Colinmore

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-storey Italianate style mansion in ashlar sandstone dating from c.1870, now part of Hunterhouse College. Rectangular plan form with three-storey tower to west and single-storey modern extension to east end. The building is located within the grounds of Hunterhouse College fronting onto Upper Lisburn Road.

Bangor blue slates to hipped natural slate roof with rolled lead ridges, ashlar sandstone chimney stacks with corbeled coping stones and red clay chimney pots. Overhanging eaves supported on horizontal moulded brackets with cast iron ogee gutters discharging to circular downpipes. Ashlar walling in Dungannon and Giffnock sandstone with the north-east part of the building being rendered. Rusticated ground floor on projecting plinth course. Continuous projecting string course to sill level to all floors. The window openings are square-headed to ground floor and segmental-headed to first floor, all with double-hung 1/1 timber sashes (unless otherwise stated). First floor windows are flanked by pilasters supporting decorated archivolts.

Principal Elevation:
The principal elevation faces north. The west part of the elevation is built in ashlar sandstone, the east part is rendered. The main entrance is off-centre to the west through a projecting single-storey porch having a segmental-arched opening to ground floor and openwork parapet above. Double-leaf panelled timber doors to entrance open onto a granite platform and two nosed steps covered by a projecting Art-Nouveau style segmental arched canopy with copper covered roof and coffered ceiling. Three-storey hipped-roof tower directly to west with two small square-headed windows to ground and second floor; segmental-arched timber three-part mullioned window to first floor. The bay to west end has one window to each floor.
Projecting bow-fronted full-height bay to east of the entrance with five-part Tudor-style window with stone mullions and stained leaded glazing to ground floor. Three segmental-headed windows to first floor.
Adjacent three bays to east have a window to each bay at GF and FF levels. Projecting multi-bay wing directly to east has square-headed windows and sandstone sills to ground floor, plain segmental-headed windows to first floor, projecting cornicing and two slightly recessed square-headed dormer windows with timber casements.

West elevation:
The west elevation has three-bays. Two-storey three-sided canted bay to north having square-headed windows to all three sides to ground floor with window to central bay flanked by recessed pilasters; segmental-headed windows to first floor, paired to centre. Two bay wide single-storey rectangular plan form projection to south, pilasters separating three windows and openwork parapet above. Segmental arched window to each bay to first floor.

South Elevation:
Rear elevation faces south. Single-storey semi-circular plan bay window to west end with openwork parapet above and paired windows to first floor. A flat-roofed canopy supported on painted timber posts occupies the next three bays to east. Directly to the east is a projecting bay with a shallow portico to ground floor supported on two circular columns having ionic-style capitals and decorated bases. Square-headed door opening with modern timber panelled door and fanlight opening onto a single stone step. Single window to first floor. Single-storey flat-roofed semi-circular bay window to next bay to east; mullioned timber frame with leaded coloured glazing. Four windows to first floor. East side elevation of this bay consists of four-part square-headed timber mullioned window with leaded glazing to ground floor and a single window to first floor. The next two bays to east are recessed with a lean-to single-storey porch and two simple segmental headed windows to rendered first floor. The porch has a square-headed modern double door with glazing incorporated into a timber framed screen. Three-sided canted bay to the east end with two windows to canted bays to ground floor and four segmental headed windows to first floor.

East elevation:
The east elevation is four-bays wide with a projecting modern extension. The single storey rendered modern extension has a slate hipped roof and square-headed door opening onto a concrete ramped platform to east. A hipped dormer built off the wall with attached chimney stack breaks the elevation at eaves level and separates the plainly detailed north section from the bracketed overhanging eaves to the south.

Setting:
The building is located within the grounds of Hunterhouse College and is surrounded by modern school buildings (of little interest). The main entrance to the grounds is through the gateway fronting onto Upper Lisburn road ( HB26.15.003 B).

Materials:
Roof Bangor blue slate
RWG Cast iron
Walling Dungannon and Giffnock sandstone
Windows Timber sash windows

Historical information

Colinmore, also known as Hunterhouse College, a two-storey Italianate former mansion with three storey tower, was constructed in c. 1870. The building was first recorded in 1870 when the Annual Revisions valued the dwelling, it’s out offices and a gate lodge at £70. The mansion was constructed on land owned by John Stouppe Charley who resided in the neighbouring Finaghy House (now Faith House – see HB26/15/002) and was originally occupied by Philip Fletcher Richardson. The Ulster Town Directories note that Richardson was a district agent for a number of Insurance companies and operated from business premises on Donegall Square (UTD). The original architect of the building is not known, although the Natural Stone Database records that the building was constructed of locally-quarried Dungannon Sandstone and imported Scottish Giffnock Sandstone (NSD).

