2 & 4 Glen Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical two-storey plus attic; two-bay semi-detached Victorian dwelling built c.1885. Located on the north side of the main Bangor to Belfast Road; adjacent to the entrance to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

Pitched natural slate roofing with crested terracotta ridge tiles and finials; timber moulded barge boards; large moulded cavetto cornice to eaves. Tall chimney-stacks with recessed panels and corbelled upper courses. Ogee moulded cast-iron gutters with circular downpipes; some uPVC replacement. English Garden-wall bond red brick; pin tuck pointed (eroded); moulded corbel course to eaves at the rear. 1/1 and 2/2 timber sliding sash windows; vertical glazing bars to the front elevation and horizontal to the rear. Timber double door with etched glazed panels; segmental arched over light; embraced by double chamfered segmental arched opening.

The principal elevation faces north and forms the left half of a symmetrically arranged façade shared with the adjoining dwelling (HB23/16/039B). Two-storey canted bay breaking through eaves level to the right. Door to the left surmounted by bipartite window embraced broken cornice with gable head over.

The left elevation is asymmetrically arranged; projected two-storey gabled left bay with attic level; ground floor abutted by projected box-bay with tripartite round-headed window, (camber-headed with decorated spandrels) and surmounted by a cast-iron parapet. Triple first floor window and bipartite attic window. Single-storey flat roofed abutment to the right comprises front entrance (entrance to apartment no.4) to the left and casement window with opaque glazing to the right. Semi-canted bay located at the re-entrant of the gable at first floor level over the front entrance.

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged. Two-storey cat-slide return to the right comprises various window openings and rear door, accessed by modern timber steps, (entrance to apartment no.2) and single-storey pitched roofed extension to the left. Single window to ground and first floor right of return with a modern feature dormer above.

The right gable is abutted by adjoining dwelling (HB23/16/039B).

Setting
Timber fence with gated entrance of modern brick piers with ball finials leading to driveway with adjacent garden and timber shed. Paved terrace with balustrade parapet wall to the north and east. Timber steps to the rear with largely unfinished grounds; bounded by coursed rubble wall with brick upper course with busy road beyond.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Red brick
Windows: Timber sliding sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This part of Cultra began to be developed in the second half of the nineteenth century after the opening of the railway in 1865 and by the time of the ordnance survey in 1900-02 several medium-sized villas had appeared in the area. These catered for the increasing numbers of professional and mercantile classes wishing to escape the insalubrious surroundings of Belfast and establish themselves in a spacious setting within easy reach of their businesses. The current house appears, uncaptioned, equidistant from both Cultra and Craigavad stations.

This semi-detached pair appears to have been built by William Adolphus Ross, well-known producer of Belfast mineral waters, who had formerly lived a little further to the north at ‘The Ivies’ (HB23/16/004) The houses first enter valuation records in 1886, initially vacant and both owned by W A Ross. They are valued at £30 each and this is raised to £45 in 1887, probably as the houses were completed. In 1887 William Ross became the occupier of one of the houses and lived there until his death in September 1900 leaving a modest fortune of over £4,000. According to Patton, “William A Ross & Son were the chief rivals to Cantrell & Cochrane in the production of Belfast mineral waters, and sunk one of their wells to 420 ft to ensure absolute purity and equilibrium of temperature.” (Patton, p.338) Industries of the North notes that the firm was founded in 1876 by William A Ross and was at the time one of Ireland’s foremost firms in the aerated water industry. “They are also famous for their high-class raspberry vinegar, prepared from a special class of berries grown at Mr Ross’s own gardens at Craigavad, County Down. These berries have a peculiarly delicate and delicious flavour, and produce a beverage which is quite unsurpassed by any fruit drink in the market”. (Industries of the North, p.74) The gardens in question are likely to be those at the present house or those at the Ivies, William Ross’s former residence.

After William Ross’s death, his house passed to John W Lemon and then to Elizabeth Nelson who was resident at the time of the 1911 census. Elizabeth Nelson was a 45-year-old widow from Wales who was living on the ‘interest from money’. She lived with her three children and a spinster older sister. The household availed of two servants, a Scottish cook and a ‘house parlour maid’ from county Antrim. By 1918 the house was the property of William J Orr. (Annual Revisions; 1911 census)

The second house in the pair is recorded as vacant for some time after it was built. The first occupier to be noted is Margaret Ferrie in 1890, followed by George M Shaw in 1897. George Shaw, a linen merchant, lived with his Scottish wife and a domestic servant, Rosetta McLees. (1901 census) By 1909 the occupier was Mrs Annabella Eddowes who was an English widow of 69 living on the return from investments in houses and shares. She had a staff of three, a cook from Scotland, a waitress from Tipperary and a housemaid from county Armagh. (1911 census) The house passed to George Ward in 1913 and Edith M Ward in 1919. (Annual Revisions)

Both houses were converted into apartments in the mid-twentieth century, and remain in domestic use.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/11A-C – Annual Revisions (1888-1930)
6. PRONI Will of William Ross, died 22/9/1900
7. 1901 census online
8. 1911 census online

Secondary Sources

1. “Industries of the North One Hundred Years Ago” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1986 (First published as ‘Industries of Ireland, Part 1. Belfast and the Towns of the North’ in 1891)
2. Patton, M “Central Belfast: An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A symmetrical two-storey plus attic; two-bay attached Victorian dwelling built c.1885. Together the pair displays the style and proportions of the architecture typical of its time; however extensive modifications to the No 4 have compromised the overall character and integrity of the group. While of some local interest because of the connection with W A Ross, they are a common type of a late date and not one of the best examples of the style.