Ormiston

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey with attic over concealed basement Scots Baronial former house, dated 1867, to the designs of David Bryce. Irregular on plan facing north with two two-storey wings to the east. Located on a large mature site south of Hawthornden Way and set behind suburban housing accessed off Hawthornden Road via long bitmac avenue to the east. Single-storey U-plan mews block to the east (HB26.13.001D) and 2 no. single-storey stone gate lodges, one at entrance(HB26.13.001B) and to north west on Belmont Road(HB26.13.001C).

Steeply pitched natural slate roofs with roll-moulded ridge tiles and several sandstone ashlar chimneystacks with splayed capstones and clay pots. Roof set behind slightly raised gables with stone coping and crow-stepped gables. The principal entrance gable has decorative wrought-iron rail to ridge and cartouche yielding lion statue to the apex of gable. Decorative wall-head dormers with carved gables. Cast-iron guttering to moulded eaves course with decorative box hoppers (raised lettering 'JC 1867') and square-profile downpipes. Uncoursed tooled squared sandstone ashlar walling with moulded trim to flush plinth course. Square-headed window openings with chamfered surrounds and flush sills, largely boarded up with original timber sash windows behind.

North front elevation comprises a central block with clasping crenellated tower to the southwest corner, advanced gabled three-storey entrance bay, recessed two-bay west wing to the right and linear lower two-storey east wing to the left. The central block has a decorative bartisan to the left corner with fish-scale slate conical roof, lead finial and diminutive square-headed window openings. The entrance gable has a corbelled out three-sided canted oriel window with stone roof embellished with ancons to the square-headed window openings and a carved head and arms to the base. The corbelling spans the entire gable as a compound cable moulding, continued to the remainder of the block at a lower level all interspersed with stone canon tips. A square stone plaque with raised lettering states; 'TRUTH / WILL / PREVAIL'. Square-headed principal entrance with elaborate carved stone doorcase comprises architrave surround flanked by oversized stone newels supporting stepped lintel with circular plaques to either side, central rectangular panel with raised lettering and monogram; 'MLJ' 'AN.DOM.1867', and surmounted by diminutive scalloped pediment. Double-leaf rustic sheeted timber doors with iron furniture opens onto stone platform and two steps enclosed by swept stone balustrade (that to the right having a cast-iron lamp). A single bay to either side of the central block is flanked by two-storey crow-stepped gables with a further lower two-storey wing to the left having 6/6 timber sash windows to the first floor.

The east elevation to the east wing comprises a two-storey crow-stepped gable to the right and single-storey wing to remainder. The south elevation to the east wing is single-storey with a crow-stepped gable to either end.

The south elevation comprises a recessed three-bay two-storey block to the right and an advanced three-bay two-storey block to the left with a two-storey bowed rear entrance bay to the re-entrant angle having conical slate roof with lead ball finial. Both blocks have wall-head dormer windows with tall pediments embellished with carved panels and decorative stone finials. The entrance tower has a tripartite transomed-and-mullioned sandstone window and a square-headed door opening flanked by sidelights. Door opens onto a paved area with steps to rear lawn. The advanced block has a further crow-stepped gable to the left surmounted by thistle and wreath finial with two tripartite ground floor windows openings, that to the left having a flight of stone steps to the west lawn. Two stone plaques to this elevation have raised lettering stating; 'DO / RIGHT / AND / TRUST / IN GOD', 'HE THAT / THOLES / OVERCOMES'.

Symmetrical three-bay west elevation has a central advanced gabled bay with crow-stepped gable and finial and a further wall-head dormer to either side. The gable has tripartite window openings to each level with canted sides at ground floor with further windows and the upper floor corbelled out.

Setting:
Located on a large mature site to the south of Hawthornden Way and to the west of Hawthornden Road surrounded by suburban housing and accessed off Hawthornden Road via long bitmac avenue passing single-storey mews building, opening onto the road via security lodge and single-storey stone gate lodge. The mews has pitched slate roofs with stone chimneystacks, random-coursed rock-faced basalt ashlar walling, painted brick walling to the inward facing elevations and red brick walling to the south elevation(HB26.13.001D). A further single-storey red brick range runs along the south elevation forming a laneway. The gate lodge is a single-storey symmetrical stone building with pitched natural slate roof, single stone chimneystack and square-headed window and door openings with chamfered surrounds(HB26.13.001B).