Richardson named his dwelling ‘Strathearn’ and continued to reside there until 1876. Between 1876 and 1908 a number of prominent individuals occupied Strathearn including Charles Finlay (of Finlay Bros & Co., Tea Merchants) and Abraham Combe, an Engineering Works Manager with Combe, Barbour & Combe Ltd. (Machinists, Engineers and Millwrights). Throughout this period Richardson’s mid-Victorian dwelling would not have resembled the current building; Strathearn was originally a more modest building. The third edition of the Ordnance Survey maps (1901) depicted the building along a very different layout than the current Italianate structure; the current appearance is the result of a heavy modification carried out in 1908 by Harold Barbour (Ulster Town Directories).

Harold Adrian Barbour (1874-1938) was a member of the Barbour’s of Hilden. The Scottish linen manufacturing family originally emigrated to Lisburn in the late-18th century and established a linen thread works in the area in 1784. The family later moved their business to Hilden and founded the Linen Thread Company in 1898 which became internationally recognised as the largest linen thread mill in the world. Harold Barbour was involved in his family’s linen business but was also a leading member of the co-operative and labour movements in Ireland becoming president of the Lisburn Co-operative in 1900 and chairman of the Irish Agricultural Wholesale Society in 1910 (Lisburn Historical Society; UCD Archives).

Having purchased Strathearn outright, Barbour carried out a major remodelling of the building which resulted in its current Italianate appearance. The distinctive tower, entrance porch and bay window were added to the north face of the building at this time. The alteration work resulted in the increase in the value of Strathearn to £250. Following the alteration the 1911 Census described Barbour’s mansion as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 23 rooms and possessed a stable, cow house and a chauffeurs garage amongst its outbuildings. Barbour continued to reside at Strathearn until his death in 1938 (PRONI Wills Catalogue).

Templeton and Weatherall state that during the Second World War Strathearn was requisitioned by Harland & Wolff but in the aftermath of the conflict the former Barbour residence was purchased for £18,550 by the Princess Gardens School to form its new junior school as well as new accommodation block for boarding pupils. Strathearn was renamed Colinmore at this time and was officially opened by the Governor of Ireland, Earl Granville, on 6th June 1946. It is likely that the sympathetic two-storey extension to the east end of the building was added at this time in order to provide additional accommodation.

The Princess Gardens School vacated their original premises on University Street in 1967 and the school re-established itself at Finaghy utilising Colinmore as the main school building. Colinmore was listed in 1987. In the same year Colinmore was united with Ashleigh House school (formerly on the Malone Road) and the school was renamed Hunterhouse College. The name of the school is derived from the headmasters of the two schools who, at the time of the union in 1987, were both named Mrs Hunter. The school was also named after Mrs Anna Hunter who resided in the Dunmurry area and was the founder of the original Princess Gardens School (Beaumont & Maginnis).

The NIEA HB Records note that in 1989 a renovation was carried out to Colinmore which included the replacement of rainwater goods and the restoration of roof valleys. Since the 1980s a large number of new school buildings have been constructed around Colinmore. The former dwelling has been surrounded by modern department blocks and a sports hall. In 2011 the most recent work added a new sixth form study centre and additional classrooms. The former merchant’s mansion has been only slightly modified with the addition of a single-storey extension to its east elevation being the only major alteration (NIEA HB Records; Templeton & Weatherall, p. 84).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/64/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1901)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1921-21)
3. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/20 – Griffith’s Valuation (c. 1860)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/15A-J – Annual Revisions (1862-1930)
5. PRONI D3863/A/1/16 – Correspondence relating to the merger of Princess Gardens School and Ashleigh House (1980s)
6. Ulster Town Directories (1870-1943)
7. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
8. PRONI Wills (24 Dec 1938)
9. First Survey Record – HB26/15/003 (1970)
10. First Survey Image – HB26/15/003 (No Date)
11. NIEA HB Records – HB26/15/003

Secondary Sources
1. Beaumont, P; Maginnis, H., ‘Princess gardens: A goodly heritage’ (Belfast: M. W. Publications, 1993.
2. Templeton, G; Weatherall, N., ‘South Belfast in old photographs’ Stround: The History Press Ltd, 2008.
3. ‘The end of an era: Barbour’s of Hilden’ Lisburn: Lisburn Historical Society, 2006.
4. Rankin, K., ‘Linen houses of the Lagan Valley’ Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002.

Online Resources
1. Natural Stone Database - http://www.stonedatabase.com//buildings.cfm?bk=2527
2. UCD Online Exhibition (Barbour) - http://www.ucd.ie/archives/html/exhibit1.htm
3. Hunterhouse College website - http://hunterhousecollege.org.uk/about-us/a-well-resourced-school/

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

This is an example of a building whose transformations in style and function have added to its present architectural interest. A fine example of an Italianate style mansion dating from c.1870 in ashlar sandstone with an interesting Art Nouveau porch and a tower added in c.1910. The building has a fine interior with many original fittings retained. A renovation was carried out in 1989, and repairs in 2006. Although the single storey extension to the east is inappropriate, as it somewhat compromises the overall layout, it is modest enough not to distract from the overall composition. The building is enhanced by its setting and has group value with the listed gate lodge and gate screen (HB26.15.003B).

General comments

Previously HB26/15/003 - Record Split now HB26/15/003A&B