Belvoir Park Hospital

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An extensive complex of Edwardian buildings in red brick and sandstone dressings of generally plain character but with some detailing in English Renaissance style. The main ward blocks are aligned north-south in pairs, with the main entrances facing east or west, all connected by a covered open-air corridor extending from the main administration block, while the main entrance gateway faces east, forming a group with two lodges, one to each side of the driveway.

Note: due to the complex being comprised of a number of different buildings, the Exterior Description is divided into a number of different sections for ease of reference, numbered as follows –

1. Main entrance gateway
2. South Gate Lodge
3. North Gate Lodge
4. Administrative Block
5. Covered way
6. Pavilion 1
7. Pavilion 2
8. Pavilion 3
9. Pavilion 4
10. Pavilion 5
11. Pavilion 6
12. Former Observation Pavilion (now part of Montgomery House)
13. Former Staff House
14. Former Nurses' Home ('West House')
15. Laundry and engine house
16. Mortuary
17. Workshops
18. Setting

1. MAIN ENTRANCE GATEWAY
Main entrance gateway comprises a pair of original square section red brick piers with large gabled sandstone caps surmounted by modern lamps now with original gates removed. Extending to the north of the right-hand main pier is a low screen wall, cement rendered with chamfered sandstone coping, surmounted by original wrought iron railings, curving forward to terminate in a square red brick end pier, as previous, but without any lamp on top; railings and pedestrian gate have curved finials; both sets of railings are mounted with the name of the hospital in later modern painted steel letters. Extending to the south of the left-hand main pier is an original wrought iron pedestrian gate connected to a matching main pier, as previous but without a lamp standard, extending to the south of which is a screen wall with terminal pier as previous.
The southern screen railings have a large curvilinear wrought iron stay connected to the screen wall. The two central main piers have modern steel security gates mounted on the rear faces. Also mounted on the rear face of the southern main pier is a run of original railings connected to the open porch of the South Gate Lodge.

2. SOUTH GATE LODGE
A single storey lodge comprising a main rectangular gabled block with a later lower gabled rear return, a later flat-roofed rear extension, and a lean-to open porch to the front. Main entrance faces north onto the main driveway, but main gable faces east to the public roadway.

Main entrance front, facing north: roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; terracotta ridge tiles of serrated profile; central chimney, of red brick with sandstone cap, and two pots. Walling of red brick. PVC gutter and downpipe. Two doorways, rectangular timber panelled, the one to the left containing a small later rectangular spy hole; plain timber architrave set in plain reveals; concrete step to left-hand door; chamfered sandstone lintels. Modern metal handle and locks.
Projecting at the left-hand portion is a lean-to open porch with swept roof, supported on two circular corner cast iron posts; decorative tongued and grooved frieze, decorative tongued and grooved cheek to west side, but now missing from east side. PVC gutter and downpipe.
Main gable has a curved coping of shaped sandstone; shallow central curved bay containing three windows, rectangular modern pvc fixed lights with top-hung vents set in plain reveals with continuous curved sandstone cill, and chamfered continuous lintel, surmounted by a small ogee lead roof with concealed gutter; pvc downpipe. Apex of gable contains a carved sandstone shield depicting the arms of Belfast.

Rear elevation, facing south: roof and walling as previous to entrance front; one window to right-hand side, pvc as previous with sandstone lintel and cill. To left of window is later lower gabled rear return in red brick; roof and rainwater goods as previous; one doorway in east side, rectangular timber, two panel, without handle, with plain concrete lintel; to left is a window, pvc as previous set in plain reveals with flat brick arch to lintel, and sandstone cill.

South gable blank: west side contains small window as previous to east.
Flat-roofed extension has a rectangular timber louvered doorway in south side and small window, as previous to rear return, in west side. Modern flat roof covering zinc-painted, turned down over fascia.

West gable of main block, in same plane as extension: plain red brick walling; large central window, modern rectangular pvc, as previous, with projecting sandstone cill and chamfered sandstone lintel. To right of this is a smaller pvc window set in plain reveals with concrete cill.
The lodge has a small concrete path around it with a grassy bank to the rear.

3. NORTH GATE LODGE
A one and two-storey lodge of asymmetrical plan comprising a main rectangular two-storey block with a diagonal bay to the south-east corner and a single storey block to the west. Main entrance faces south onto the main driveway.

Main entrance elevation comprises the two-storey block to the right with the single storey block projecting to the left. Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses with terracotta ridge tiles. Two chimneys, one on each block: red brick with sandstone cap to two-storey block but pots hidden by creeper; other chimney entirely covered by ivy.
Walls of red brick with projecting brick plinth; projecting brick quoins to extremities; moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level of two-storey block; moulded sandstone cornices. Moulded cast iron gutters with circular cast iron downpipes. Main entrance is rectangular timber glazed and panelled door surmounted by a plain fanlight set in a plain timber surround, recessed, with projecting long and short brick surrounds; two moulded sandstone steps; slightly projecting rusticated sandstone 'flat-arch' to head. One window to ground floor of main wall of each block: rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1 with horns; projecting sandstone cills; rusticated brick surrounds with apron; slightly projecting rusticated sandstone heads, the one to the left of flat-arch type comprised of long and short voussoirs; the one to the right is of the same profile but cut from one stone.
At the right-hand end is a two-storey diagonal bay containing one window to each floor; curvilinear gable coping in sandstone, with shaped kneelers and a ball finial to the apex; windows are sashed as previous, with cills and aprons as previous, but set in plain reveals to sides; flat-arch head to ground floor as previous, but with three voussoirs to first floor instead of five.
Diagonal bay has blank sides except for cast iron downpipes to right-hand side.

West elevation: brick gable with what looks like cement rendered barge; shallow projecting bay to right-hand side of gable with window to left of it: window in gable is rectangular sashed as previous, with rusticated surrounds as previous. Bay contains similar window but set in plain reveals to sides. Hipped roof to bay: Bangor blue slates in regular courses. To right of projecting bay is a ventilator brick with ornamental perforations.

Rear elevation is completely covered in creeper with thick foliage at base making it inaccessible for detailed recording.

East elevation: brick gable with barge as previous to west gable; one window to each floor, rectangular, sashed as previous, with rusticated surrounds and heads of flat-arch type as previous, but of three voussoirs to first floor instead of five. Narrow concrete path across front and sides of lodge; tarmac path leading to entrance, flanked by small lawns. Thick laurel hedge abutting each side, to rear.

. ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK
A two and three-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings, in English Renaissance style with a long rear return. Main entrance faces east.

Entrance elevation is symmetrical and comprises a central three-storey gabled 11-bay block with later flanking end wings of two storeys. Central block has roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; dark toned ridge tiles, surmounted by a central octagonal lantern with battered lead covered base, arcaded and louvred main stage, with moulded cornice, topped by an ogee copper dome with weather vane. Two chimneys on front ridge, red brick with sandstone cap and red pots.
Walls of red brick with projecting brick plinth, projecting moulded sandstone string courses at first floor level and eaves level, rising to a brick parapet with ramped copings of sandstone. Concealed gutter behind parapet, with circular cast iron downpipes.
Central projecting entrance bay of channel-rusticated sandstone to ground and first floor rising to rusticated quoins at second floor which carry a broken curvilinear pediment with modillion cornice, all surmounted by a dressed stone rusticated chimney.
Main entrance is segmental arched containing a rectangular timber panelled door with panelled timber sidelights and plain fanlight; modern door handle; six steps up to front doorway, with both risers and treads finished with later modern tiles. Moulded recessed panels to rusticated sandstone arch; egg and dart moulding to sandstone cornice, surmounted by a semi-circular tympanum containing the Belfast city arms in carved sandstone. Above tympanum in first floor is a window, rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1 vertically hung with horns, set in moulded sandstone heeled surround with projecting keystone. Above in second floor is a window, similarly sashed, in moulded rectangular sandstone surround with richly ornamented keystone surmounted by a clock face set in a carved sandstone laurel wreath surround. Rusticated chimney at top contains a recessed semi-circular panel inscribed 1904 in raised sandstone numbers; six pots to top of stack.

Walls flanking entrance bay are each two windows wide: windows sashed as previous, except for basement windows in plinth which are two-pane central pivoting in timber. All windows set in plain reveals. Basement windows have projecting sandstone cills and flat-arched brick heads; ground floor windows have similar cills, and rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs each; first floor windows have stringcourse cill, and flat-arch sandstone head of three voussoirs; second floor windows have projecting sandstone cills with brick apron, and similar heads to first floor. Extending to each side of main front wall are projecting three-storey canted bays three windows wide, one in each face: windows are as previous to each floor level, except that those to the ground and first floor of the right-hand canted bay are modern replacements for sashes, consisting of rectangular timber fixed lights, or fixed light with opening light, 1 over 1.

Extending to each side are flanking end wings of two storeys: hipped roofs slated as central block; walling as previous central block; comprises a central projecting chimney breast with sandstone kneelers; inner bays contain one window to each floor detailed as previous to each floor; outer bays are blank; left-hand wing has a single chimney pot projecting above parapet height.

South elevation: a large shaped curvilinear gable to the right with a three-storey canted bay to the left. Canted bay has ramped parapet with hipped roof behind. Walling, roofing, and window detailing all as previous. Curved gable has moulded sandstone coping with scrolling ends and a ball finial to the apex; plain sandstone shield with Tudor drip moulding in centre of gable.

Projecting from curved gable is the two-storey wing referred to at main entrance front in the form of a canted bay: front face two windows wide; sashed windows as previous to each floor, in each face.
Two-storey canted bay extends to left to a two-storey rectangular bay with one window in each floor, sashed as previous except at ground floor where replaced by pvc fixed light with top hung bottom light. Extending to the left of rectangular bay is a single storey canted bay, two windows wide to front face: all windows pvc replacements as previous; coping of parapet is of concrete. Concealed gutter with cast iron downpipe. Extending to the left of that is a single storey red brick block with a semi-circular arched opening from which projects a covered open corridor; modern pvc piping projects from parapet; block extends to left in the form of another single-storey canted bay, four windows wide to front face, one window to sides. All windows pvc replacements as previous. Cills and parapet coping of concrete; rusticated flat-arch window heads as previous but constructed of concrete. West side of this block is four windows wide, all pvc as previous, with concrete cills and plain concrete lintels.

Rear elevation: three storey, with hipped roof slated as previous; three chimneys on ridge, of red brick with sandstone haunching; three pots to southern chimney, four pots to northern. Two windows to first floor and two to second floor to right of rear return, sashed as previous to similar floors on south elevation with similar heads. Walling of plain red brick without strings, terminating at right-hand extremity in a projecting plain red brick chimneystack with sandstone cap and one pot. Plain parapet with projecting sandstone coping.

Rear elevation to left of rear return is seven chimneys wide: sashed windows as previous with keyed flat-arched heads, except two which are coupled sashed about a central mullion. Second opening from left is a doorway containing a rectangular flush timber door with plain fanlight, opening onto a fire escape stairway. Windows to first floor are sashed as previous.

North elevation: a large shaped curvilinear gable to the left as previous to the south elevation with a two-storey canted bay projecting from it, the two-storey wing on the entrance elevation, with a shallow projecting rectangular entrance bay set back to the right of it, extending to the right into a projecting three-storey canted bay. Canted bays have ramped parapets with hipped roofs behind, slated as previous. Walling and windows as previous to entrance front except front face of ground floor of two-storey bay contains a large single timber fixed light window in place of two original windows, with cills connected by a sandstone block and rusticated heads rearranged to form one single head carried on a metal plate.
Entrance bay contains a doorway to ground floor, a pair of rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors with modern metal push plate set in a sandstone surround comprising plain Doric pilasters carrying a rusticated semi-circular arch containing a plain semi-circular sandstone tympanum, rising to form the apron of a window above. Four concrete steps contained by red brick dwarf walls with chamfered sandstone copings; modern tubular metal handrail.
First floor window is a tall rectangular timber sash, vertically hung, 2 over 2 with horns, surmounted by a plain semi-circular headed fanlight, set in a rusticated sandstone arched surround.
Second floor window is rectangular sashed as previous to other windows. Cast iron downpipe to right-hand side of entrance bay.
Extending to the right-hand end, set back, is a doorway containing a pair of double doors as previous to this elevation surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight, set in plain brick reveals with a segmental arched head below a parapet of single storey height, with concrete coping; six concrete steps; links with a later block comprising two storeys, having a complete basement at lower ground level reached by a flight of ten lateral steps. Modern block is of plain red brick with chamfered projecting plinth.
Windows are rectangular timber sashes, 1 over 1, with horns, set in plain reveals with concrete cills and artificial stone lintels. Concrete parapet. Cast iron and pvc pipes. Narrow timber panelled door in basement. South side of modern block has two windows sashed as previous to west side.

