70 North Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey with attic level red-brick dwelling built c. 1897 to designs by an unknown architect and formerly utilised as a private school for girls. Irregular plan form facing E onto North Road comprising: a two storey with attic gabled projecting block orientated E-W, having a two storey projecting three sided canted bay to its eastern end; block is abutted by a two storey hipped roof projection to S with a single storey three-sided canted bay to its southern end. Separate flat-roofed side entry porch attached to SE of front blocks and a two-storey L-shaped return to centre of rear W facade with a recent single storey extension to northern end of return. Situated on the W side of North Road the building is located within the Cyprus Avenue Conservation Area, being an area of high quality townscape character with many Victorian and Edwardian period properties.

Pitched and gabled red clay tile roof (unless otherwise stated) with red clay roll top ridge tiles throughout. Generally moulded red brick corbels set on raised and dentilated red brick course to projecting eaves with replacement uPVC ogee guttering discharging to circular section uPVC downpipes. Prominent rectangular section chimney to N elevation with eight buff clay pots. Single square section chimney with two tall buff clay pots to SW end of rear return; single rectangular section chimney rising from W wall of hipped roofed block at S. Chimneys are generally red brick with bevelled edges to shaft, a dentilated course, ball flower course and moulded projecting cornice to caps.

Generally English Garden Wall bond red brick walling and replacement uPVC top opening casement windows in square-headed bevelled edge openings with painted stone heads to front blocks of E and S elevations and red brick heads to N and W (unless otherwise stated), some windows have stained leaded glazing in uPVC casements.

Principal elevation
Front elevation faces E having a two storey with attic level projecting block to NE end; two storey hipped roof block at 90 degrees with a single storey canted bay to S end. Single storey side entry flat roofed porch abuts at the junction of both blocks. Steps and dwarf red brick walling, including a section of red clay balustrading to S, leads to S side of two bay entrance porch; square-headed fanlight doorcase with replacement six panel painted timber door having brass furniture. Porch has ornate cast iron pierced quatrefoil cresting to low parapet of flat roof; leaded and coloured glazing to replacement uPVC porch windows.

Facade generally has corbelled eaves, ball flower stringcourse, continuous raised band cill course to FF and GF windows and a continuous painted smooth plaster band at GF window head level. These features continue to S facade of projecting hipped roof block and are absent from rear return.

Hipped roof block at SE has a central moulded terracotta tile to FF flanked by single square-headed windows; GF having a single window S of two bay porch.

NE two storey with attic level block has a decorative panel of brick work with projecting headers to apex of broken pediment gable; moulded ball flower bricks on egg-and-dart eaves course. Terracotta scroll to gable apex and a single side opening uPVC casement window to attic level.

South elevation
Two-bay two-storey hipped roof block, with flat roofed porch attached to E, projects from two storey with attic level block at NE. Hipped roof block has replacement mono-pitch roof to single storey bay window at S. Rear return to W forms SW site boundary, being abutted by outbuildings of neighbouring dwellings. Generally less decoration to rear block; plain eaves course and mostly red brick heads to windows of rear return.

West elevation
W elevation has two bays to FF (one square-headed window now blocked with red brick), a later rectangular window to GF with painted concrete head; two tall buff clay chimney pots to square section chimney at SW corner. Recent pitched roof extension to NW has square section chimney to N gable and glazed three section patio doors opening onto two concrete steps at W. Timber and block garden buildings abut south western edge of facade and extend to W.

North elevation
Main two storey with attic level block to E (front of site) has a prominent chimney set on a narrowly projecting raised brick two storey gable. Projecting limb of L-shaped rear return to W is set back from main block having a later central square-headed doorway with painted concrete head, square fanlight and sidelights; single off centre window to FF. Angled wall, having square-headed window opes at GF and FF, connects return to perpendicular block of return to W, having a window at FF gable end and a three bay single storey extension to N. Western facade of E block has single windows at each level, with a large horizontal window having a painted concrete head to FF. Eastern facade of W block has single narrow window to GF; three windows to single storey extension.

Setting
Situated to the West side of North Road the building is screened by mature trees and timber boundary fencing with modern timber gates set between square section red brick piers to NE; blocked entrance with original red brick piers and walling to SE. Area to E and SE of house has raised areas set to lawn with gravel and hardcore drive to E and N. Red brick wall to S separates front garden from private gardens of neighbouring dwellings.

Roof: Clay tile
RWGs: uPVC
Windows: uPVC with some stained glass in uPVC casements
Walling: Red brick

Historical information

No. 70 North Road, a two-storey red-brick dwelling on an irregular plan located in the townland of Ballyhackamore, was constructed in c. 1897. The house, which is currently utilised as a private dwelling, was originally known as ‘The Laurels’ and was a private school for girls operated by a Ms. Susanna Corry. The building was constructed on land owned by a Mr. John M. Jones and was originally valued at £39 and 10 shillings by the Annual Revisions which first recorded the building in 1897 (UTD).

The Laurels was utilised as a day school and does not appear to have admitted boarders. The Census of Ireland records that Susanna Corry resided at the address with Isabella Browne who was also employed as a school mistress. In 1911 the census building return described The Laurels as a 1st class dwelling and school which consisted of 13 rooms. Susanna Corry continued to reside at the school until her death in 1922 at which point the building passed to her relative Joseph Corry (PRONI Wills). The building was no longer utilised as a school by the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) when it was occupied as a private dwelling by John McLachlan Dunn, a manager at a local insurance firm. The value of the house was increased to £54 in the 1930s but was further raised to £64 by the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72). The Jones family continued to be recorded as owner of the site until at least the 1970s.

No. 70 North Road was included in the Cyprus Avenue Conservation Area which was designated in 2000 and was described by the Department of the Environment as an area which ‘exhibits a very high standard of townscape character with many period Victorian and Edwardian properties contributing to the special quality of this suburban setting’ (DOE).

References

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 OS/6/3/4/6 – Sixth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1938)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/L/1-10 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/20 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/29 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1890-1943)
10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (10 Nov 1922)
12. Ordnance Survey Map 130-15SW3 (1987)

Online Resources
1. Department of the Environment Conservation Areas –
http://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/policy/supplementary_guidance/conservation/conservation_map.htm

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A late-Victorian two-storey with attic level red-brick dwelling built c. 1897, formerly utilised as a private school for girls. The building is characterised by its projecting bays, prominent chimneys and moulded and raised brick detailing. It retains some original internal features such as the staircase and some internal joinery. Although of local significance, as a former school, the character of the building has been altered with replacement uPVC windows and rainwater goods and it is not of special interest.