3 Clanbrassil Terrace

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A large three-bay three-storey-over-basement terrace house, built c.1860, located on the south shores of Belfast Lough to the east of Holywood. Rectangular on plan.

Pitched natural slate roof; brick chimney with moulded rendered plinth, multiple flues and terracotta pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on sandstone dentilled eaves. Walling is ruled-and- lined render over sandstone. Windows are 2/2 horizontal timber-framed sliding sash with horns (1/2 to second floor) in moulded reveals ( reveals to principal elevation in deep relief); continuous sill to ground and first floor, projecting sill to basement and top floor. Sandstone surrounds with keyblock (no keyblock detail to basement windows).

The principal elevation faces north. Central three-quarter glazed timber door accessed by fourteen stone steps; lower steps with raised grass bank to either side; final five steps contained within rendered masonry wall and piers, topped by cast-iron railings. To right; canted bay with four openings, extending from basement to first floor. Second floor is five openings wide. To left of bay there are three openings on ground and first floor. Basement comprises to right; canted bay, to left; panelled and glazed timber door; 2/2 sash window; 1/1 sash window under steps. Smooth rendered plat-band between ground and first floor.

The east elevation has stretcher bonded red brick facing; slender window opening with masonry lintel to right of ground floor; cement rendered and slate roofed lean-to below.

The rear elevation now contains the main entrance. It is symmetrically arranged with three openings to each floor about a central projecting porch accessed by four sandstone steps with octagonal tiles to top step; four panelled timber door with boletion moulded-and-raised panels; transom light. Door set into moulded surround with keyblock and moulded stringcourse at springing level; moulded cornice and dentilled eaves. Porch topped by two terracotta urns on plinth. Cast-iron and glass lamp over porch with finial and decorative horizontal supports. Steps down to basement to left through cast-iron gate and railings; top step with octagonal tiles. Basement to west has two diminutive 1/1 timber framed sash window to left and timber half-panelled timber door to right. To east wall (under porch) there is a diminutive window with projecting sill.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building HB 23/18/26B.

Setting

The terrace has a large lawn to the north, separated from the beach to north and west by a rubble stone wall and steel three-bar railing; to the east a fence and hedgerow separates the terrace from a neighbouring property. Access to the rear through curved entrance walls; round rendered stone piers with projecting pointed caps on corbels. Bound to road to south by rubble stone wall with brick and stone coping.

Roof: Natural Slate
Walling: render
Windows: timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The terrace is not shown on the second edition OS map of 1858 but is listed in Annual Revisions of 1870 as ‘Clanbrassil Terrace’, ‘Clanbrassil’ being taken from Henry Hamilton, Earl of Clanbrassil, a local proprietor. The terrace consists of four houses, all vacant, the immediate lessor being James Connor and are each described as a house, yard and pleasure ground with buildings valued at £50. In 1877 this valuation is dropped to £42, perhaps as the result of an appeal. The valuation fieldbook notes in 1885 that the first house in the terrace, adjoining number 1, is in ruins and has burnt down. In 1887 the current house falls in value to £35 perhaps as a result of this. (Auld, p.30)

According to Auld, entrepreneurs George McAuliffe and James Connor commissioned cartographer J Phillips to draw “a pictorial map of houses and building sites to be let along the coast shortly after the arrival of the Belfast and Bangor Railway Company at Marino and Cultra stations. Clanbrassil Terrace is depicted as having five houses. Those at the ends are built at right angles to the central block. The house at the west end was destroyed by fire in 1878. The proposed house at the east end was not completed, protruding building stones indicat[ing] the intended additional residence”. Auld gives a sketch of the terrace as it was intended to look (Auld, p.29)

The developers reserved a site for site for stables and outbuildings nearby. “A double banked earth terrace rose from the sea bordered lawns to conceal the basement windows. Tennis courts and a pitch and putt course spread before the entrance front. A driveway was designed to surround the completed terrace.” The reception room ceilings “display the expert work of stuccoer William Hayes of Marino. Although built in 1867, the bathrooms’ equipment boasted showers, bidets and every toilet facility of the twenty first century. The basement floors provided full culinary capacity with wine cellars and housekeepers rooms”. (Auld, p.29)

By 1880 the occupier is Michael Buckley, listed in the Belfast and Province of Ulster Street Directory of 1880 as a solicitor, and then Charles Buckley in 1887. There are many changes of occupier in subsequent years, indicating that the house is let. The valuation of the house falls to £25 in 1910. (Auld, p.29)

The terrace first appears captioned ‘Princess Gardens’ on the third edition OS map of 1900-2 but after 1933 the name is changed to Clanbrassil Terrace. On the OS map of 1938-41, the terrace is captioned ‘Clanbrassil Terrace’.

In the 1930s the current house is occupied by Alexander Lee Richardson and leased from Thomas Shanks later changed to Sir Robert J Kennedy. It is valued at £29 later raised to £40. A plan and dimensions are given.

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 VAL/12/E/93/1 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1919-c1935)
7.PRONI VAL/3/D/4/4/A/3 – Valuers RV Binders (1933-57)
8.Belfast and Province of Ulster Street Directory, 1880

Secondary Sources

1.Auld, C.”Forgotten Houses of Holywood, Co Down” Holywood: Con Auld, 2003

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-bay three-storey-over-basement terraced house, built c. 1860, situated on the south shores of Belfast lough. Its character and detailing demonstrate the style of large and prosperous residence of the type developed in the late Nineteenth century as the suburbs of Belfast expanded and the railway arrived. Most of the external architectural detailing has remained intact, although, as part of renovation works in the early 1970s, minor but significant changes were made to the exterior. At the same time, from dereliction, the majority of interior detailing was reinstated. The modern end-terrace house at south may be said to complete that part of the original terrace but presently makes it asymmetrical. However, the house forms part of a distinctive terrace that, as a whole, is a good example of the type.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered, it was previously recorded as HB23/18/026