Rear return comprises a U-shaped arrangement of four-storey blocks connected to the main building by a link block.

South elevation of link: roof slated as previous; wall of two-storeys of white painted timber panelling containing large fixed light and top hung windows.

South elevation of main return block: hipped roof slated as previous; plain red brick walling with projecting brick eaves course, and projecting plinth to basement storey which is partly sunken within a well. Moulded cast iron gutters with circular cast iron downpipes.
Windows to basement are segmental headed timber sliding sashes, 1 over 1, with horns, with projecting cills and segmental brick arched heads; windows to upper storeys are mainly rectangular sashes, with brick flat-arch heads, except three rectangular pvc fixed lights and top hung opening lights, set in segmental arches to the ground floor.
Two doorways, one at ground floor level opening onto a concrete bridge, one at first floor level opening onto an iron fire stair.

West elevation: window heads as previous to south elevation; windows sashed as previous. Four rectangular flush timber doors two with modern fanlights or sidelights, open onto metal escape stairs or ladders. A later elevated link block between wings of return has modern metal side hung casement windows with large modern concrete lintels. Below is a pair of large diagonally braced ledged timber doors; beyond is an open light well with elevations of similarly plain character to exterior faces.

North elevation of link: plain red brick walling to the north side, containing two windows to the first storey, rectangular timber sashed as previous.
North elevation of main return block is similar to south except all windows are original sashed or later metal framed; basement storey is fully exposed; no escape stairways.

5. COVERED WAY
An extensive open-sided corridor running longitudinally from north to south from the Administrative Block to Montgomery House (the former observation pavilion), with three transverse corridors leading to the six free-standing ward block pavilions, three to each side, east and west. Constructed on the layout of the original underground electrical cables between buildings.
The corridor system comprises a screed floor contained by small kerbs flanked by concrete gutters, with manhole covers in the floor giving access to the underground ducts.
Paired iron girder posts at regular intervals, with curved flanges, support iron beams to each side, which carry light iron trusses, braced at intervals, with a pitched roof of translucent glazed panels. Sides filled to half-height by fretted wooden railings with moulded handrail. Moulded cast iron gutters with circular cast iron downpipes.
Pavement expands to octagonal plan at junctions of longitudinal corridor with transverse corridors.

At the north end the corridor abuts the Administrative Block on axis with the transverse service corridor of that block. At the south end the original longitudinal corridor cants slightly to the west where its originally open sides are filled in with modern glazing; at its extremity it is abutted by a later modern corridor with tongued and grooved timber sheeted dado on a concrete plinth, surmounted by translucent glazed panels in timber frames with similar roofing on simple collar beams, with pvc gutters and downpipes. Modern continuation of corridor terminates in a modern lean-to passageway at the N.I. Radiotherapy Centre.
Transverse corridors are of similar form to longitudinal corridor except that the one leading to Pavilion 5 has its originally open sides filled in with modern glazing. Each transverse corridor ends at a porch of higher ridge height, already described at each ward pavilion entrance front.

At the north end on the east side there is an open pedestrian gateway leading onto a path branching from the main driveway: gateway marked by a pair of shaped cast iron posts with ball finials.

6. PAVILION 1
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings, of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled 3-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two 6-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces west.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys on ridge of main block, in red brick with sandstone cap, with pots to central stack only. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with original cast iron downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent, except where modernised, set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

West elevation of central entrance block: a three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone panel which is inscribed 'Ishbel Aberdeen Pavilion' in incised characters; moulded sandstone coping to gable. Central entrance formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. Five steps up to front door are finished with later modern tiles. One window to each side of main entrance, and three windows to first floor.
Main entrance archway is abutted by a later open covered porch with iron posts, fretted wooden railings to the north side surmounted by modern glazing, with a concrete ramp and modern metal railings to the south side, and hipped glazed roof surmounted by a scrolling ironwork finial, and part of an original ornamental cast iron ridge cresting which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two windows wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to right-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to left-hand extremity, with a third bay of windows recessed to the left-hand side; recess contains a circular window opening to the attic area, now bricked up; west side of recess is blank. Ground floor window to right-hand side looks like an original doorway later partly bricked up to form a smaller window.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north except that the original recess has been filled in: at base of infill bay is a pair of small rectangular timber louvred doors to basement; top of infill wall rises above eaves level to a later flat parapet.

Right-hand wing of main block: six-bay, with a central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank. Extending to the right is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor; plain reveals.

Projecting to the right is a one-bay hipped end block: blank wall next to link; one window to each floor in front face. All windows to first floor of right-hand wing including link and end block are pvc replacements for original timber windows.

Left-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the right-hand wing, including link and end pavilion, except that in addition to the main six-bay façade visible from the front is a seventh bay, with a window to each floor, hidden from frontal view in the recess behind the central entrance block.

North elevation of northern end pavilion is blank.

Rear elevation is symmetrical and comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with a pair of deep projecting canted two-storey bays, and hipped end blocks joined by short links to each end. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front; all first floor windows are pvc replacements for original timber. Canted bays have one window to each floor in angled faces, with blank front and sides. Recessed in main wall between canted bays are three narrow windows to each floor, sashed as previous but with later timber framed mesh screens attached to top and bottom; basement contains a pair of ledged timber doors approached by sunken steps. Main walls of block extending to each side of canted bays are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections, but overall five windows wide instead of six. End gables are blank.

Recessed links are one opening wide, with a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight; rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head; concrete ramps to each end block. First floor doorways each contain a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane horizontally pivoting fanlight, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like later iron fire escape stairways.

East elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor; the two narrow windows on ground floor each have their rusticated sandstone heads cut from one stone.

South elevation of southern end block is blank.

7. PAVILION 2
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings; of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled three-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two six-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces east.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys on main ridge: red brick with sandstone cap. Pots only on central stack. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with both cast iron and pvc downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent, set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

East elevation of central entrance block. A three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone blind panel; moulded sandstone coping to gable.

Central entrance formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. Five steps up to front doorway, original concrete. One window to each side of main entrance, and three windows to first floor. A modern pvc pipe is located alongside the left-hand upper window.

Main entrance archway is abutted by a later open covered porch with iron posts, fretted wooden railings and modern glazed sides, and hipped glazed roof surmounted by a scrolling ironwork finial, and decorative cast iron ridge cresting, which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two windows wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to left-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to right-hand extremity, with a third bay of windows recessed to the right-hand side; recess contains a circular opening containing a mesh grille with brick surround to the attic area; east side of recess is blind brickwork.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north except that the original recess has been filled in: at base of infill bay is a pair of small rectangular timber louvred doors to basement. Ground floor window to right-hand side looks like an original doorway later partly bricked up to form a smaller window.

