52 Springhill Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, two-bay modernist-style suburban dwelling erected c.1940. Square plan with small return and oblique porch, located on the west side of Springhill Road, southwest of Bangor town centre.

Flat roofed; finish unknown; overhanging eaves; uPVC replacement soffits and fascia board. uPVC rainwater goods. Smooth rendered white walling with red brick features to chimney and porch. uPVC replacement windows throughout except for one original single glazed timber frame window at ground floor level. Plain timber front door with decorative surface mounted hinges and fixed opaque glazing to the left.

The principal elevation faces east and is asymmetrically arranged. Single-storey flat roofed red brick porch abutting the ground floor at 45°; extended roof supported on circular steel columns set on a red brick plinth wall. Right of porch is a full-height timber framed window returning around corner. Ribbon window running full width of first floor; projecting plain surround and intermediate plain columns.

The south elevation has a single window opening to the ground floor right hand side.

The rear elevation has various openings; two storey return to the left hand side; large uPVC French doors at ground floor level. Ribbon windows to first floor.

The north elevation has a red brick chimneystack projecting left of centre; breaking through the eaves.

Setting

Narrow site encompassed by two-storey pitched roof dwellings. Small garden to the front; flat-roofed garage and garden to the rear.

Roofing: Flat roof (Finish unknown)
Walling: Render / brick
Windows: uPVC / timber
RWG: uPVC

Historical information

The house does not appear on historic maps of the Bangor area up to 1939, first being shown on the OS map dating from the 1960s. According to Patton, Springhill Road was developed after 1950. The road takes its name from Spring Hill farm which lies further south along the road and was demolished in 1983. (Patton, p.198) An architect for the present house is not known.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
2. OS Map Sheet 115 – Surveyed 1959-68

Secondary Sources

1. Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999

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

A two-storey, two-bay modernist-style dwelling erected c.1940. The overall composition is of minimalist architecture, derived from the styles and proportions of the International style; exemplified by the lack of ornamentation, ribbon windows and flat roof. Although there has been some alteration, its overall character has survived. It is one of the few examples of a smaller house in the style and quite well-executed.