Roof: Natural slate
RWG: Cast-iron
Walling: Sandstone ashlar
Windows: Original timber sash

Historical information

Ormiston House, a three-storey Scots-Baronial mansion possessing two-storey wings located off the Hawthornden Road, was constructed in 1865-66. Haines states that as Belfast ‘became increasingly populated and industrialised, the factory owners and entrepreneurs sought to build their mansions on the higher, more salubrious plateau of Knock, Strandtown and Belmont.’ Ormiston House, which has become closely associated with history of the local shipyard industry due to its later occupants, was originally constructed for James Combe, a Scottish-born local magistrate and linen manufacturer who was the owner of Combe & Co., an iron foundry located on the Falls Road. Prior to residing at Ormiston, Combe had occupied a house on Ardmoulin Place near to his foundry (Haines, p. 34; UTD; PRONI Wills).

The Dublin Builder notes that Ormiston House was designed by David Bryce (1803-1876), an Edinburgh-based architect who had also designed a number of offices in Dublin for prominent insurance companies during the 1860s (the Standard Life Assurance Co. building in O’Connell Street, the Life Association of Scotland Building in Dame Street and the North British and Mercantile Co. building on College Green). Bryce designed Ormiston House in the emerging Scots-Baronial style which had become popular in the United Kingdom following the reconstruction of Balmoral Castle in the style in 1852-56. The mansion is one of the earliest and most accomplished examples of the style to be found in Ulster and was constructed of imported Scottish Giffnock sandstone. Combe named his mansion Ormiston in memory of his mother’s birth place at ‘Orbiston’ in Scotland (Dublin Builder, p. 508; DIA; NSD).

The Annual Revisions note that Ormiston was constructed in 1865-66 on land owned by Thomas McClure of Belmont House. The U-shaped stable block to the south-east side of Ormiston (HB26/13/001D) is believed to have been constructed at the same time as the house but the eastern gate lodge (HB26/13/001B) was not added until c. 1902. The gate lodge to the north of the estate (HB26/13/001C) was the first to be constructed in c. 1874. In the 1860s the valuer set the total rateable value of Ormiston House and its outbuildings at £284. James Combe continued to reside at the mansion until his death in 1875 (PRONI Wills). Following Combe’s death his widow remained at Ormiston until c. 1880 when Edward J. Harland took possession of the mansion (UTD).

Edward James Harland (1831-1895), was born in Scarborough in Yorkshire and was apprenticed to Robert Stephenson & Co., a locomotive manufactory based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. By 1853 Harland had been appointed manager of a shipyard on the Tyne and in the following year he came to Belfast to take up appointment as manager of Robert Hickson’s yard on Queen’s Island. Harland purchased the shipyard outright in 1859 and, along with his German business partner Gustav W. Wolff, founded Harland & Wolff in 1861. The phenomenal success of the shipyard industry in Belfast resulted in Harland becoming one of the city’s most prominent citizens. Harland served as Chairman of the Belfast Harbour Commission from 1875-1886, was knighted and conferred a baronetcy in 1885. He also served as Mayor of Belfast in 1885-86 and was elected M.P. For North Belfast between 1889 and his death in 1895 (Dictionary of Ulster Biography).

Edward Harland vacated Ormiston House by 1890 when the mansion was occupied by William J. Pirrie (1847-1924). Pirrie had been born in Quebec but came to Belfast where he was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution. In 1862 Pirrie was apprenticed to the Harland & Wolff shipyard and, in 1874, was created a partner of the firm. Pirrie became Chairman of Harland & Wolff following Edward Harland’s death in 1895 and, under his direction, the firm greatly expanded and constructed more ambitious liners (that stressed luxury over speed) including the R.M.S. Olympic and R.M.S. Titanic. Like Harland before him, Pirrie became a prominent local citizen. In 1896 he served as Lord Mayor of Belfast, was knighted in 1908 and was created Viscount Pirrie in 1921. Following the Partition of Ireland Pirrie was elected to the Northern Ireland Senate (DUB).