Left-hand wing of main block: six-bay, with a central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank. Extending to the left is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor; plain reveals. Projecting to the left is a one-bay hipped end block: blank wall next to link; one window to each floor in front face.

Right-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the left-hand wing, including link and end block, except that in addition to the main six-bay façade visible from the front is a seventh bay, with a window to each floor, hidden from frontal view in the recess behind the central entrance block.

South elevation of southern end block is blank.

Rear elevation is symmetrical and comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with a pair of deep projecting canted two-storey bays, and hipped end blocks joined by short links to each end. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front. Two chimneys to rear elevation, as previous to front, both with pots, one rising from each canted bay. Canted bays have one window to each floor in angled faces, with blank front and sides. Recessed in main wall between canted bays are three narrow windows to each floor, sashed as previous but with later timber framed mesh screens attached to top and bottom; basement contains a pair of ledged timber doors approached by sunken steps. Main walls of block extending to each side of canted bays are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections, but overall five windows wide instead of six. End gables are blank.

Recessed links are one opening wide, with a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight; rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head; five concrete steps to the northern end block; concrete ramp to the southern end block. First floor doorways each contain a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane metal horizontally pivoting fanlight above, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like later iron fire escape stairways.

West elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor; the two narrow windows on ground floor each have their rusticated sandstone heads cut from one stone.

North elevation of northern end block is blank.

8. PAVILION 3
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings; of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled three-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two six-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces west.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys on main ridge: red brick with sandstone caps and red pots. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with both cast iron and pvc downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent, set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

West elevation of central entrance block. A three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone blind panel; moulded sandstone coping to gable. Left-hand side of gable surmounted by a modern rustic brickwork lift shaft cantilevered out over north side of entrance block.

Central entrance formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. Five steps up to front doorway, original concrete. Originally one window to each side of main entrance, but left-hand one is now blocked with render at the top and opened at the base to form a later lift, and originally three windows to first floor, but left-hand one is now blocked with render to contain a modern ventilator. The later left opening at bottom left is enclosed in a modern glazed stud partitioned porch of poor quality, with a slated roof and modern pvc rainwater goods.

Main entrance archway is abutted by a later open covered porch with iron posts, fretted wooden railings and modern glazed sides (the left-hand one now partly obscured by the lift porch gable), and hipped glazed roof surmounted by a scrolling ironwork finial, and decorative cast iron ridge cresting, which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two windows wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to right-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to left-hand extremity, with a third bay of windows slightly set back at the ground and first floor level to the left-hand side; in a later filled-in recess: modern rectangular timber fixed lights with top-hung vent, concrete cills, and modern metal ventilator, all set in modern cement render; pvc gutter and downpipe; no basement opening retained. Attic storey of recess contains a rectangular timber louvred opening with concrete lintel. Main front plane contains two basement openings, one to left retaining original timber louvers, one to right blocked with render.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north side, except the bay next to main block is an original recess of only slight set-back, and three basement openings all retain original timber louvres.

Left-hand wing of main block: six-bay, with a central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank, except for a rectangular timber sheeted door at attic level opening onto flat roof. Extending to the left is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor; plain reveals. Projecting to the left is a one-bay hipped end block: blank wall next to link; one window to each floor in front face.

Right-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the left-hand wing, including link and end block.

North elevation of northern end block is blank.

Rear elevation is symmetrical and comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with a pair of deep projecting canted two-storey bays, and hipped end blocks joined by short links to each end. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front. Two chimneys, as previous, with pots, one stack rising from each canted bay. Canted bays have one window to each floor in angled faces, with blank front and sides. Recessed in main wall between canted bays are three narrow windows to each floor, sashed as previous but with later timber framed mesh screens attached to top and bottom and modern metal louvres; basement contains a pair of ledged timber doors approached by sunken steps flanked by modern tubular metal railings. Main walls of block extending to each side of canted bays are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections, but overall five windows wide instead of six. End gables are blank except for attic doorway noted on entrance elevation.

Recessed links are one opening wide, with a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight; rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head; five concrete steps to the northern end block; concrete ramp to the southern end block. First floor doorways each contain a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane horizontally pivoting metal fanlight above, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like later iron fire escape stairways.

East elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor; the two narrow windows on ground floor each have their rusticated sandstone heads cut from one stone.

South elevation of southern end block is blank.

9. PAVILION 4
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings; of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled three-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two six-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces east.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys on main ridge: red brick with sandstone caps; pots only on central stack; one chimney as previous, on entrance block ridge, with pots. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with both cast iron and pvc downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent, set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

East elevation of central entrance block. A three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone blind panel; moulded sandstone coping to gable. Central entrance formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. Five steps up to front doorway, original concrete. One window to each side of main entrance, and three windows to first floor.

Main entrance archway is abutted by a later open covered porch with iron posts, fretted wooden railings and modern glazed sides, and hipped glazed roof surmounted by a scrolling ironwork finial, and decorative cast iron ridge cresting, which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two windows wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to left-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to right-hand extremity, with a third bay of windows recessed to the right-hand side; recess contains a rectangular window, glazed 3 over 3 (looks like central pivoting window) with plain concrete lintel, to the attic area; east side of recess is blind brickwork to ground floor with glazed white tiling to first floor.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north except that the original recess has been filled in to ground and first floor; attic of recess contains a rectangular window, two-pane with concrete lintel.

Left-hand wing of main block: six-bay, with a central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank except for a rectangular timber glazed and panelled door in attic opening to roof of link. Extending to the left is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor; plain reveals. Projecting to the left is a one-bay hipped end block: blank wall next to link; one window to each floor in front face.

Right-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the left-hand wing, including link and end block, except that in addition to the main six-bay façade visible from the front is a seventh bay, with a window to each floor, hidden from frontal view in the recess behind the central entrance block.

South elevation of southern end block is blank.

Rear elevation comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with hipped end blocks joined by short links to each end and one deep projecting canted two-storey bay to the right of a long two-storey rear return which contains an open vehicular archway. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front. Two chimneys to rear elevation, as previous to front, both with pots, one rising from the canted bay, the other surmounting a gablet to right of left-hand bow.

