140 High Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-bay three-storey Victorian end-terrace townhouse, built c.1855 and located to the south of High Street in Holywood town centre. Rectangular on plan with three-storey return and single-storey flat-roof extension to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with brick chimneys having terracotta pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on overhanging corbelled eaves with paired brackets. Walling is Flemish bonded red-brick with painted smooth render having band rustication to ground floor; smooth painted render to north and east elevations; vermiculated block quoins to ground floor, plain above. Windows are a variety of timber framed sliding sash with flat brick arches; canted bay to ground floor is 2/2 (having horizontal glazing bars) with moulded window surround divided by Doric pilasters, plain entablature with dentilled frieze and corbelled eaves: segmental-headed 6/2 windows and continuous sill to first floor; 6/6 to second floor; uPVC replacements to rear.

The principal elevation faces west and is two openings wide. To left is canted bay. Entrance accessed by two masonry steps; door has four raised-and-fielded panels with transom light; panelled pilaster surround with ornate console brackets surmounted by corniced canopy.

The north gable has a window to right at upper floors; to ground floor is a modern timber door.

The east (rear) elevation has a window to right at all floors and is abutted to left by lower three-storey return. Return has window to all floors at gable and modern uPVC door to right at ground floor. Exposed section to right has two windows to right at second floor, a single opening to right at first floor, and is abutted to ground floor by the single-storey flat-roof extension (of no interest). Exposed section to left with single opening to first and second floor.

The south elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB23/19/006B)

Setting:

Situated to the south of High Street in Holywood town centre, with St Comcille’s Church and Tower (HB23/19/009) directly to south. Tarmacadam car-park to east semi-enclosed with painted masonry wall. Small paved garden to front enclosed by simple cast-iron railings and gate.

Roof: Natural Slate
Walling: red-brick and render
Windows: Timbeand uPVC
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The houses are first shown on the second edition ordnance survey map, captioned ‘Walmer Terrace’. According to Merrick, they were built in 1856 and housed a variety of merchants and professional people who were attracted to Holywood, following the opening of the railway in 1848. (Merrick, p.29) The terrace was also home to at least three members of the clergy, a Catholic priest, a Presbyterian missionary and a Church of Ireland curate.

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the houses as ‘Walmer Terrace’. They are all leased from Andrew Cowan who also owned the semi-detached pair of houses called ‘Mill Bank’ (HB23/20/056A-B) which was built at about the same time.

The current house is occupied by William Carson, a solicitor. It is a house, offices, yard and small garden valued at £32, later raised to £34. The rent is £40 yearly plus taxes and dimensions are given for a house, return, car house and stable. The valuation is dropped to £31 in 1872. John Carson (1890) was also a solicitor with offices at 41 Royal Avenue, Belfast. (Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1863-4; Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1901)

Holywood entered something of a decline in the late nineteenth century due to several factors, including the arrival of trams in Belfast in the 1870s which meant that the mercantile and professional classes had many more residential areas to choose from. The valuation is reduced to £30 in 1889, £29 in 1891 and £22.10s in 1904 following a complaint. Valuer’s notes of this period give a plan and dimensions of the building and state that the rent is £30 reduced from £35 yearly. The houses have 5 bedrooms and 2 receptions, hot and cold water and a bathroom. The valuer comments that this house has a stable.

John Carson died in 1911 and the next occupant was Thomas Laurie (1912). Following a complaint the same year the valuation was reduced to £19. Fraser Jefferson became the immediate lessor in 1929.

The building is currently in use as offices.

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/3/18B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/53 – Valuer’s Notebook (1900-06)
7. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/54 – Valuer’s Notebook (1906-12)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
9. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
10. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)
11. Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1863-4
12. Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1901
13. PRONI Will of John Carson, died 20/07/1911

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
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two-bay three-storey Victorian end-terrace townhouse, built c.1855. The building has been refurbished in recent years, with some loss of historic fabric and alteration to the original floor-plan. Despite this, some good historic detailing remains. This building forms part of an important group, being one in a terrace of six. The terrace is good of its type and illustrates the ongoing growth of Holywood in the mid-19th century.

General comments

Please note this record has now been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB23/19/006