122 High Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey three-bay mid-terrace late Georgian townhouse, built c.1830 and located on the south side of High Street in Holywood town centre. Rectangular on plan with two-storey return and projecting two-storey stairwell to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with brick chimneystacks having terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods. Walling is ruled-and-lined painted render. Windows are mainly 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash with exposed sash boxes; 1/1 sliding sash to second floor; timber-framed replacements to rear.

The principal elevation faces north and is four openings wide. Replacement timber glazed door to left of centre at ground floor, surmounted by transom light, decorative console brackets and ovolo moulded corniced canopy.

The east elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB23/19/002A)

The south (rear) elevation has single enlarged window to all floors at left; projecting two-storey stairwell to centre with single window above. To right is single window at second floor; abutted by two-storey flat-roofed extension with tall chimney to gable; window to each floor at gable. Exposed section to left has single opening to first floor and ground floor; to right is replacement timber door.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building.

Setting

Located to the south side of High Street on the approach to Holywood town centre. Narrow grass area to front with tiled pathway. To rear is large overgrown garden.

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

Historical information

High Street, Holywood underwent a period of growth from 1820 to 1850 when the town transformed from a small fishing village into a popular bathing resort and commuter town. (Merrick, p.20)

This building is shown on the first edition OS map of 1834 and the Townland Valuation town plan of c.1834. However, a large rise in valuation shows that it may have been rebuilt or remodelled by the time of the second edition (1858).

In 1834 the current house is the property of Mr Stewart and valued at £4. By the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) it is rented by Eleanor Orr from James Johnston Junior, the tenant of number 118. It is a house and small garden valued at £17 later raised to £18. The valuer comments that the rent is £25 yearly + taxes and that this is ‘too high’.

James Magill (1880) and Charles A Wilson (1887) are the subsequent tenants. The valuation is reduced to £16 in 1884. The next tenants are, Edward Polland (1892), a jeweller who later lived in Walmer Terrace (HB23/19/006), Edward A Fry (1900) William Arthur (1905), William J Kane (1907) and Anne Anderson (1911). Harry Burgess takes over in 1919 and rents the house from the representatives of William Dugan in 1923 and from Robert McCrea in 1929.

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/D/3/12 – Valuation Town Plan c.1834
7. PRONI VAL/1/B/318 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
11. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)
12. PRONI Will of Edward Polland, died 11/04/1904
13. PRONI Will of William Dugan, died 20/01/1902

Secondary Sources

1. Merrick, Tony “Buildings of Holywood” Holywood: Holywood Advertiser, 1986

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey three-bay mid-terrace late Georgian townhouse, built c.1830. The house has not been occupied for some time and is a poor state of repair. The interior fittings date from the late 20th century and there is little historic fabric remaining. However, it remains a fair example of the type and one of the older properties in this part of Holywood. This terrace is a significant part of the development of Holywood from a small fishing village into a popular resort and commuter town.