Rear return is two storeys with a large semi-circular brick archway carrying it over a vehicular driveway. North side: hipped roof, slated as previous roofs, with terracotta ridge tiles; two chimneys as previous, with pots; walling, rainwater goods, and windows all as previous; elevation comprises a main face, three windows wide to first floor with one window to left of archway in ground floor, with a breakfront to the right, containing a doorway and a window to the first floor: doorway rectangular timber glazed and panelled with two-pane timber fanlight above, leading onto what looks like a later iron fire escape stairway; window is tall narrow, sashed as previous, with opening light above. West side of rear return contains two windows to each floor, those on first floor as previous to first floor elsewhere, but those to ground floor are later rectangular timber fixed lights with concrete lintels and brickwork cills set in plain brickwork filling in earlier semi-circular arched openings. South side of rear return contains vehicular archway and end breakfront, as previous to north but no recess: two later windows to ground floor filling in earlier semi-circular arches, and four first floor windows with casements in place of sashed frames.

Canted bay on rear elevation has one window to each floor in angled faces, with blank front and sides. Recessed in main wall between canted bay and rear return are three narrow windows to each floor, sashed as previous but with later timber framed mesh screens attached to top and bottom; basement contains a pair of ledged timber doors approached by sunken steps. Main walls of block extending to each side of canted bay are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections, but overall five windows wide instead of six. End gables are blank, except for attic doorway onto link flat roof, as noted on entrance elevation.

Recessed links are one opening wide, with a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight; rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head; five concrete steps to the northern end block; concrete ramp to the southern end block. First floor doorways each contain a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane metal horizontally pivoting fanlight above, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like later iron fire escape stairways.

West elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor; the two narrow windows on ground floor each have their rusticated sandstone heads cut from one stone.

North elevation of northern end block is blank.

10. PAVILION 5
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings; of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled three-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two six-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces west.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys on the main block ridge, of red brick with sandstone caps, no pots to the two on end gables. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with both cast iron and pvc downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent (except where modernised), set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

West elevation of central entrance block: a three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone blind panel; moulded sandstone coping to gable.

Central entrance (with a later glazed porch) is formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. One window to each side of main entrance, both with original timber sashes (the one to the right now partly enclosed by a modern corridor) and three windows to first floor: all with original timber sashes replaced by fixed lights with top hung vents. A modern pvc pipe is located alongside the left-hand windows.

Main entrance archway is abutted by a later porch, with glazed roof and front, and side entrance: timber fixed lights with modern flush timber glazed doors, six modern tiled steps, rustic brick front plinth with dry dash render of limestone chippings; hipped glazed roof surmounted by part of a decorative cast iron ridge cresting, which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building. Extending to the right of the later porch is a single storey roofed block stretching across the rest of the building to the right-hand side.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two window openings wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to right-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to left-hand extremity, with a third bay slightly set back to the left-hand side in a later filled-in recess. Left-hand window openings in front plane have been later bricked up; ground floor right-hand window original, but first floor one has sashes replaced by a fixed light and a top hung vent. Recess walling is of modern plain red brick with a rectangular flush timber door to ground floor and a modern rectangular fixed light and top hung vent to first floor.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north, except that what was presumably an original recess has been filled in with a modern red brick lift shaft which rises to a flat roof: contains an attic opening with timber sheeted doors surmounted by a projecting steel girder. First floor windows of front plane have been modernised as previous to north side of entrance block; ground floor now absorbed in modern flat-roofed block.

Left-hand wing of main block: six-bay, with a central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; windows to ground floor retain original sashes; windows to first floor have been modernised, as previous. Between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank. Extending to the left is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor: later walling of modern red brick, with small rectangular windows, pvc fixed light with top hung vent; plain reveals. Projecting to the left is a two-bay hipped end block: two windows to each floor in front face, as previous to main block.

Right-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the left-hand wing, including link and end block, except that most of ground floor is obscured by a modern single storey flat-roofed block; tops of windows in main block remain visible outside while bottoms of windows are visible inside.

North elevation of northern end block contains one window to each floor; first floor window modernised as previous; ground floor window appears to have been a doorway originally with later brickwork showing the pattern of original brick quoins to lower portion and location of an original recessed step; window now a timber fixed light with bottom hung top vent, in original surrounds, as previous, ground floor window appears to have been a doorway originally with later brickwork showing the pattern of original brick quoins to lower portion and location of an original recessed step; window now a timber fixed light with bottom hung top vent, in original surrounds, as previous, except cill now concrete.

Rear elevation comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with hipped end blocks joined by short links to each end, and a central two-storey rear return. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front.

Rear return: two-storey with basement storey; hipped roof, slated as previous, with ridge tiles; one chimney, as previous, with pots; walling, rainwater goods and windows all as previous. North side comprises a main plane two windows wide, with a breakfront to the right, two windows wide, and a shallow recess to the left, one window wide. Ground floor windows retain original timber sashes but first floor windows are modern pvc replacements with top hung central lights in place of sashes. Left-hand ground floor window in breakfront has been altered to create a doorway with double doors, modern glazed timber, opening onto a concrete ramp with tubular metal railings: modern canopy over ramp has timber fascia boards felt roof, and pvc gutter and downpipe. East side of return is two windows wide to each floor; windows as south side. North side of return is similar to south but without recess; main wall has three large openings to each floor, segmental arched in rusticated sandstone. They contain, at first floor, from left to right: a pair of modern flush timber doors with plain fanlight, opening onto a metal fire escape stairway; followed by two with coupled modern pvc replacement windows about a central mullion; and at ground floor, two with coupled original timber sashes about a central mullion; followed by a later adaptation of the modern porch below a plain high level fixed light with porch leading to a glazed modern extension connecting to a modern single storey brick building.

Breakfront in main wall to right of rear return contains three windows to each floor, sashed as previous. Main walls of block extending to each side of rear return and breakfront are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections, except most of wing to north has most of its ground floor obscured from view by a later modern flat-roofed single storey extension. End gables of main block are blank.

Recessed links are one opening wide: that to the south end has a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight, rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head and five concrete steps. First floor doorway contains a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane horizontally pivoting fanlight, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like a later iron fire escape stairway.

The recessed link to the north end has a doorway on the first floor, but the original ground floor one is now covered over by the modern single storey extension. First floor doorway contains a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane horizontally pivoting fanlight, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what looks like a later iron fire escape stairway.

East elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor, except that end block to north has most of ground floor abutted by the later modern single storey extension, leaving only three high level openings at the heads of original windows: two contain plastic ventilators, while one contains a top-hung metal window.

