey single-bay stairhall projection to rear abutted by gable-ended three-storey return. Now vacant.

Pitched gauged natural slate roof, black clay ridge tiles and redbrick chimneystack to either end abutted to those of adjoining buildings with octagonal clay pots. Ogee-moulded cast-iron guttering on iron drive-through brackets to eaves and round cast-iron downpipe. Redbrick walling laid in Flemish bond, painted rusticated quoins and plain rendered plinth course up to ground floor sill course. Gauged brick flat-arches to square-headed window openings, flush rendered reveals, painted masonry sills and original 6/6 timber sash windows with no horns and cylinder glass.

Four-bay three-storey redbrick front elevation with uniform arrangement of window openings. Original timber shutters to ground floor windows with raised-and-fielded panels. Off-centre round-headed door opening formed in redbrick with timber panelled door having eight raised-and-fielded panels, flanked by pair of slender fluted engaged columns supporting lintel cornice and webbed fanlight above. Door opens directly onto street.

East rendered gable rising above roof of adjoining building with some redbrick revealed and abutted by tall redbrick chimneystack.

Painted rendered three-storey rear south elevation abutted by single-bay three-storey stairhall projection to the right with hipped natural slate roof and triple-height round-headed stairhall window opening having original 9/9 timber sash window with incorporated fanlight, resting on a stone sill with further multi-pane timber window below. Open-string timber staircase visible to interior with turned balusters, carved tread ends and polished handrail. Gable-ended three-storey return (possibly of later date) with redbrick chimneystack to blank gable and landscape window opening to the east cheek at each level with timber casement windows.

Rendered west gable rises above adjoining house abutted by rendered chimneystack.

Rear return abutted by rubblestone single-storey gable-ended outbuilding with pitched slate roof and steel casement windows. Rear rubblestone yard wall adjoining site no. 22 Seymour Street. Remainder of rear site, finished in gravel and used as car park.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Redbrick / render
Windows Original timber sash

Historical information

A visual inspection of the building suggests that it may date from c.1830. Unfortunately the Townland Valuation town plan for Lisburn has not survived and it is not possible to identify the building with any certainty in the relevant fieldbook.

The building is, however, listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as the residence of Rev. Richard Scott. It is a house, offices, yard and small garden, with buildings valued at £33. Dimensions are given for the house, two returns and two outbuildings. The valuer notes that is ‘about to be sold’ and that the accommodation comprises, ‘parlour and dining room, two over and four at top, kitchen room over and room at top in return’. Rev. Richard Scott is listed in the diocesan history as curate of Christ Church Derriaghy from 1855 to 1856.

In Annual Revisions the house is initially occupied by Reverend Richard Scott, later changed to Mrs Hunter (undated change) and leased from George K Smyth. It is a house, offices yard and small garden, buildings being valued at £29. In 1862 Mrs William Steen Hunter and her two daughters, Mary and Anna opened a school for ladies in the house, which was open to both day pupils and boarders. On January 2nd 1863, an advertisement appeared in the Belfast Newsletter, “Lisburn Ladies’ School, Mrs Hunter’s Seminary will recommence (D.V.) on Monday. Jan 5th 1863, at Ten o’clock, when a punctual attendance of Pupils is earnestly requested. Although her School opened only in August last Mrs Hunter has reason to be gratified both by the number and progress of her Pupils: and, as her two daughters were duly trained in respectable Seminaries, where they acted as Teachers, she hopes to render her Establishment increasingly worthy of public patronage by adopting the most improved methods of intellectual and moral culture. Her Elder Daughter had much experience and success in teaching Music in Belfast, and has been liberally countenanced as a Pianist since her commencement in Lisburn. Evening classes for French and Writing will be duly resumed. Mrs E B Harper of Hillsborough will teach Singing at convenient hours and Mrs Gubbins of Belfast, will conduct Classes for Dancing: all of which will be open to Young Ladies not attending the Day School. Every suitable encouragement to diligence and emulation will be given by Judgment Cards, Examinations, Prizes, and other stimulants to industry and good conduct.”

A further advertisement appeared some years later, on July 2nd 1869, “Educational Establishment for Young Ladies under the Direction of Mrs Hunter, Seymour Street, Lisburn. Mrs Hunter takes a limited number of Boarders to educate with her own children, securing to all, experienced teachers and strict school discipline, with the comforts of a home circle. She has had considerable experience in the care of children from India, whose constitutions being more or less impaired, require particular attention, and she can give
references to persons of the highest respectability in this country, who have the guardianship of those children. In consequence of the removal of two of them at the 1st August, Mrs Hunter will have corresponding Vacancies, which she will be glad to have supplied.”

Reverend John Powell is the occupier after 1869 until 1872. John Powell was the first minister of Sloan Street Presbyterian congregation. He had formerly been removed from his congregation in Carlow due to his intolerance of Catholicism and the threat of boycott by the Catholics of the town. He then moved to Lisburn and set up a classical academy. In 1860 when approval had been given for the setting up of a new congregation in Lisburn, Rev. Powell held services in a hay loft in Castle Street. In 1861 the new congregation were divided among which minister to follow, some choosing David Clarke and building a new church in Railway Street. John Powell held services in a carpenter’s shop until a site was found for a meeting house in Sloan Street and in 1880 he resigned due to ill health. (History of Congregations)

From 1872 to 1920 the house is occupied by the Ellison family, first John Ellison and from 1902, Frances Ellison. Craig and Ellison are listed in the Commercial Directory and Shippers’ Guide 1862 as being in the ‘hemp and tow’ business in Lisburn. From 1920 the occupier is Victor McMurray in fee. McMurray ran a printing business in Lisburn and was the printer of journals and books including, ‘Rann, A Quarterly of Ulster Poetry’ and the Rev H C Marshall’s history of Lambeg parish.

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/68/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/1/68/2 – Second Edition OS map 1857
3. PRONI OS/6/1/68/3 – Third Edition OS Map c1900
4. PRONI OS/6/1/68/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1921
5. PRONI OS/6/1/68/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/168 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/61A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/9A-T – Annual Revisions (1863-1924)
9. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/1/ – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1877-c1898)
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/2/ – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1898-c1907)
11. PRONI VAL/12/E/40/4 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (1907-c1927)
12. Belfast Newsletter 2nd January 1863
13. Belfast Newsletter 2nd July 1869
14. Commercial Directory and Shippers’ Guide 1862, p.396

Secondary Sources

1. “Clergy of Connor, from Patrician Times to the Present Day” based on the unpublished Succession Lists compiled by JB Leslie, Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation and Library Committee of the Dioceses of Down, Conor and Dromore, 1993
2. “A History of Congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 1610-1982” authorised by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Belfast: Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, 1982 (available at www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Mid-terrace four-bay three-storey redbrick house on the south side of Seymour Street, which retains all its external features including a diminishing course slate roof, original timber sash windows complete with cylinder glass and panelled shutters and an original doorcase. The rear stairhall projection retains an unusually tall stairhall window with original glazing, revealing a Georgian style staircase within. This house retains many of the external and internal elements of a Georgian townhouse. With its vertical emphasis it is an inportant buuilding in this part of Seymour Street.