Woodbank

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three-bay two-storey house with attached vernacular house, built c.1810, facing south and located on the east side of the Shore Road. Principal two-storey block with lower two-storey extension with hipped roof to left gable; Rear elevation is abutted by a three-bay two-storey return with central canted bay to east elevation and semi-circular bay to north gable. West elevation of return adjoins a two-storey vernacular house with pitched roof. The central courtyard is further enclosed to west by single-storey studio (former outbuilding) with mono-pitch roof and to north side by adjacent coach house.

Roof is hipped natural slate; blue/black clay ridge tiles; rendered chimneys with corbel course and octagonal chimney pots. Walls are ruled-and-lined render with projecting string course and plinth. Windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes with painted masonry cills unless otherwise stated.

Principal (south) elevation has central entrance fronted by Greek Doric projecting porch comprising fluted columns (with no base) and entablature. Window to flanking bays; window to right is flanked by two bas-relief roundels; window to each bay at first floor. Entrance door has six glazed panes over three fixed panels with transom light above all within deep moulded masonry architraves.

Left (west) gable is abutted by a lower two-storey extension with hipped slated roof.

Rear elevation is three-storey (third floor contained in attic level, shorter pitch due to off-centre ridge-line) and abutted by two-storey return to left; walls are roughcast; exposed section has door to left (six panes over one fixed panel) and 8/4 window to right; two windows to first floor; two windows to second floor, the left is fixed and located above the return roofline, the right is 2/4.

East gable is abutted by a two-storey return forming a symmetrical three-bay elevation with chimneys at party walls; central two-storey canted bay with hipped roof; window to each flanking bay at ground and first floor. Canted bay comprises central double doors, (two glazed panes over one fixed panel); window at first floor, window to each cheek at ground and first floor.

Return north gable has a two-storey projecting semi-circular bay with two windows to each floor.

Return west elevation is abutted by a two-storey vernacular house with pitched roof to left; exposed section (facing onto courtyard) has 8/8 window with margin lights to ground floor, and paired windows to first floor; both flanked by small centre-pivoted four-pane casements.

East two-storey extension north elevation has single-storey canted bay with central double doors detailed as east elevation; window to each cheek; canted bay surmounted by tripartite window. West gable has round-headed window to ground floor; abutted to left by random rubble wall and brick pillars with stepped square caps with ball finial, supporting cast-metal gates which give access to courtyard. North elevation of extension is roughcast rendered and abutted by a single-storey extension with pitched slated roof.

Courtyard is enclosed to west by single-storey studio with slated mono-pitch roof, and to north by boundary wall of adjacent coach house.

Vernacular house

emi-detached three-bay two-storey vernacular house is rectangular-on-plan with hipped natural slated roof; blue/black clay ridge tiles; rendered chimneys with corbel course and octagonal chimney pots to left gable and central party wall. Cast-iron rain-water goods throughout. Walling is roughcast rendered.

Principal elevation is three-bay with central entrance; window to flanking bays; two 1/1 sliding sashes at first floor. West gable is abutted by main building (two-storey north return) to left; exposed section has window at first floor. Rear (south) elevation faces onto enclosed courtyard; timber sheeted door to right; two 8/8 windows to left. Three windows at first floor; 3/6 at left; 6/3 at centre and 1/1 above door. West gable comprises two lean-to extensions; single-storey to right (with replacement door and window), two-storey to left with two timber casement windows at ground floor; right cheek (facing courtyard) has timber sheeted door with fixed 4/4 window above; left cheek has 4/4 fixed casement window. Gable exposed section has window at first floor.

Setting

Adjacent coach house is located to the west of the cottage. Rectangular-on-plan with hipped natural slated roof; blue/black clay ridge tiles; single red brick chimney to centre of north elevation. Cast-iron rain-water goods throughout. Walls are exposed random rubble to principal (north) elevation, roughcast render to other walls. Round-headed coach arch to north facade has replacement windows throughout.

Set in mature landscaped gardens to south and east; those to east extend to steep grass verges and private slipway, enclosed by random rubble wall at shore. Accessed at west by paired masonry pillars with stepped square caps and ball finials; central vehicular entrance with pedestrian entrance to each side, all with timber gates; gravel driveway gives access to car-parking and enclosed courtyard to the west of house.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Ruled and lined render unless otherwise stated
Windows: timber sliding sashes unless otherwise stated
RWG: cast-iron

Historical information

The building appears on the first edition OS map of 1834, although with more accretions than the current property. The house is first captioned as ‘Woodbank’ in 1902.

Griffith’s Valuation of 1859 records the occupier of ‘Woodbank’ as Rev. Robert W. Bland. A ‘house, offices, gate lodge and land’ are recorded, valued at £48, later revised to £65 (date not given). The house is described as being of ‘…elegant & [stone] finish & south aspect & nicely situated close with shore'. A hand-drawn map is included in the fieldbook which gives measurements or the various sections of the property.

Valuation Revisions record the occupier Edward Bland revised to Captain Euan Miller in 1930, and to Elizabeth Crookshank in 1932; the lessor is listed as Col. H. Mc Calmont, and the building valuation is £55.

Brett assigns the date of 1810 to the house, apparently built on the site of a much earlier house. He quotes Boyle, writing in the OS Memoirs of 1839: “Woodbank is the residence of the Rev. Robert Bland [and] is of the Grecian and Elizabethan style. Built 1837, 2 storeys high, with three acres of ornamental ground and planting. Thomas Jackson, Belfast, architect.” As Brett also points out, there are no Elizabethan or Grecian features (with the exception of the classical porch), so this evidence must be treated with caution.

Woodbank was also home to Lilian Bland (fl.1877-1972), who became the first female aviatrix, building and flying her own plane, the Mayfly, from Carnmoney Hill in 1910.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/57/2 –Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/57/3 –Third Edition OS Map (1902)
4. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/57 –Griffiths Valuation Map (1857)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/13 A+B –Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook (1859)
6. PRONI VAL/12/F/1/9/3 –Valuation Revisions (1930-35)

Secondary Sources:
1. Brett, C.E.B, Buildings of County Antrim, UAHS, 1996
2. www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/lilianbland.htm

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

An extensive three-bay two-storey house, built c. 1810, facing south and located on the east side of the Shore Road with views east over Belfast Lough. The house is plainly detailed and preserved in its original setting with associated outbuildings. Remodelling has taken place over the years, which adds to its interest and character. The changes have left the east facing façade, believed to have been the original principal entrance of a much earlier house, intact. The presence of a small vernacular house on the site also adds to its interest. As the home place of the Bland family this interesting group of buildings contributes to the history of the locale, as well as its architectural heritage.