South elevation of southern end block is similar to north elevation except part of ground floor including most of its window is obscured by a modern flat-roofed block.

11. PAVILION 6
A two-storey building of red brick with sandstone dressings; of symmetrical frontage, comprising a central gabled three-bay entrance block projecting in front of a long rectangular block which extends to each side in the form of two six-bay wings, each one joined by short single-bay links to single-bay hipped end blocks. Main entrance faces east.

Roofs are of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles. Three chimneys to main block, red brick with sandstone caps, one on each gable, without pots, and one in centre on ridge with pots. Walls are of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, or cornice, projecting brick plinth which contains a basement, and moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; in addition the central entrance block has further dressed sandstone. Moulded cast iron gutters with both cast iron and pvc downpipes. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by a bottom-hung top vent (except where modernised), set in raised brick surrounds, with projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads of five voussoirs to ground floor windows; keyed flat-arch heads of three stones to first floor windows; segmental brick arched heads and plain reveals to basement openings with timber louvres, and projecting sandstone cills. Below the ground floor windows in the wings and to the entrance gable are brick flat-arched recesses, presumably originally ventilators, but now blocked with tinted render.

East elevation of central entrance block. A three-bay, two-storey red brick gable with rusticated sandstone quoins to extremities; four rusticated pilasters to both storeys, the outer pair ending in sandstone blocks, while the inner pair carry a semi-circular sandstone blind panel; moulded sandstone coping to gable.

Central entrance formed by a pair of modern rectangular timber glazed and panelled doors, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight with a semi-circular fanlight above that, all set in a rusticated sandstone surround topped by a shaped sandstone frieze and miniature swept triangular pediment. Five steps up to front doorway, original concrete. One window to each side of main entrance, and three windows to first floor. A modern pvc pipe is located alongside the left-hand upper window.

Main entrance archway is abutted by a later open covered porch with iron posts, fretted wooden railings, and modern glazed sides, and hipped glazed roof surmounted by a scrolling ironwork finial, and decorative cast iron ridge cresting, which links to a central covered open corridor system in front of the building.

North side of central entrance block contains a front plane, two windows wide to each floor, with rusticated sandstone quoins to left-hand extremity and raised brick quoins to right-hand extremity, with a third bay of windows recessed to the right-hand side; recess contains a circular blind window opening with brick surround to the attic area; east side of recess is blind brickwork.

South side of central entrance block is of similar elements to north except that the circular attic window is glazed; ground floor window partly obscured by a modern infill block in boarded timber with metal window and pvc rainwater goods; at base of infill block is a small timber sheeted door to basement.

Left-hand wing of main block: six-bay, as visible from the front, with a seventh bay hidden from direct frontal view in the recess behind the central entrance block; central two-storey bowed projection two windows wide; between the windows, a central angled vertical brick moulding on a red sandstone corbel rising to meet a brick cornice with ramped parapet above; end gable is blank. Extending to the left is a recessed single bay link with one window to each floor; plain reveals. Projecting to the left is a two-bay hipped end block: blank wall next to link; two windows to each floor in front face, plus timber louvred basement openings in plinth.

Right-hand wing of main block is a handed version of the left-hand wing, including link and end block.

South elevation of southern end block: one window to first floor, as previous, with a doorway to ground floor, containing a rectangular flush timber door with plain fanlight; recessed high level concrete step.

Rear elevation comprises a long two-storey gabled main block with hipped end block joined by short links to each end, and a central two-storey rear return. Roofs, walling and window details as previous to entrance front.

Rear return: two-storey with basement storey. North side: hipped roof, slated as previous, with terracotta ridge tiles; two chimneys as previous, with pots; walling, rainwater goods and windows all as previous. Elevation comprises a main plane, three windows wide, with a breakfront to the right, two windows wide, and a shallow recess to the left, one window wide. West side of return is two windows wide to each floor. South side of return is similar to north but without recess; main wall has four large window openings segmental arched in rusticated sandstone, containing coupled sashed windows, as previous, about a central mullion. Bay next to main block has a plain flush doorway opening onto a modern concrete ramp; top left segmental arched window contains a pair of flush timber doors opening onto what appears to be a later metal fire escape stairway.

Breakfront in main wall to right of rear return contains three windows to each floor, sashed as previous but with later timber framed mesh screens attached to top and bottom; basement of breakfront contains a pair of ledged timber doors approached by sunken steps. Main walls of block extending to each side of breakfront and rear return are similar to entrance front with central bowed projections. End gables of main block are blank.

Recessed links are one opening wide, with a doorway on each floor, the ground floor one original, comprising an original rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a large plain fanlight; rusticated sandstone flat-arch to head; five concrete steps to each end block. First floor doorways each contain a rectangular flush timber door with a two-pane metal horizontally pivoting fanlight, and keyed flat arch, opening onto what look like later iron fire escape stairways.

West elevation of each end block has three windows to each floor.

North elevation of northern end pavilion is similar to south.

12. FORMER OBSERVATION PAVILION (NOW PART OF MONTGOMERY HOUSE)
A single storey conglomerate building, consisting of the original Edwardian red brick observation ward block, which also contains a basement storey, with large modern extensions to the rear. Main façade of existing portion of original building faces north, and contains an entrance.

North elevation comprises a projecting gabled block to the right of the recessed entrance bay, three windows wide, with a hipped block to the left, also three windows wide. Roofs of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; red terracotta ridge tiles. Walls of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses, projecting plinth, and projecting brick quoins to extremities. Windows are original rectangular timber sliding sash 1 over 1, with horns, surmounted by bottom hung toplights; projecting sandstone cills; rusticated sandstone flat-arched heads, with both plain reveals and raised brick surrounds to reveals. Segmental arched heads to basement openings, with timber louvred and ledged timber doors. Moulded cast iron gutters and cast iron downpipes.
Recessed entrance bay contains a later single storey infill porch with a modern glazed timber door and plain sidelights; four original concrete steps to doorway.

North face of hipped block has plain reveals to three windows; east side has raised brick reveals to a doorway, original rectangular timber with plain fanlight, and recessed concrete step; to left of doorway, a pair of small coupled later metal windows.

North face of gabled block has a shallow projecting curved bay with ramped sandstone parapet, containing three original windows with raised surrounds, the two outer ones with flat-arched ventilator panels below them, later blocked up. East and west sides of gabled block each contain three original windows, with raised surrounds, the southernmost now blocked with timber boarding.