Upon taking possession of Ormiston in c. 1890, Pirrie carried out minor changes to the mansion and its grounds. The alterations were carried out in 1896-97 and included the installation of a timber-built ballroom to the rear of the house, the addition of new outbuildings to the east of the mansion, and the construction of glass houses to the southeast of the estate's formal garden. The 1894-96 Ordnance Survey map of Belfast depicted Ormiston House along its current irregular layout showing that no major structural additions have been made to the building since Pirrie’s additions of the late-19th century. The contemporary census of 1901 described Ormiston House as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 41 rooms and possessed a large number of out offices including four stables, two coach houses, a store, a laundry and a forge (most of which were located in the south-eastern stable block). By the 1920s Ormiston House was owned by Harland & Wolff and was partially occupied by a number of the yard’s company directors including George Cuming who was recorded as occupant in 1918. In addition to Ormiston, William Pirrie also occupied a number of dwellings in England but was buried at Belfast upon his death in 1924.

In 1927 Harland & Wolff sold Ormiston House to Campbell College (HB26/13/004) which converted the mansion into a junior school and boarding house. Haines states that during the Second World War Campbell College was requisitioned for use as a military hospital with Ormiston utilised as quarters for the hospital nurses (Haines, p. 34). In the mid-20th century the southern half of the mansion’s grounds were sold off to make way for the development of housing in the area. By the end of the Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) the value of the building stood at £800. Ormiston House continued to be utilised as a school house and boarding facilities for Campbell College until the 1970s when the college was unable to afford the upkeep of the building (Neither Rogues nor Fools: A history of Campbell College).

In 1974 Ormiston House was sold in order to raise funds for the construction of a new block at Campbell College. The former mansion was listed in 1974 and was subsequently acquired by the government who converted the building into office premises. Larmour, writing in 1987, described Ormiston House as ‘a thoroughly Scottish House … crow-stepped gables and a bartizan turret are picturesquely combined with other elements of Scottish 16th century architecture. Plenty of surface detail, with stringcourses, gargoyles, and improving inscriptions such as ‘He That Tholes Overcomes’ (Larmour, p. 33). The final occupants of Ormiston House were the Police Authority who utilised the building until 1996 when it fell vacant. At the time of the Second Survey the former mansion had fallen into a state of disrepair with its original windows removed and the majority of its openings covered over. Ormiston House has been added to the Buildings at Risk (NI) Register. The building was purchased by a new owner in 2015 and is currently being restored.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1902)
2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1920-21)
3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/6 – Sixth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1938)
5. PRONI OS/9/50/4/32B – Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1894-96)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/2B-2H – Annual Revisions (1863-1897)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/N/1-9 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
8. Dublin Builder (27 May 1876)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1852-1843)
10. PRONI Wills Catalogue (17 Nov 1875)
11. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
12. First Survey Record – HB26/13/001 (1974)
13. NIEA HB Records – HB26/13/001

Secondary Sources
1. ‘Buildings at Risk Northern Ireland: Vol. 8’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2008.
2. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
3. Haines, K., ‘Neither rogues nor fools: A history of Campbell College and Campbellians’ Belfast: Campbell College, 1993.
4. Haines, F., ‘East Belfast: Paintings and stories from harbour to hills’ Donaghadee: Cottage Publications, 2001.
5. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1987.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects – http://www.dia.ie/
2. Dictionary of Scottish Architects - http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk
3. Natural Stone Database - http://www.stonedatabase.com//buildings.cfm?bk=2475
4. Dictionary of Ulster Biography - http://www.ulsterbiography.co.uk/

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
U. Historic Associations
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey with attic over concealed basement former house, dated c.1867, to the designs of Edinburgh-based architect David Bryce. An impressive stone house originally built in the Scots-Baronial style for the industrialist James Comb. Probably the most extravagant development in East Belfast during the mid to late nineteenth-century, it is an early example of this genre in architecture. The building exhibits many of the architectural devices of the revivalist style including fine stonemasonry, an array of stone carvings and the distinctive crow-stepped gables and a finely detailed interior with ornate plasterwork. The house has changed uses many times over the course of the twentieth-century, used as a junior school by nearby Campbell College, nurses quarters during the Second World War and government offices during the latter part of the 20th century. Owned by Edward J. Harland during the late 19th century, the house was occupied by successive chairmen and company directors of the Harland and Wolff Shipyard, including William J. Pirrie and George Cuming. In its original mature landscape setting the building has group value with the gate lodges (HB26/13/001B&C) and the associated stable block (HB26/13/001D) constituting one of the largest and most intact residences in the Belmont area.

General comments

This record was originally HB26/13/001, but has now been re-numbered as HB26/13/001A.