35 Belfast Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached two-storey two-bay end-terrace early Victorian house with attic, set back from Belfast Road, Holywood. No 35 comprises the left unit of a terrace of three; it is rectangular on plan with lower two-storey rear return, further extended by a single-storey extension (formerly an outbuilding).

Pitched natural slate roof with angled clay ridge tiles; cement rendered chimneystack with moulded cap and fiver terracotta pots shared with adjoining building (HB23/17/002B), and one simple stack to gable without pots. Gutters are ogee cast iron on an eaves board to front, half-round to rear on corbelled eaves. Walling is painted ruled-and-lined cement rendered over a slightly projecting plinth, with crenellated geometric frieze; there is a moulded string course to window head level at ground floor, and at first floor rising over window heads. Windows are generally uPVC sashes, unless otherwise stated; those to ground floor have stop-end chamfered reveals with fluted keyblock detailing, moulding detail to jambs and painted masonry cills. Door is timber four-panelled replacement with bolection moulding and beaded muntin; plain glazed transom over; stone threshold up a stone step. Surround consists of panelled pilasters on plinth blocks topped by scrolled foliated console brackets supporting a masonry canopy.

Principal elevation faces NW and has three evenly spaced openings to each floor, with door set to left side.

Left NE gable has a round-headed attic window, with replacement window having no hub. Small four-pane casement to first floor right side; ground floor abutted by a lean-to shed.

Rear SE elevation is enclosed by a tall rendered yard wall and the return with extension. The exposed left bay has a timber sash window to first floor and a glazed timber door to yard. The return has a tall chimney with two pots; east elevation has bi-partite sash insertion and, to first floor, a 6/3 and a 6/6 timber sash; west elevation has irregularly spaced sash windows. Rear gable is blank and abutted by the extension, which has a bi-partite sash and timber door.

Right SW gable is abutted by adjoining house (HB23/017/002B)

Setting
:
The house is set back and facing away from the Belfast Road, largely concealed from view by two two-storey nineteenth century houses (of no interest). The rear yard is enclosed by a tall rendered wall with timber sheeted door set into a round-headed niche, and accessed from a narrow alley between the terrace and the houses to south. A gravel forecourt leads to extensive former garden on a lower level to north, now completely overgrown and inaccessible.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: render
Windows: uPVC and timber
RWG: Cast iron

Historical information

This group first appears on the second edition OS map of 1858 captioned ‘Bellevue Terrace’ and comprises three dwellings overlooking the sea, the plot including a long strip of ground stretching down to the railway line. Behind the terrace are two further houses which appear to be contemporary with the terrace but are not part of the current listing. Merrick dates these houses to the mid-1840’s and states that this was the earliest terrace to appear on the Belfast Road. (Merrick, p.72)

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the terrace as three houses all leased from Robert Shaw and notes that the accompanying ‘pasture’ is leased by Shaw from John Harrison. In 1911 it is noted that the gardens are only partly fenced off, part being still in grass. An accompanying plan sketch of the group shows that there has been little significant alteration or addition since this time.

According to Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64), the current house is occupied by Henry Atkinson and valued at £28. Dimensions are given for the house, two returns and an out office. The next tenants are Charles Bernard (n.d.) and Hannah Clements (1880) In 1886 the valuation is reduced to £19 and then follow Marcus Ward (1887), John Gifford (1890), Hugh Small (1892), George Glynn (1900), Emma Hansard (1903), Edward Brown (1913) and James Alexander Henderson in 1926. Following a complaint in 1911 the valuer comments that this house is similar to its neighbour but has a small conservatory and a larger garden. At this time it was vacant but £33 a year rent was being asked.

Marcus Ward may have been a descendant of the Marcus Ward (d.1847) who founded a publishing empire with premises in London and Belfast. The company was especially well known for the production of children’s books and was one of the first mass producers of calendars and greetings cards. (www.belb.org.uk)

A small lean-to garage has been added to the side of the house. This is a modern addition and does not appear on early maps.

The current owner suggests that this and the adjoining house were at one time used as a private school, but no evidence has been found to support this.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
4. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/21 – Valuer’s Notes (1911-17)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/11A-C – Annual Revisions (1888-1930)

Secondary Sources

1. Merrick, Tony “Buildings of Holywood” Holywood: Holywood Advertiser, 1986
2. www.belb.org.uk – “Marcus Ward, a Virtual Exhibition”
3. Information from current owner.

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

A two-storey + attic two-bay early Victorian end-terrace house, located to the west side of Holywood. The house is one of a group of three identical dwellings, set with their backs to and some distance from the Belfast Road. The group is characterised by good proportions, restrained ornamentation and retains a substantial proportion of original fabric. It is of historical interest, having been among the first dwellings to be built in this part of Holywood, and representing the early spread of the town.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered from HB23/17/002