62 Princetown Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A substantial three-storey two-bay attached Victorian stucco house, built c.1875 for Robert Russell and located on the east side of Princetown Road overlooking Bangor Marina. Rectangular on plan with large three-storey return to rear with two-storey extension; two-storey bow window to front and north.

Pitched natural slate roof; stucco chimneystacks having tulip pots on moulded plinths; decorative bargeboard and finials to gables. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on boxed eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with rustication and vermiculated quoins to ground floor; corner pilasters with moulded panel to second floor; smooth render quoins to attic. Windows are 1/1 timber sliding sash; segmental-headed to attic. Bow bay to main elevation has panelled pilasters dividing window openings; ground floor with dentilled moulded entablature and moulded cornice; first floor has moulded cornice.

The principal elevation faces north-east; to right is two-storey bay window with paired segmental-headed window in gablet above; to left is single window with gablet; first floor with window framed by panelled pilasters having decorative console brackets and moulded cornice (merging with cornice of bow window). Doric portico with plain entablature and ovolo moulded cornice; double-leaf two-panelled timber door with cast-iron door furniture; sidelights and transom light.

The south-east elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB23/14/008A).

The south-west (rear) elevation has, to right, paired windows to first and second floor (that to first floor is stained glass); abutted to left by three-storey rear return with single diminutive window to second floor; north elevation has tripartite mullioned window to second floor; paired and single segmental-headed windows to first floor; two replacement timber windows to ground floor. South elevation partially concealed; single window to first floor. Return abutted by two-storey gabled extension with two windows to first floor; ground floor with single window and replacement timber door to right.

The north-west elevation has window to all floors at left; to right is two-storey bow window with four openings; surmounted by paired segmental-headed windows to second floor.

Setting

Positioned on a raised site overlooking Bangor Marina, accessed by a sloped tarmacadam driveway to west with painted masonry square gate piers having moulded cornice and square caps(HB23/14/008C). Lawned area to front enclosed by stone boundary wall with bold balustrade and ball finials to pillars; shared stepped access to front of house. Rear garden to rear enclosed by boundary wall and hedgerow.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This area of Bangor began to be developed towards the end of the nineteenth century as the town expanded into a fashionable resort and commuter town following the opening of the railway in 1865. The area is shown as empty fields on the second edition ordnance survey map of 1858 but by the third edition of 1901, Princetown Road has been laid out in terraces and villas as far as the promontory, Wilson’s Point.

This semi-detached pair of villas, known as ‘Augustaville’ first enters valuation records in 1875, as a development by Robert Russell Junior of two houses, unfinished, but valued at £26.10s each. This valuation is raised to £37 by 1882. (Annual Revisions) They may, however, have remained unfinished for some years, as a photograph held by Bangor Heritage Centre dated 1887 shows Augustaville still under construction. (Patton, p.161) Robert Russell is initially listed as the occupier of both houses and then as the occupier of number 60, ‘lodgers’ being recorded in number 62. In 1895 the valuation is reduced to £35 and the valuer indicates that the properties are seasonal lets, being ‘expensive houses to keep in repair...let furnished for May and June for £26’. (Annual Revisions) However, Robert Russell is listed in street directories of the period as resident in ‘Augustaville’ and the building may only have been let in the summer season, Russell retiring elsewhere, as was common practice in Bangor at the time. (Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1899).

The 1901 census shows that the current house was occupied by Charles Lepper, a gentleman with a private income, and his wife and young daughter. Also resident were a nursemaid from Fermanagh and a parlour maid from Tyrone. (1901 census) From 1906 the house is occupied by Thomas E McConnell, an Auctioneer and Valuer with premises in Arthur Street, Belfast (Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1907). The valuation is raised to £40, indicating some improvements to the property. Patrick Moore, a retired shipbroker is recorded as occupier in 1914 and he is followed by Hugh Moore in 1921.

According to the reminiscences of William Seyers, a development company began to build a hotel at the entrance to Marine Gardens and had a tool house on the site where Augustaville was later to be built. The company failed and the tool house building was run as tea rooms by a Mrs McAlpin for some years. (Seyers, p.13)

Patton describes the houses as, “A magnificent pair of stucco semi-villas, possibly the finest on the Marine Esplanade” (p.161) The houses are currently still in use as private residences.

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
2.PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
3.PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
4.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
5.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/9A-S – Annual Revisions (1900-1930)
6.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (c.1864-1899)
7.PRONI VAL/12/E/129/2 – Annual Revisions Town Plans (1898-c.1916)
8.Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1899
9.Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1907

Secondary Sources

1.Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999
2.Seyers, W T “Reminiscences of Old Bangor” Belfast: Lion Gate Press, 1983

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey two-bay semi-detached Victorian stucco house, built c.1875 by Robert Russell. The architectural detailing is of good quality and typical of the period. Its setting is enhanced by a gate screen (HB23/14/008C) which it shares with the adjoining property. It has group value with its pair(HB23/14/008A) and is a noteworthy example of the type of Victorian villas that were developed along the Esplanade, built for the wealthy merchants and professional classes, and illustrating the growth of Bangor as a seaside resort town during the 19th century.