5 Marino Villas

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Corner-sited, end of terrace, gabled, multi-bay, two-storey, rendered Tudoresque house, built c.1830. L-plan, facing east with gabled entrance bay and single-storey extension to north. Remainder of original terrace attached to west. Extensively refurbished c.2002. Nos. 5 and 6 remain from the original terrace, with numbers 7 and 8 rebuilt.

Pitched natural slate roofs, roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles, lead valleys and cast-iron rainwater goods on iron drive-through brackets. Three gables rise above roof line with masonry coping. The principal east section is terminated by a gable to either end with a pair of angled square-plan chimneystacks flanking both gables, having crenellated caps and decorative octagonal clay pots. Further pair of square-plan chimneystacks rise from the west wall.

Painted rendered walling with projecting plinth course, decorative blind panels and hood moulding to the east elevation. The principal gables have decorative crenellated corner piers with further crenellated parapet spanning the gables above ground floor level. Single-storey extension has flat-roof with glazed lantern and enclosed by original rendered garden wall having stepped buttresses and a single pointed-arched chamfered door opening with vertically-sheeted timber door giving access to a small enclosed yard.

Square-headed window openings set in chamfered surrounds with replacement timber casement windows. Pointed-headed slender window openings to the entrance bay and to the north elevation. Modern timber full-height bay window to the north of entrance bay with slate roof.

Entrance-bay has a chamfered square-headed door opening with hood moulding over and contains a Tudor-arched chamfered door opening with replacement vertically-sheeted hardwood door opening onto a concrete step to a gravel footpath. To the south gable is a further chamfered square-headed door surround with pair of replacement timber glazed doors opening onto semi-circular steps to the front gravel area.

Setting

Gravel area to front bounded by hedges.

Roof: natural slate
Walling: render
Windows: timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This is one of a pair of semi-detached houses that were part of an interlocked trio of villas built c1830 to designs by John Millar for Thomas Ward.

The buildings are shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (1834) among a number of villas within a single plot. These are all listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40), the current building being described as ‘three houses and offices’, the property of Mr Thomas Ward, and valued at £19.8s in total.

In his 1837 publication, Samuel Lewis writes, “There are several good lodging-houses in the village and its environs; and from the increasing number of visiters, several houses in detached situations and chiefly in the Elizabethan style of architecture are now in progress on the Cultra estate, by Thomas Ward Esq, after designs by Millar. These houses are sheltered with thriving plantations and beautifully situated on a gentle eminence commanding a richly diversified and extensive prospect of Carrickfergus bay, the Black mountain, Cave hill, the Carnmoney mountains and the town and castle of Carrickfergus, the view terminating with the basaltic columns of Black Head.” However, it appears these observations were made some time before publication, as the OS Memoirs records the houses as already complete in 1834. The memoirs note that they “have been built for the bathing season, when they are generally filled from Belfast.” (Lewis, Vol II, p.6; OS Memoirs, p.74)

The second edition OS map (1858) shows the villas uncaptioned. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) of this period gives the occupier as Mrs Mary Anne Davis. Dimensions are given for the three dwellings and they are all valued at £19. A sketch plan is drawn in the margin. The valuer comments of the whole property, ‘very neat cottage, always likely to let well.’

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the houses were increasingly left unlet and became less attractive rental propositions – perhaps because of the growth and popularity of Bangor as a seaside destination once the railway reached it in 1865.

The house underwent periods of vacancy, changes of ownership and decreases in value. The valuation is reduced to £15 in 1907 and in 1915 it is reduced again to £11.10s following an application for reduction. James C Shaw becomes the occupier in 1922.

In 1933 Katherine Payne is the occupier and she leases the property from Henry J Harris. The valuation is raised to £16.10s. and the accommodation at this time comprises two receptions, a kitchen, three bedrooms and bathroom and WC. The house is supplied with gas and was the only one of the three houses to have a drinkable water supply, which came from the railway company reservoir.

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/1/1 – First Edition OS Map 1834
2.PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3.PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
4.PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
5.PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
6.PRONI VAL/1/A/3/1 – Townland Valuation Map (1828-40)
7.PRONI VAL/1/B/318 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
8.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
9.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
10.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
11.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/11A-C – Annual Revisions (1888-1930)
12.Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Down II, 1832-4, 1837, Vol. 7.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1991.

Secondary Sources

1.Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of North County Down” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002
2.Lewis, Samuel. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate, Market, and Post Towns, Parishes, and Villages, With Historical and Statistical Descriptions; Embellished with Engravings of the Arms of the Cities, Bishopricks, Corporate Towns, and Boroughs; Of the Seals of the Several Municipal Corporations.” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This picturesque Tudor-style terraced house, built c.1830 to designs by John Millar, once formed part of a terrace of three houses that together gave the illusion of a Tudor Mansion. They form part of a group of similarly styled dwellings, built as bathing villas, that represent both the beginnings of speculative development in this part of the North Down coast and the increasing popularity of coastal leisure pursuits among the wealthy merchant classes. The north end of the terrace has long been demolished and replaced by a pair of oversized dwellings that have borrowed the raised gables and chamfered window surrounds from the intact part.

The terrace is a significant element in the notable and unusual neo-Tudor character of the enclave.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered is was previously recorded as HB23/18/036