3 Stewart's Place

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey two-bay house, built c.1850 located in Stewart’s Place, Holywood. The house is rectangular-on-plan (L-shaped ridge) with curved south-west corner, and has a modern two-storey extension to east. The house is one of a pair with 1 Stewart’s Place (HB23/20/020A).

Roof is pitched natural slate with hipped corner, angled ridge and hip tiles. There are two rendered chimneys with moulded caps. Half-round cast-iron gutters over slightly projecting eaves on paired brackets; cast-iron downpipes. Walling is ruled-and-lined painted render over a chamfered plinth with cill course between ground and first floor; the curved corner has a slightly recess. Windows are 2/2 (horizontally-divided) margin paned sashes with projecting painted masonry sills to ground and second floor.

Principal entrance elevation faces west and has three openings to each floor, including an arched door opening containing a four-panelled bolection-moulded door with brass furniture, two-pane sidelights with timber aprons, and three-pane fanlight over, all set in a timber frame with simple moulding to upright members .

South elevation has two windows to each floor.

East elevation is abutted by the modern extension, which is of no interest. Exposed right side has a window top each floor; that to ground floor is an enlarged bi-partite sash; first floor window is 6/6, and second floor is as others.

North elevation is blank but is abutted by the remnants of the gable and chimney of a previous lower building (rendered over and painted to match house).

Setting

The house occupies an urban
setting, bounded by public footpaths to west and south. The rear yard is enclosed by a tall rendered wall. The matching house to east (HB23/20/020, opposite) is derelict.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: rendered
Windows: timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The building is first shown on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858 and does not appear in the Townland Valuation (1828-40). It is one of a pair that appear to have been built around the same time c1850. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists it as the property of James Hewitt who leases it from Hugh Stewart. It is a house, yard and small garden valued at £21 and dimensions are given of 9x9½x3 for the house and 15x8x1 for the passage. A small return has dimensions of 3x4x1

In 1863 Joseph Pinkerton became the occupier and appears to have made some changes to the building resulting in a rise in value to £24. However in 1887 the house fell vacant and dropped in value to £21. Unfortunately there is considerable confusion with the numbering of 1 and 3 Stewart’s Place in the Annual Revisions and it is not possible to be absolutely certain which of the two houses is being referred to at any given time. It appears that in 1890 Henry C Carleton became the occupier. In 1892 it is first given the name ‘Mayview’, a small garden being added to the description and value is raised from £14 to £17. In 1900 Samuel Cochrane becomes the occupier. After several changes of occupier and at least one period of vacancy the Lowry family became occupiers in 1911.

This building was restored by Hearth for use as a dwelling.

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/3/18A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7.PRONI VAL/12/A/3/53 – Annual Revisions Valuers’ Notebook
8.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
9.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/11A-C – Annual Revisions (1888-1930)
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)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey two-bay mid nineteenth century house, prominently located to the street. The house is one of a pair and has been restored, although with some changes in plan to accommodate a new use. Although plainly detailed the house is a good and intact example of the type and part of a noteworthy pairing with No1 (HB23/20/020A), underscored by the curved corners.

General comments

Renumbered from HB23/20/021; paired with HB23/20/020 (now HB23/20/020A)