Chestnut Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached two-storey house built c.1950, located on the west side of Shore Road, Jordanstown. Rectangular-on-plan with flat-roofed garage extension to rear and single-storey flat-roofed kitchen extension to north.

Flat bitumen-covered roof with overhanging painted cast concrete eaves; brown brick chimneys with corbelled caps; rectangular brick water tank housing to roof. Walling is red brick stretcher bond at ground floor, pebbledashed to first floor, separated by painted cement cill course; soldier course brick eaves (unless otherwise stated); painted plastic rainwater goods. Windows are uPVC replacements divided into large panes; painted concrete cills. Corner windows are divided at external angle by cast concrete piers with filleted reveals and horizontal incised bands.

Principal elevation faces east and has projecting right bay. Left bay is longer and has three openings to each floor; from left at ground floor: a corner window: French doors with side lights and transom accessed by three diminishing concrete steps: a three paned window. First floor has a corner window at left, a two-pane casement to centre and a three-pane casement at right. Right bay has a corner window to first floor right, ground floor is fully glazed with projecting cast concrete canopy extending around a semi-circular projection at north end (see later). Central double doors are accessed by three wide concrete steps having brick breakfront centres.

South elevation is two bays with garage extension at left; right bay projects and has corner windows at each floor. Left bay has corner window at first floor; ground floor has recessed open porch partially enclosed by a pebbledashed dwarf wall and accessed by three tiled steps to tiled threshold. Replacement glazed timber door (with transom) to right side, high level horizontal window to left side, all with cast concrete lintel and divided by truncated cast concrete half-engaged fluted columns on concrete cill. Continuous canopy over porch and south elevation of garage; garage is surmounted by a balcony to right side enclosed by a timber sheeted balustrade.

Rear elevation is almost completely abutted by garage extension to ground floor, glazed flat-roofed sunroom to first floor. Exposed first floor has corner windows. Pebbledashed kitchen extension extends to north at ground floor left. All ground floor extensions are pebbledashed. Glazed sunroom has timber sheeted eaves board and apron. Rear access door (replacement) at north elevation of garage.

North elevation has semi-circular projection to left end; glazed over brick plinth, continuous curved cill course and cast concrete canopy, partially glazed with glass bricks, uPVC windows to remainder. To its right is a large three-paned window and projecting concrete block flue; corner window at right end. First floor has corner windows and two small windows to centre.

Setting

Set on an elevated site overlooking the Shore Road and Belfast Lough at east. Modern housing development to immediate west and south. Small sloping garden at east bounded by hedges. Modern house set to foot of hill at east.

Roof: Flat, bitumen covered
Walling: brick, pebbledash
Windows: uPVC
Rainwater goods: Painted plastic

Historical information

The second edition OS map of 1857 records a large residence on the site called 'Abbeyville'. The location of No. 640 comprises part of the site to the east of Abbeyville, which was one of a number of large single dwellings along this part of the Shore Road, set in extensive landscaped grounds with a gate lodge . The house, office, gate lodge were valued in Griffiths Valuation as a single entry at £66, and were occupied by Gilbert Vance.

The current house appears to have been built in the mid to late 1940s, but no records have been found to indicate when the land was purchased. The adjoining estate directly to east was developed in the early part of the twentieth century as Circular Road.

First survey information records that the flat roof was previously enclosed by a metal railing, now removed.

References:

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/57/3 – Third Edtion Ordnance Survey Map (1902)
3. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/57 - Griffiths Valuation Field Map (1859)
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/13A&B - Griffiths Valuation Field Book (1859)

Secondary Sources:
1.Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015: Public Inquiry-Departmental Statement. Available from: (Accessed 24th Nov, 2008).
2. First survey information, DoENI, NIEA.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Chestnut Hill is a two-storey flat roofed inter-war dwelling constructed of brick with pebbledash and concrete detailing. The house has lost its original metal framed windows, but remains dominated by large expanses of glazing; walling treatments and the use of concrete canopies provide a linear emphasis. A number of contemporary buildings in the immediate area appear to reflect the stylistic detailing of the house. The interior has lost many original salient features, however layout remains intact, with strong natural light throughout. Although representative of the interwar years and of mid Twentieth-century domestic architecture it is not a particularly good example of the genre and has been compromised by alteration and modernisation.