21 BLOOMFIELD ROAD

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Semi-detached three-storey redbrick Arts & Crafts style house with rendered 2nd storey, dated 1900, most likely by architect W.J. Moore. Regular plan form facing north with a three-storey gabled bay to front elevation, a two-storey gabled projection to west elevation, a two-storey return and modern extensions to rear. The house, divided into two properties since 1968, forms part of a row of 3 pairs of semi-detached houses to the south side of Bloomfield Road. Both properties are accessed from the west elevation fronting onto Woodcut Avenue.

Pitched natural slate roof with roll top red-clay ridge tiles, red-clay knob finials and a shared redbrick chimneystack with corbelled coping and red-clay chimney pots. All gables have timber barge boards; half-round uPVC guttering and circular uPVC downpipes used throughout. Redbrick walling is laid to a variation between the English-garden bond and the Scottish bond (four courses of stretchers to one of headers) with projecting plinth course. All window openings are square-headed with stop-chamfer jambs to brick openings on the principal elevations and uPVC top-hung casement windows.

The front elevation has a two-storey three-sided canted bay supporting a third storey gabled projection originally with mock timber detail but now rendered; timber brackets, continuous painted sill course, flush painted lintel course and terracotta mouldings. There is a terracotta plaque to the centre of each bay.

The west side elevation has a two-storey single bay gabled projection. A segmental-headed door opening facing north with uPVC glazed door and fanlight is approached by two tiled nosed steps and forms the entrance to No 21; a square-headed uPVC half-glazed door paired with a window facing west forms the entrance to No21a. The west elevation has painted sills, flush painted lintels and terracotta mouldings and a terracotta plaque over the main doorcase.

The rear elevation has a two-storey redbrick return with pitched natural slate roof, roll top red-clay ridge tiles and a single course of decorative bricks. Two single-storey modern extensions have been added to the rear.

East side elevation is abutted by adjoining house No. 23 (HB26/10/001B).

A modest front garden is paved and enclosed by a rendered dwarf wall and a painted metal gate. Directly to the rear of the building is an alleyway separating the property from a row of three-storey terraced houses.
The terrace forms the end of three terraced streets, facing North East and fronting on to Bloomfield Road near St Donards Church of Ireland (HB26.10.03).

Materials:
Roof: natural slate
Walling: red brick
RWG: uPVC
Windows: uPVC

Historical information

No. 21 Bloomfield Road, a three-storey Arts & Craft style dwelling, was constructed in 1900 along with the adjoining nos 23-31 (HB26/10/001B-F). No. 21 Bloomfield Road was first recorded in the Annual Revisions in 1900 when the building still lay vacant; the valuer noted that nos 21-31 were owned by a Mr. Francis Quinn of Francis Quinn & Sons and the Beechpark Estate Co, who lived in nearby Wynford Street (Belfast Street Directories).

The first occupant of No. 21 Bloomfield Road was John Campbell, a local draper. By the 1911 census the building had passed to R. J. Eagleson, an ex-R.I.C. Sergeant. The census building return described No. 21 Bloomfield Road as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 11 rooms. By the time of the cancellation of the Annual Revisions in 1930 the value of No. 21 remained at £16, however by the First Revaluation (1935) this had been increased to £24. The valuer noted that ownership of nos 21-31 had passed to a Mr. Joseph McMaster by 1935. McMaster continued to let out No. 21 Bloomfield Road to tenants until 1968 when a Mr. Thomas A. Stothers took over the property and converted the former private dwelling into a residential flat (on the ground floor) and offices (taking up its upper storeys); as a result of these alterations the value of No. 21 was lowered to £22 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72).

Nos 21-31 Bloomfield Road were listed in 1984; the First Survey record described the terrace as ‘three pairs of semi-detached three-storey houses in Arts and Crafts style,’ whilst the NIEA HB Records note that the architect of the row was W. J. Moore. A Belfast-based architect, William J. Moore (c. 1873-1921) established a private practice in Ann Street by 1896. Throughout his career Moore designed both domestic and commercial properties and Nos 21-31 Bloomfield Road would be amongst the earliest domestic buildings Moore completed during his years as an independent practice. The NIEA HB Records note that Moore derived his style from the work of Scottish architect Norman Shaw who ‘made a significant break from the established traditions of using either classical or gothic forms and in so doing had one of the stepping stones for the beginning of the modern [Arts & Crafts] movement’ (NIEA HB Records; DIA).

No. 21 Bloomfield Road continues to be utilised as a domestic building. The NIEA HB Records stress that while ‘these dwellings do not make architectural history, they are good examples of their type and are a significant contributor to the streetscape. They also make use of terracotta mouldings made at the time in Belfast (NIEA HB Records).

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/4/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1858
2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1902
3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1920-21
4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1931
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/L/2-10 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
6. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/12 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935)
7. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/25 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
8. Ulster Town Directories (1901-1943)
9. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
10. First Survey Record – HB26/10/001 (c. 1980)
11. First Survey Image – HB26/10/001 (No Date)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB26/10/001A

Online Resources

1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Semi-detached three-storey redbrick house previously with mock timber framing to 2nd storey, now rendered, dating from 1900 and most likely by architect W.J. Moore. Forms part of a row of 3 pairs of semi-detached houses to the south side of Bloomfield road (HB26.10.001B-F). Despite alterations to the exterior, the building is of interest as part of a group of early Arts & Crafts movement houses in the east Belfast area.