6 Cyprus Avenue

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two storey semi-detached sandstone house dating from c.1877 attributed to local architects Young & Mackenzie. L-shaped plan form with a two-storey hipped roof bay to front, a two-storey modern extension to rear and a projecting 3-sided modern cantilevered extension to FF to rear. The house is abutted to W by 4 Cyprus Avenue (listed under HB26.14.020 A) and they form a group of two pairs of semi-detached houses with 2 Cyprus Avenue (listed under HB26.14.021 A) and 99 Upper Newtownards Road (listed under HB26.14.021 B). The site is situated to the N side of Cyprus Avenue.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled black-clay ridge tiles and projecting eaves. uPVC half-round guttering discharging to circular downpipes. Two rectangular section rendered chimney stacks with corbelled coping and red-clay chimney pots. Walling laid to rock-faced random-coursed Scrabo sandstone with chamfered plinth course. Square-headed window openings with flat-arch lintels and painted cills, having original 2/1 to GF and 4/1 double hung timber sashes with ogee horns to FF (unless otherwise stated).

South elevation:
The principal elevation faces S and consists of a bay to W, a projecting three-sided canted bay immediately to E and a recessed bay to E end. Two windows to GF and one to FF to W bay. Square-headed door opening to E bay with chamfered stone surround and a panelled and glazed timber door with fanlight; cast metal lamp mounted on wall to right of door.

East elevation:
The E elevation consists of a bay to S, two projecting gabled bays and a lean-to bay to N. uPVC casement window to N bay to GF and 1/1 double-hung timber sash window above.

North elevation:
The rear elevation faces N and has a replacement uPVC casement window and two square-headed door openings with replacement glazed timber doors to GF. Modern gabled projection to W end at FF level supported on timber brackets having plain barge boards, vertical hung slates to elevation and uPVC casement windows. Square-headed window opening with 2/2 double-hung timber sash window to centre of FF.

West elevation:
The W elevation is abutted by 4 Cyprus Avenue (listed under HB26.14.020 A).

Setting:
The house has a gravelled driveway and a large lawned garden to E and N and modest landscaped garden to S; enclosed by hedge to S, E and N, timber fence to NW. Painted cast iron gate to S supported on metal standards topped by fleur-de-lys finials.
The house is part of a group of two pairs of semi-detached houses including 4 Cyprus Avenue (listed under HB26.14.020 A), 2 Cyprus Avenue (listed under HB26.14.021 A) and 99 Upper Newtownards Road (listed under HB26.14.021 B) built on a large site between Cyprus Avenue, Beersbridge Road and Upper Newtownards Road.

Materials
Roof: natural slate
RWG: uPVC
Walling: rock-faced, random-coursed Scrabo sandstone
Windows: 2/1 to GF/ 4/1 double hung timber sashes to FF

Historical information

No. 6 Cyprus Avenue, a two-storey semidetached house (attached to the adjoining No. 4 Cyprus Avenue) was originally constructed in c. 1877. The second edition Ordnance Survey map (1858) records that the townland of Ballyhackamore remained predominantly rural in character in the mid-19th century and was occupied by only a small number of gentlemen’s manors that included Bloomfield House and Greenville House. By the 1870s the industrial expansion of Belfast, coupled with the development of the Belfast & County Down Railway, resulted in the development of new streets and housing in the townland. The Annual Revisions record that nos 2-6 Cyprus Avenue and No. 99 Upper Newtownards Road (HB26/14/020A-B; HB26/14/021A-B) were constructed for the Bloomfield Land & Building Co. Ltd., which was formed by the landowning Boyd family in 1874 to secure leases for building projects in the East Belfast townlands of Ballyhackamore and Ballycloughan.

The Annual Revisions note that the four villas, which were originally known as ‘Plevna Villas’ had been erected by 1878. The houses were most likely constructed by Young & Mackenzie, a local partnership that the Dictionary of Irish Architects describes as ‘the most successful architectural practise in Belfast … the leading architects for the Presbyterian Church in the North East [who also] received some of the most important commercial commissions in the city.’ Young & Mackenzie’s papers record that the firm designed four villas in the Bloomfield area in 1877. In the following year the firm also designed a terrace of cottages on the Beersbridge Road for the Bloomfield Land & Building Co. Ltd (nos 364-374 Beersbridge Road - HB26/10/002A F). Young & Mackenzie’s papers record that the builder contracted to carry out the construction of the four villas was J. Smyth & Son (PRONI Young & Mackenzie papers; Dictionary of Irish Architects).

The Annual Revisions included a plan of the buildings (dating from c. 1878) which depicted Plevna Villas along their current layouts suggesting that few significant alterations have been made to the original design of the villas since the late-Victorian period (the two-storey extension was added to the rear of the building after 1987). In 1878 the valuer set the total rateable value of No. 6 Cyprus Avenue at £27 and recorded that it was occupied by a Ms Jane Turner. By 1890 the villa had passed to Robert Fullerton, who was employed as a manager, but by 1892 the house was occupied by the Rev Colin McKay, a retired Methodist Minister. No. 6 Cyprus Avenue passed to McKay’s widow Sarah following his death in c. 1897. The census of 1901 described the house as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 11 rooms whilst the contemporary Belfast Revaluation (1900) increased the value of the building to £30.

McKay continued to reside at Plevna Villas until c. 1918 when a Mr. James P. Gillespie took possession of the site. The Annual Revisions note that ownership of Plevna Villas passed from the Bloomfield Land & Building Company to the Irish Mathematician, William McFadden Orr, in c. 1900. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography notes that William McFadden Orr (1866-1934) was born in Comber Co. Down and held the post of Professor of Mathematics at Royal College of Science Dublin between 1891 and 1933 (ODNB). The total rateable value of No. 6 Cyprus Avenue was increased to £48 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57). Between the 1930s and 1970s the house was occupied by S. L. Ross, a local coal importer (UTD). By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the value of No. 6 Cyprus Avenue was further increased to £50.

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 D2194 – Young & Mackenzie Papers (1878)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/2B-2G – Annual Revisions (1867-1897)
8. PRONI VAL/7/B/8/22 – Belfast Revaluation (1900)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/L/1-10 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
10. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/19 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
11. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/29 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
12. Ulster Town Directories (1877-1943)
13. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
14. Ordnance Survey Map - 130-15SW3 (1987)

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects website - http://www.dia.ie/
2. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35333

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

U. Historic Associations
R. Age
S. Authenticity
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two storey semi-detached sandstone house dating from c.1877 attributed to the well-known local architects Young & Mackenzie. The house is part of a group of two pairs of semi-detached houses including 4 Cyprus Avenue (HB26.14.020 A), 2 Cyprus Avenue (HB26.14.021 A) and 99 Upper Newtownards Road (HB26.14.021 B), built on a spacious site between Cyprus Avenue, Beersbridge Road and Upper Newtownards Road. The group of houses, originally known as ‘Plevna Villas’, were erected following the industrial expansion of the Belfast & County Down Railway and are well-proportioned and detailed with timber sash windows. The architectural style and materials are similar to the group of semi-detached houses on Beersbridge Road (listed under HB26.10.002), also attributed to Young & Mackenzie, although the Cyprus Avenue pair are significantly larger with a more complex plan form, incorporating a two-storey canted bay. With historic associations to the Irish Mathematician, William McFadden Orr, the house has group value with its neighbouring houses and makes a positive contribution to the character of the local area.