108 Seacliff Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical two-storey, three-bay Victorian mid terrace dwelling, one of a terrace of six, built c.1855. Rectangular plan form with two two-storey rear returns and enclosed yard. Located on the coast overlooking Belfast Lough to the east of Eisenhower Pier.

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles; overhanging timber eaves and bargeboards. Sandstone rubble walling with smooth rendered band course between floors; smooth rendered canted bay. Rendered and yellow brick chimney-stacks with clay pots, shared with adjoining buildings. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Square headed timber 2/2 sliding sash (horizontally divided) with margin panes; red brick surrounds. Timber four-panel front door with cast-iron ironmongery; fixed light with margin panes over; small lean-to canopy supported on masonry wall brackets; brick/plaster surrounds.

The principal elevation faces north-west and is asymmetrically arranged. The front door is centrally located; small round arch stained glass window directly over on first floor. The right hand side rises to a gable embracing a two-storey rendered canted bay with leaded hipped roof. Ground and first floor windows to left hand side.

The left gable is abutted by adjoining listed building HB23/05/016E.

The rear elevation is abutted on the right by a pitched two-storey return shared with adjoining building; two-storey L-shaped mono-pitched return comprising stairwell, upper floor accommodation and external storage. Single-storey projection into enclosed yard; further modern conservatory style extension to right hand side.

The right gable is abutted by adjoining listed building HB23/05/016C.

Setting

Elevated site overlooking Belfast Lough encompassed by Victorian and Edwardian terraces to the sides and rear. Garden to the front and rear; car park constructed to front. Large flag stone path leading up to front entrance with shoe scrapers either side.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Sandstone/smooth render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The houses of ‘Clifton Terrace’, as it was originally known, were among the earliest to be built along this stretch of coast. The development of this area took place largely towards the end of the nineteenth century and accelerated with the arrival of the railway in 1865. The terrace is first shown captioned ‘Clifton Terrace’ on the second edition OS map of 1858, at which time it is surrounded by open countryside. A photograph of uncertain date, perhaps 1870s, shows the terrace as one of the few developments along the coastline at that time. (Wilson, p.29) By 1901 the area had been filled with significant properties for professional and mercantile residents.

The terrace is listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as the property of William Cowan, the immediate lessor being Robert E Ward, the local landowner. Each property is described as a ‘house, offices, yard and pleasure ground’ valued at £20. Primary evidence suggests that William Cowan was a grocer and wine and spirit retailer with premises in Church Lane and Joy Street, Belfast. (Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1858-9) He died in 1862, a wealthy man, and his company William Cowan Ltd became celebrated for the production of Cowan’s No 4 Old Irish Whiskey (Will of William Cowan, Commercial Directory and Shippers Guide). One of the houses in the terrace was let to Andrew Cowan, who is cited in William’s will as a ‘gentleman’ and is perhaps a son. The Belfast Newsletter reported in May 1857 that the terrace had been built, “in the very best manner, embracing all modern improvements in ventilation, and every convenience that can be desired. Each house contains a large Dining-Room, Five Bed-Rooms and Servants’ Apartments, two water-closets, Kitchen, Scullery and two pantries, all well-enclosed with a good yard” (Belfast Newsletter). Each house has twin returns, one of which originally housed the kitchen and scullery. The second return contained stores and a WC with a maid’s room over. The 1901 census indicates that the houses had 11 rooms and were deemed to be of the first class due to their size and construction. (1901 census)

In 1877 the terrace passed to Hugh Furey who let the houses out to lodgers, retaining one of them for the use of his family, as William Cowan had done. Hugh Furey is listed in a 1900 street directory as a draper, family grocer, tea, wine and spirit merchant of Main Street, Bangor. (Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1900)

Number 108 was vacant at the time of the 1901 census but by 1908 is the home of Edith V H Collier. The 1911 census shows that she had gone to another house by this time and in 1917 the house is occupied by Christina Vivash. Henry Donaghy is noted to be the tenant in 1923. The owners recall that in the 1920s and 30s an upper front room was converted into a chapel, and a stained glass window is visible to the front facade. (Owner information) The house became a bed and breakfast concern some years ago and is still operated as a B&B by the present owners. (Owner Information)

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/2/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
2.PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
3.PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
4.PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
5.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/2 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
6.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
8.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
9.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/9A-S – Annual Revisions (1900-1930)
10.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (c.1864-1899)
11.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/2 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (1898-c.1916)
12.PRONI Will of William Cowan, died 28 March 1862
13.Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1858-9
14.“Commercial Directory and Shippers Guide” Liverpool, RE Fulton, 1872
15.Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1900
16.Belfast Newsletter, 12 May 1857
17.Lawrence collection, photographs 2865, C5054
18.Welch collection, photographs 20, 21, 23, 24
19.1901 census
20.1911 census

Secondary Sources

1.Owner information
2.Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999
3.Wilson, I “Bangor, Historic Photographs of the County Down town” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1992

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two-storey, three-bay Victorian mid terrace dwelling, one of six, built c.1855. Although modernised with the addition of a rear extension, its special character survives. Style, proportion and detail have remained unaltered and it has group value as part of the terrace while making a positive contribution to the coastal setting. The terrace represents the development of the town and the house is a noteworthy example of the type of property built for the affluent classes around the time of the arrival of the railway.

General comments

Previously recorded as HB23/05/016