216 Ballylesson Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached gabled two-storey with attic Arts and Crafts style rendered house, built c.1896, to the designs of Vincent Craig. Rectangular on plan facing north on an elevated landscaped site to the south of Ballylesson Road.

Steeply pitched terracotta tiled roofs with terracotta ridgecomb tiles and finials. Rebuilt redbrick chimneystacks and moulded cast-iron guttering to exposed rafter feet and plain timber bargeboards. Wet dash rendered walling to redbrick plinth course. Segmental-headed window openings with timber sash windows having geometric glazing to the upper sashes.

Front elevation is abutted by a single-bay two-storey gable having a jettied first floor with applied timber framework and paired timber casement window with the jetty supported on paired timber brackets to either end. Below the jetty-storey is a round-headed front entrance with hood moulding, stop-chamfered reveals and original arched timber door with oval leaded light, flat panels and brass furniture. Segmental-headed window opening to the left of the entrance with tripartite timber casement windows having leaded coloured glazing. To the re-entrant angle is a single-storey two-side canted bay with paired sash windows. The door opens onto a replacement stone platfrom and swept steps.

Three-storey east gable with timber bargeboard and timber eaves brackets, abutted by flat-roofed wing having tripartite window opening and door opening with replacement glazed timber door. Side door opens into side yard enclosed to the north by a screen wall having a diminutive terracotta tiled roof.

Rear elevation has an off-centre gable with the flat-roofed wing abutted by a single-storey gabled sunroom, built c.2000. Segmental-headed window openings with paired or tripartite timber sash windows as per above.

Three-storey west gable with single, paired and tripartite windows as per above.

Setting:
Set on an elevated site to the south of Ballylesson Road access via steeply inclined bitmac drive. Extensive lawns to south and west with small enclosed yard to the east elevation. L-plan range of lofted redbrick outbuildings line the east and south of the yard having pitched natural slate roofs, cast metal rainwater goods, sheeted timber doors, sliding sash windows and concertina sheeted and glazed garage door.

Roof Terracotta tiles
RWG Moulded cast-iron
Walling Wet dash render
Windows Orginal single-pane timber sash with geometric upper sash

Historical information

Glenvale House was originally constructed as the Manse to Ballycairn Meeting House which originated from 1830. It was designed by Vincent Craig, a Belfast based architect (who was also the younger brother of Sir. James Craig the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland) between 1891, when he established his practice in Belfast, and 1901 when the Manse first appears on the third edition of the Ordnance Survey map (Dictionary of Irish Architects); the current owner states that the house was constructed in 1896. The 1901 map solely depicts the house, although the eastern outbuilding had been constructed by the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey maps in 1920.

The Manse was occupied by the Rev. George Duncan at the time of the 1901 Census. The census building return described the Manse as a 2nd class dwelling which possessed a slated roof and contained 11 rooms; before the construction of the east outbuilding the only out offices recorded were a fowl house, a turf house and a shed. George Duncan led the Ballycairn congregation from November 1888 until his death in July 1908 (PRONI Wills Catalogue – 13/07/1908). Duncan was replaced as minister by the Rev. Samuel James Clarke who was installed in October 1908. Clarke also took over possession of the Manse and was recorded as occupant in the 1911 Census. By the latter census the east outbuilding had been constructed and housed the Manse’s stable, cow house and coach house.

The house continued to be utilised as a Manse until at least the construction of the current Ballycairn Presbyterian Church on the Ballylesson Road in 1926 although it is not known exactly when the Church sold the Manse. By the 1971 Ordnance Survey map the building was used as a private dwelling and had been renamed ‘Glenvale house.’ Recent additions to the site include the installation of a sunroom to the southeast side of the house.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/9/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/9/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/9/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1901-1902
4. PRONI OS/6/3/9/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1920-1921
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/25A – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
6. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
7. PRONI Wills Catalogue (1908)
8. Ordnance Survey map 165 (1971)

Secondary Sources

1. Kelly, D., ‘Lisburn’s rich church heritage: Churches and places of worship in the Lisburn city area’ Lisburn: Impression Print and Design, 2009.
2. Dictionary of Irish Architects Website - http://www.dia.ie/

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

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached gabled two-storey with attic Arts and Crafts style rendered house, built c.1896, to the designs of the accomplished local architect, Vincent Craig. Rectangular on plan facing north on an elevated landscaped site to the south of Ballylesson Road. A fine Arts and Crafts house which retains most internal and external features with sensitive additions made in recent years. As a work of the renowned late nineteenth - century architect, the house is a good representation of his domestic work and is of social interest as it was originally designed as a Presbyterian manse.

General comments

This record was completed without access to original source material held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.