Rear elevation now absorbed in modern extensions.

For the Exterior Description of Buildings 13-17 and the Setting - see General Comments field

Historical information

Designed in 1900-01 by Young and Mackenzie, architects of Belfast; built 1904-06; contractor, Robert Corry Ltd, of Belfast; decorative stone carving by Winter and Thompson, of Belfast; electric turret clock made by Sharman D. Neill, of Belfast. Built as the Infectious Diseases Hospital by Belfast City Corporation, it was the city’s first municipal hospital; site originally part of the Purdysburn Estate which had been acquired for asylum purposes but this portion was re-allocated by the City of Belfast Hospitals Act which became law on 1st July 1903. Young and Mackenzie appointed on 10 May 1900, following which John Mackenzie was instructed to visit the principal fever hospitals in England and Scotland, to observe the most up-to-date approach to such buildings; plans approved in August 1901; complex officially opened on 2 August 1906 by the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Aberdeen, Viceroy of Ireland who planted an oak tree as a souvenir of his visit; what was originally known as Pavilion A (now Pavilion or Ward Block No 1) was named in honour of the Viceroy’s wife, Lady Ishbel Aberdeen by request of the Public Health Committee of the city council. Not all of the intended complex was completed by the time of opening: in 1906 it appears to have comprised the main entrance gateway and lodges; the administrative block; four ward blocks or pavilions (the two on the east side being for diphtheria and enteric diseases, the two on the west side being for scarlet fever, the southernmost one in each case having originally been completed as a single-storey building; an observation pavilion to the extreme south; and a disinfecting house, a laundry, engine and boiler house, stables, and mortuary, all standing to the west. The lodges originally comprised a residential lodge to one side of the gateway and to the other side a shelter for the admittance of authorised persons and patients. The administrative block originally comprised offices and consultation rooms; residential accommodation for the matron, assistant medical officers, and servants; a nurses’ home; dining room and kitchens. Ward floors were originally of tongued and grooved teak laid on concrete.

Later additions, designed by Young and Mackenzie, included the covered open corridors (date not known); two-storey wings (date not known) to the administrative block; new pavilions (1911 and 1914); and a new Nurses’ Home (1926), standing alone to the west of the wards, which was designed by James R. Young of Young and Mackenzie.

Previously known as Purdysburn Fever Hospital, it was later called the Northern Ireland Fever Hospital and Radiotherapy Centre before being changed to Belvoir Park Hospital.

Within the grounds is a monument, SMR Down 9:32.

References – Primary Sources
1. PRONI, D/2194/6/1 (includes plan for new doorway in pavilion with ambulance platform, dated October 1905; plan of laundry and engine house; and block plan of hospital layout showing position of tunnel containing electric pipes).
2. PRONI, D/2194/78/4 (includes a drawing for an emergency staircase across end of rear return of administrative block, dated 10/12/1913, and executed by Riddels Ltd of Belfast).
3. Photograph in Hogg Collection, Ulster Museum (HO5/23/1).
4. Belfast Evening Telegraph, 2 August 1906.
5. The Irish Builder and Engineer, 22 September 1906, pp 750, 753 and 754.
6. OS Map, 1938, Co Down 9.

Secondary Sources
1. P. Larmour, Belfast: An Illustrated Architectural Guide (Belfast, 1987), p 108.
2. J.A.K. Dean, The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer (Belfast, 1994), pp 65 and 90.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This is an Edwardian building complex designed in an English Renaissance Revival style by an important firm of Belfast architects, Young and Mackenzie, and laid out according to the pavilion system of hospital planning of which there are few examples in Northern Ireland. Most of the constituent buildings retain many of their original features and together form a group of considerable architectural interest and social value.

General comments

Continuation of the Exterior Description.

13. FORMER STAFF HOUSE
A two-storey red brick house of asymmetrical plan and plain character. Main entrance faces east.

East elevation: hipped roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; red tiles to ridge of hips. Metal flashing to main ridge. Chimneys of red brick with sandstone haunching; red pots. Walls of red brick with raised brick quoins to extremities, and projecting brick plinth; moulded sandstone eaves course, and stringcourse continuous as first floor cill. Moulded gutter, looks like pvc, with square section pvc downpipes.
Main entrance comprises a wide rectangular timber panelled door with plain rectangular fanlight; modern metal handle and letterbox; raised brick surround; two curved concrete steps; rusticated sandstone flat-arch head. Above doorway is a window in first floor, rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns, set in plain reveals, with keyed flat-arch to head. To left of entrance bay is a shallow rectangular single storey bay containing two windows with lead dressed hipped roof; windows sashed as previous, with plain reveals, projecting sandstone cills with brick aprons, and rusticated sandstone flat-arch head. Above in first floor are two windows, similar but with keyed flat arches. To right of entrance bay is a canted two-storey bay with ramped sandstone copings to parapet; one window in each face of bay to each floor; windows detailed as previous to left-hand side of entrance bay.

South elevation: of similar materials and details to entrance front, with a two-storey canted bay to the right and two windows to each floor to the left. Cast iron soil pipe. Canted bay has a doorway in left-hand face at ground floor: rectangular timber 18-pane glazed door, with plain rectangular fanlight; two semi-circular concrete steps.
Extending to the left, set back slightly, is a single storey gabled rear return containing one window, as previous to ground floor; roof slated as previous, with red ridge tiles; looks like moulded cast iron gutter; cast iron circular downpipe. Extending to the left of that, in same plane, is a blank yard wall with shaped tile coping.

Rear elevation: similar materials and details to front, with modern security bars to two upper windows; cast iron and pvc downpipes. Projecting from west wall of yard is a later lean-to garage in red brick, of light mottled tone to south and west sides; roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; circular pvc gutter and downpipe; timber barge boards and fascia. One doorway in south side, rectangular timber sheeted; three-light modern window in west side, fixed lights and top hung, with concrete cill and head; sliding garage door, glazed timber, in north side, no longer functioning. North wall of yard contains a modern rectangular flush timber door approached by a concrete ramp with modern tubular handrails.

North elevation: similar materials and details as previous, with a two-storey canted bay to the right, projecting forward from the main wall which contains a recessed entrance bay. Rectangular timber panelled door with surrounds, steps and head as previous to main entrance front.

The building is surrounded by a tarmac area to three sides, with a stone chippings path across the south side leading onto a terraced lawn.

