35 Victoria Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey-over-basement with attic three-bay semi-detached townhouse, built c1855 and located to the south of Victoria Road near Holywood town centre. Rectangular on plan with portico to front and projecting box-bay to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles; rectangular brick chimneystacks having terracotta pots. Ogee cast-iron rainwater goods on painted masonry eaves. Walling is Flemish-bonded red-brick with painted sandstone quoins and portico; gable is roughcast render: to rear; rubble-stone to ground-floor and sandstone plat-band between ground and first floor. Windows are 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash (unless otherwise stated) with painted masonry continuous sills and flat-brick lintels. Ogee cast-iron rainwater goods on painted masonry eaves.

The principal elevation faces north and is four openings wide. To ground floor is portico with four semi-engaged Doric columns with antae and two Ionic columns surmounted by plain entablature with pediment and cornice having dentilled eaves; sash glazing to cheeks. Inner doorway has bolection-moulded two-panelled timber door having brass door furniture; paned side lights and transom light with pilaster jambs and panelled pilaster mullions. Sunken basement surrounded by cast-iron railings; two openings to left and single opening to right: exposed section of porch with window opening to either side. Portico with original cast-iron glass lamp.

The east elevation has two round-headed 2/2 timber-framed windows with horizontal glazing bars to attic.

The south (rear) elevation has a single opening to either side of central projecting box-bay (those to left are multi-paned). Box-bay is two-openings wide: narrow 2/2 timber-framed windows with horizontal glazing bars to left (not to second floor); simple timber door to centre at ground floor. Right bay has glass panelled double-leaf doors to ground floor with flat brick surround, glazed sidelights and transom light; accessed by three brick and stone slab steps.

The west elevation is abutted by adjoining building (HB23/20/056A)

Setting
The house is set back from the road with a small tarmacadam parking area to front; painted masonry walls with coping stones and polygonal gate piers with pointed caps. Large mature garden to rear enclosed by hedgerow and fencing.

Roof: natural slate
Walling: brick
Windows: timber
RWG: cast-iron

Historical information

This house is one of a pair of semi-detached houses known as ‘Mill Bank’, built, according to Merrick, c.1855 and in the style of Thomas Jackson. (Merrick, p.58)

Victoria Road in Holywood began to be developed from around 1850 to provide homes for merchants and professional people who were attracted by the opening of the railway in 1848, affording easy access to Belfast. The houses were built near a disused windmill that has, at times, been referred to as a ‘Martello Tower’, perhaps having performed that function during the Napoleonic wars. The windmill was in use until the 1840’s. The current houses are on the site of a water-powered mill which was supplied with water from an artificial dam close to the windmill. A small river running behind the house is thought to have been the border between Scottish and Irish plantations. (Merrick, p.5, 55, Belfast Telegraph)

The house is first shown on the second edition OS map of 1858, uncaptioned. Griffith’s Valuation of the period (1856-64) as ‘Mill Bank’. The houses were leased from Andrew Cowan who also owned the row of houses called ‘Walmer Terrace’ (HB23/19/006A-F) which was built at about the same time.

The current house is leased from Andrew Cowan by Joseph Bigger and is valued at £50. In 1892 the valuation is reduced to £35.5s. In 1902 the immediate lessor becomes Omar C Nelson, who was a solicitor. Following an appeal in 1904 the valuation is reduced to £31 and valuer’s notes give a plan and dimensions of the property.

The house was occupied by a succession of tenants, Edward McHugh (1880), Edith Russell (1900), James McGee (1906), John Russell (1908), William Hartley Patterson (1909), Mary Irvine (1915) and Raymond Burke in 1920 who also became the immediate lessor the same year. Maud Houston was the occupier in 1923.

Millbank is associated with the journalist and lawyer Andrew Joseph McKenna (1833-1872). McKenna married Catherine McHugh, the daughter of Edward McHugh and moved to Millbank where he died in 1872. McKenna was educated in Cavan and Maynooth and during his early career wrote poetry for newspapers including The Nation under pseudonyms. He became the first editor of the Catholic newspaper Ulster Observer, in 1862, but following pressure on him to resign due to his liberal views, he left and founded the Northern Star, which was also subject to criticism by the Catholic establishment. After his death in 1872 the paper ceased publication. He was admitted to the bar in 1865 but his fledgling career as a lawyer was cut short by his death. (www.oxforddnb.com)

William Hartley Patterson was an architect who was apprenticed to William Henry Lynn and then worked at the office of Graeme, Watt & Tulloch in Belfast where he became a partner. He emigrated to Canada in 1909. (www.dia.ie)

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/3/52 – Valuer’s Notebook (1900-06)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
8. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
9. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)
10. Belfast and Province of Ulster Street Directory, 1880
11. Belfast and Province of Ulster Street Directory, 1890

Secondary Sources

1. Belfast Telegraph, Wednesday 5th March, 1975
2. www.oxforddnb.com – Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online
3. www.dia.ie – Dictionary of Irish Architects online

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-storey-over-basement with attic three-bay semi-detached mid-nineteenth century townhouse, built c1855. Architectural detailing is of good quality and is largely intact. Set on the site of an old mill, and one of a pair both of which are equally well-preserved. The pair are a good example of the type of urban residence that formed part of the development of Holywood after the railways arrived.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbere, it was previously recorded as HB23/20/056