Office / warehouse ('United Paper Merchants Ltd.')

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, single storey, brick-built former [?]store building of perhaps c.1910, with double curved (Belfast Truss) roof, somewhat altered more recent years with front double-gabled façade rebuilt and windows blocked up. The building (now an office / warehouse) is located within the Linfield Industrial Estate, off the west side of Sandy Row.

The building is roughly square in plan, measuring roughly 28.7m x 23.5. The double gabled (E facing) front is recent ‘glossy’ red brick and rises is to a double stepped parapet with [?]rendered coping. To the far right there is a large vehicle entrance with roller shutter. To the far left are two small windows with hopper opener frames. The right hand (N) edge the façade has a large bevel.

The S elevation sports large uneven areas in recent concrete brick with some areas (mainly to the uppermost third) in original red brick, and seven (largely evenly spaced) red brick piers interspersed along the whole length. The presence of the piers (and the uneven areas in concrete brick) could suggest that this elevation may have abutted another (now demolished) structure.

The N elevation shows evidence of once possessing a row of large windows, but all of these have been bricked up. To the far left there is a relatvively large window-like opening, (which may not be original), without a frame. To the left of this there is a relatively recently inserted pedestrian doorway with modern timber and glazed door. Modern laminated sign above window to far left, with smaller laminated sign below this.

The double-gable W elevation is partly in original red brick, partly in more recent red brick. There is a pedestrian doorway to right with metal sheeted door.

The curved roof could not be seen from the outside but internal evidence suggests it may be covered in felt. There is a full length central roof light (with corrugated Perspex) to each of the two sections of the roof.

Historical information

This building may date from c.1910 and was undoubtedly related to the surrounding former mill buildings and may originally have served as a store.

The Belfast truss was developed in the mid-nineteenth century to meet the demand for efficient, lightweight and long span roofs brought about by the industrial revolution. A detailed description of the historical development of the Belfast truss is included in the record for HB18/08/139. In brief, the first known reference to a curved wooden felted roof structure supported by bowstring girders is in an advertisement in the Dublin Builder for 1866 by the Belfast firm of felt-makers, McTear & Co. McTear’s continued making trusses until they went out of business in 1908.

A second Belfast felt supplier, Anderson & Co., began to produce trusses, to a slightly different design, in 1886. In 1896, Anderson’s launched their Mk II version; promoted as maximising long spans whilst maintaining light weight. This model was subsequently used by other companies, and is referred to by historians as the Belfast truss, although this term is widely used to apply to all timber bowstring trusses where the internal bracing members meet not on the bottom of the truss as was the convention but on the top curved member.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large single storey, brick built former [?]store building of perhaps c.1910, with double curved (Belfast Truss) roof, somewhat altered more recent years with front double-gabled façade rebuilt. The impressive Belfast Truss roof structure of this building is largely intact but the façade has been much altered in recent years.

General comments

Surveyed as part of the Belfast Roof Truss survey.