14. FORMER NURSES’ HOME (‘WEST HOUSE’)
A building of two storeys and a basement in English Renaissance style built of brick with sandstone dressings, and laid out on a U-shaped plan. Main entrance faces north.

Entrance elevation comprises a long two-storey hipped roof block with a large central projecting canted entrance bay and smaller canted bays to each end; main walls two windows wide between bays. Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; four chimneys on main ridge, red brick with sandstone caps, and original open-sided pots. Walls are red brick with a projecting brick plinth, moulded sandstone eaves course, moulded sandstone stringcourse at first floor level; and ramped sandstone copings to parapets of central and end bays. Moulded cast iron gutters with cast iron downpipes. Windows are rectangular timber sliding sash vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns, set in plain reveals with projecting sandstone cills; keyed sandstone flat-arch heads to first floor; rusticated sandstone flat arches to ground floor and basement, each consisting of five voussoirs, except for heads of narrow windows in end bays which are each cut from a single stone.
Main entrance comprises a pair of rectangular timber panelled and small-paned doors deep-set in a moulded lugged and heeled sandstone surround, with a pulvinated frieze and dentil cornice overlaid with a carved cartouche inscribed with the date 1926, all surmounted by a segmental pediment, and located in a shallow breakfront which has a first storey containing a window, sashed as previous, set in a rusticated and lugged sandstone surround, all rising to a stepped segmental pedimented parapet containing the arms of Belfast sculpted in sandstone. Plain sandstone frieze, and projecting chamfered sandstone plinth across entrance bay. Main entrance approached by a flight of eight rendered steps bounded by red brick dwarf walls with chamfered sandstone copings; modern tubular chromium handrails.

East elevation: a long two-storey range, with a basement storey where it returns from the entrance front. Roof, rainwater goods, walling and main windows all as previous to the main block of the entrance front. Elevation contains two two-storey curved bays each two windows wide: windows in bows have curved glass and frames with curved sandstone cills and rusticated heads. One doorway at right-hand end in basement: rectangular timber glazed and panelled door set in plain reveals, with a plain concrete lintel which is abutted by a glazed roofed open passage constructed of iron posts and beams supported on red brick dwarf walls with chamfered sandstone copings.

Rear elevation consists of the south wall of the main block with a long wing returning at each end. End elevations of wings each contain a two-storey canted bay; ground floor has two windows to the front face flanked by a single window in each angled face; first floor has a single window in each angled face; windows sashed as previous with keyed and rusticated heads as previous; roof of each bay comprised of hipped sandstone weatherings; modern metal flue at apex of eastern wing’s gable. Elevations facing onto rear open area are of plainer character than outer elevations: roofs and chimneys are similar but walling is plainer, without moulded cornice and with only short runs of moulded stringcourses to the southern end of each wing. Windows are sashed as previous to outer elevations but set in brick flat-arch heads.

South wall of front block is two-storey with a basement; contains two windows to each side of a single storey canted bay which has one window in each angled face and three in the main face. Projecting from the face of each wing is a short two-storey link, one window deep, connecting to a rectangular flat-roofed two-storey services tower each rising to a brick encased water tank of utilitarian appearance. In each wing rectangular timber glazed and panelled, with plain fanlight, opens onto an iron fire escape stairway.

West elevation: a long two-storey range with a basement storey where it returns from the entrance front; materials and detailing as previous to east elevation but form plainer, without curved bars.

15. LAUNDRY AND ENGINE HOUSE
A single storyed red brick building of plain character with four gables to each end, and a later large single storey flat-roofed extension along one side. Entrances to the laundry are on the north and east sides; entrance to the engine house is on the west side.

Roofs of Bangor blue slates in regular courses with continuous rooflights at ridges. Walls of red brick, with moulded sandstone kneelers and plain sandstone copings to gables. Modern steel ties to engine house gable on west elevation. Original window openings have segmental arched heads, plain reveals, and projecting sandstone cills; windows mainly timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, with horns, and also timber four-pane fixed lights.
Doorways are rectangular, with modern flush timber doors and modern metal glazed doors in a modern metal glazed doorscreen. West elevation also has a later high level rectangular timber sheeted door surmounted by a projecting iron girder. Formerly a large brick chimney stood attached to the east side of the boiler house.

Detached to the east stands a single storey gabled building of red brick, with later felt roof and later porch and canopy, originally the disinfecting house but now a staff tearoom.

16. MORTUARY
A single-storey gabled block of rectangular plan and plain character, built of red brick. Main entrance faces north.

Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; black ridge tiles; two chimneys, one on each gable, built of red brick with sandstone cap; one pot to each stack. Walls of red brick with projecting eaves course and projecting plinth. Door and window openings have stop-chamfered reveals and rusticated sandstone flat-arch heads.

North elevation: three doorways, containing original rectangular ledged timber double doors, with rectangular fanlights, the one to the extreme left having a fanlight of decorative Art Nouveau leaded lights; four windows, original rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns; projecting sandstone cills with brick aprons. Window to extreme left has decorative Art Nouveau leaded lights to each sash; translucent glass to other windows. Moulded cast iron gutter and downpipe.

East gable is blank.

West gable contains a later doorway to ground floor, rectangular flush timber, with exposed iron girder lintel, and plain reveals; modern flat canopy roof abutting at first floor level connecting with a modern single storey red brick gabled block.

Rear elevation contains original timber sashed windows 1 over 1, with translucent glazing.

17. WORKSHOPS
A two-storey red brick gabled building of plain character, used as joinery workshops: roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, windows mainly later metal fixed lights and casements. One original feature is a pair of large double garage doors, of ledged timber with multi-pane glazing, with later wicket-door inserted. Later single storey lean-to blocks abut the east and west sides.

18. SETTING
The hospital complex stands in a very rural setting characterised by dense woodland in part of the grounds, a substantial amount of trees, shrubs and hedges elsewhere within the grounds, and treed areas adjacent to the grounds. Main driveway of tarmac winding up to the Administrative Block bordered by original plantings and by lawns which extend to the central area between the ward pavilions and other buildings. Some post-2nd World War residential and other blocks stand to the western end of the complex with more recent buildings and a large tarmac car park to the south end. At the end of a rear driveway stands a back gate known as the Ballylesson Gate, originally one of the entrances to Purdysburn House estate taking the form of a set of early Gothic Revival wrought iron gates with stone piers, built c 1825 to the design of Thomas Hopper, architect of the contemporary Purdysburn house; this gateway now has piers much overgrown with creeper, and the one gate has had a wicket-gate for pedestrians cut into it with replacement metalwork.