Bridge House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached three-bay two-storey with attic Victorian stucco villa in the neoclassical style; built c.1871 and set in large mature grounds to the north of Killaire Avenue, Carnalea. Square on plan with projecting porch to front, projecting bow window to north and box-bay to east; two-and-a-half-storey wing to south abutted by large modern extension and single-storey extension to rear.

Hipped natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles; rendered chimneystacks with dentilled plinth and terracotta pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting corbelled eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with plinth; band rustication to ground floor. Painted masonry projecting plat-band between floors. Windows are 1/1 timber sliding sash; segmental-arched to first floor in moulded lugged surround with keyblock; continuous sill.

The principal elevation faces west and is symmetrically arranged, being five openings wide. To centre at ground floor is projecting porch accessed by two stone steps enclosed by low parapet wall; porch has paired pilasters surmounted by entablature, frieze and ovolo moulded dentilled cornice; surmounted by balustrade parapet with piers as stops; double-panelled timber door having cast-iron door furniture.

The north elevation has two windows to either side of projecting two-storey bow window; bow window with three openings; balustrade under sill at first floor.

The east elevation comprises projecting box-bay to ground floor; tripartite window (outer windows are slenderer) divided by Doric pilasters; surmounted by ovolo moulded dentilled cornice; two windows to first floor.

The south elevation has a single window to first and ground floor at left; abutted to right by projecting wing; paired window to gabled dormer and single window to first and ground floor; abutted to right by large modern extension. West elevation has window to all floors (segmental-arched wall-head dormer to attic); east elevation has two windows to first and attic floor (segmental-arched wall-head dormer to left); paired window and half-panelled timber door in lugged surround with keyblock detail to ground floor; abutted to left by single-storey flat roof extension (of no interest).

Setting

Situated in large mature wooded grounds to the north of Killaire Avenue and close to the shores of Belfast Lough. Lawned sloping garden to north and private woods to west and east. The house is accessed via a gravel driveway enclosed by mature hedgerow and trees; gate lodge (HB23/15/004B) at entrance gate; sandstone ashlar gate piers with curved entrance wall having cast-iron railings.

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

Historical information

The undeveloped land to the west of Bangor started to be built on following the construction of the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway in 1865. The area is shown as open fields on the second edition OS map of 1858 but by 1901 several substantial mansions had appeared including ‘Elsinore’, as Bridge House was formerly known. The open spaces in this area allowed for the construction of residences in spacious grounds with commanding views over Belfast Lough. The railway station at Carnalea, which opened in 1877, made the area even more desirable. (www.railbrit.co.uk)

‘Elsinore’ first enters valuation records in 1871 as a house built for Daniel Joseph Jaffe on land leased from Richard R Clelland. The valuation is £78. Building work appears to have been ongoing for some time as in 1873 offices, a gate lodge and a pleasure ground are added to the description and the valuation is raised to £93. (Annual Revisions)

Daniel Joseph Jaffe, linen merchant, was the founder and organiser of Belfast’s Jewish congregation and laid the foundation stone of the synagogue in Great Victoria Street in 1871. His son was to become Belfast’s first Lord Mayor in 1899. Jaffe also lived at Craigdarragh (HB23/16/017) leading up to this period, perhaps awaiting completion of his new mansion, but he died in 1874 not long after ‘Elsinore’ was finished. The initials DJJ appear in the frosted glass of the inner door. (Dictionary of Irish Biography; Annual Revisions; Hyman, p.204-5)

In 1877 the occupier is noted to be William Davis. By 1894 F R Lepper is the occupier and in 1888 the valuation is raised to £98 following the addition of new two-storey outbuildings, 17x17 and 8x5. (Annual Revisions)

Francis Robert Lepper (1845-1908) was a Director of the Ulster Bank from 1868 and died in 1908 as the result of an operation. He was a JP for County Down and took a prominent part in local affairs with a particular interest in rifle shooting and cricket. (Knox, p.78) According to Patton, Lepper used Harland & Wolff craftsmen to install joinery work and frescoes (frescoes now gone). (Patton, p.112) In 1901 he was living at ‘Elsinore’ with his Dublin-born wife and their five children. A modest staff comprised a parlour-maid, a housemaid and a cook. The couple’s sons were a solicitor, an architect and an apprentice in a linen and cotton embroidery works. (1901 census) Francis Lepper’s son, John Charles Lepper, architect, designed the Ulster Bank’s premises in Portadown in 1909 and with his partner, William Fennell at least four more Ulster Bank branches between 1900 and 1905. He also co-designed a number of villas and shops but by 1911 had retired at the age of 35. (www.dia.ie, 1911 census)

Harriette Lepper, now a widow, is in residence at the house in 1911 with her solicitor and retired architect sons, and a daughter. They now have a staff of four, an English lady’s maid, a housemaid from Monaghan, a Fermanagh parlour maid and a cook born in County Cavan. (1911 census) The Leppers remained in residence until at least the 1920s and a photograph by Welch has survived showing the interior during this period, “very grandly laid out with scagliola entrance hall and spacious staircase hall with lantern over”. (Patton, p.112)

Subsequent owners of the property have included Edmond O’Driscoll, Chairman of Allied Irish Bank in 1968 and Professor Lowry. (First Survey information, www.answers.com/topic/allied-irish-banks-plc)

‘Elsinore’ has now been renamed ‘Bridge House’, Patton presumes after an iron pedestrian bridge over the railway giving access to the seashore. (Patton, p.112)

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/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
6. Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1861
7. 1901 census online
8. 1911 census online
9. First Survey information

Secondary Sources

1. Hyman, Louis “The Jews of Ireland from Earliest Times to the Year 1910” Shannon: Irish University Press, 1972
2. McGuire, J and Quinn, J, eds “Dictionary of Irish Biography” Cambridge: Cambidge University Press and Royal Irish
Academy, 2009
3. Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999
4. Knox, W.J. “Decades of the Ulster Bank, 1836-1964” Belfast: Ulster Bank Ltd, 1965
5. www.answers.com/topic/allied-irish-banks-plc
6. www.dia.ie – Dictionary of Irish Architects online
7. www.railbrit.co.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Bridge House, originally called Elsinore, is a three-bay two-storey detached Victorian stucco villa in the neoclassical style, built c.1871 for Daniel Joseph Jaffe and set in extensive mature grounds. The original setting has been encroached upon by housing developments, however its immediate surroundings including its mature planned garden remain largely unspoilt. Although a large extension has been constructed on the south, its character and architectural detailing is largely intact both internally and externally and it remains a good example of the types of houses built for wealthy merchants during the mid and late 19th century. Also of interest is its gate lodge (HB23/15/004B) located to the south, together forming a group.

General comments

This record has been renumbered: previously HB23/15/004.