Wave Trauma Centre

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey with attic Gothic Revival sandstone former house, built in 1877, to the designs of Robert Young with single and two-storey rendered extensions to rear, built c.2000. Irregular on plan facing east and set back on the west side of Chichester Park South within its own mature grounds.

Pitched natural slate roofs with roll-moulded terracotta ridge tiles, mortar parged verges and several rock-faced sandstone ashlar chimney stacks. Replacement uPVC rainwater goods supported on exposed timber rafter feet. Random coursed rock-faced sandstone ashlar walling with cement pointing, tooled corners and rock-faced plinth course with splayed ashlar trim. Largely square-headed window openings with chamfered or bowtel-moulded red sandstone dressings, flush splayed sills and original single-pane timber sash windows with slender ogee horns (unless otherwise stated).

Principal elevation faces E. Three windows wide with full-height gabled projection to the left, central entrance bay and abutted by large chimney stack to the right. The gabled projection has a corbelled out canted oriel window to the first floor formed in ashlar sandstone and embellished with decorative foliate and grotesque carvings. Shouldered window openings at ground floor level have shouldered upper sashes to match. A single wall-head dormer window over the entrance bay has sandstone coping and shoulder blocks. Central square-headed door opening formed in tooled sandstone surround having carved roundels, bowtel mouldings and foliate embellishments to the lintel surmounted by four-centred arch overlight. Original wood-grained timber door with linenfold panels and iron door furniture opening onto concrete platform and six concrete steps enclosed by rock-faced sandstone wall with replacement steel handrails.

South side elevation is two windows wide abutted by full-height gabled projection with paired windows at each level. To the right of the projection is a large chimney stack (now truncated) with a lean-to greenhouse at ground level. To the left of the projection is a steel fire escape. Generally pointed-headed window openings on this elevation with a single-pane timber sash windows. The paired windows to the ground floor of the projection have a single polished granite column with stiff-leaf capital and red sandstone tympanums with quatrefoil lights and six-pane timber casement windows. A catslide dormer roof to the left houses a replacement hardwood glazed door opening onto the fire escape. This elevation extends to the west as a lower two-storey extension having rock-faced sandstone walling at ground floor level and painted smooth rendered walling to the upper floor with concrete sills and timber sash windows.

The rear elevation is abutted by the south-west extension (as above) and a further single-storey rendered extension to the northwest. Between the southwest extension and the north wing is a tall brown brick lift shaft. The north wing has half-hipped roof and a stone-framed stairhall window with paired trefoil-headed lancets and quatrefoil over. This window has leaded latticed glazing and storm glazing.

North side elevation is four windows wide with a full-height canted bay window to the left and a single wall-head dormer with shouldered window opening. Below the dormer is a pair of pointed-headed window openings while the remaining openings are square-headed.

Roof Natural slate
RWG UPVC
Walling Rock-faced sandstone ashlar
Windows Original timber sash

Setting:

Located on a quiet residential road within its own mature landscaped gardens enclosed to the road by low rubblestone wall and opening onto the road via modern steel gates with original circular sandstone piers having red sandstone tapered capstones.

Historical information

No. 5 Chichester Park South, a two-storey sandstone house also known as Rathvarna House, was constructed in c. 1877. The house was first recorded in the Belfast Street Directories in 1877 and, according to the Annual Revisions, was constructed on land leased by a Mr. Thomas B. Johnston. Rathvarna House was originally designed by Robert Young to be used as his private residence.

A local architect and civil engineer, Robert Young (1822-1917) had established an independent practice in the city in 1852 before entering into partnership with his former pupil John Mackenzie in c. 1867. The pair formed Young & Mackenzie, which was described by the Dictionary of Irish Architects as ‘the most successful architectural practice in Belfast [which became] the leading architects for the Presbyterian church in the North-East and had also received some of the most important commercial commissions in the city.’ Young had lived at No. 268 Antrim Road (HB26/47/003A) in the 1850s before moving to Fortwilliam Villas (which he also designed – see HB26/46/017A-B) in c. 1865. Young designed Rathvarna in a distinctive style familiar in many of Young & Mackenzie’s most notable buildings. The random coursed rock-faced façade of the building (utilising local-quarried sandstone in the masonry) is reminiscent of the firm’s work at Belfast Royal Academy (HB26/42/001), the Crescent Art’s Centre (HB26/27/016) and the Culloden Hotel (HB23/18/017) all of which were contemporary with Rathvarna (DIA; Natural Stone Database).

The Annual Revisions set the total rateable value of Rathvarna at £60 in 1879. The house was occupied by Robert Young up until the time of his death in 1917. The house was described by the 1901 Census of Ireland as 1st class dwelling that consisted of 16 rooms and possessed a shed as its sole outbuildings. The contemporary third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) depicted the building along its current layout although a single and two-storey extension was added to the northwest side of the house in c. 2000. Following Robert Young’s death on 21 Jan 1917 Rathvarna House passed to his son, Robert Magill Young (1851-1925), who had entered into partnership with his father in 1880 (DIA).. Young was also employed as a local magistrate and resided at Rathvarna until his own death in 1925 (PRONI Wills) at which time the house was left to his son, James Reid Young. The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that J. R. Young was a partner in Young & Mackenzie for over forty years and lived at the family home at Chichester Park South until his death in 1967. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the total rateable value of Rathvarna was increased to £94. The value of the site remained unchanged by the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72).

Rathvarna was listed in 1985. The NIEA HB Records note that the building underwent an extensive renovation in 1987-88 which was fittingly carried out by Young & Mackenzie and included the repointing of the buildings stonework. The building continued to be utilised as a residential dwelling until c. 2000 when it was converted into a victim support centre with office accommodation for the WAVE Trauma Centre. The single and two-storey extensions located to the northwest side of the building were added in c. 2000 as part of the conversion. No. 5 Chichester Park South was included in the Somerton Road / Chichester Park Conservation Area which was designated in 2000 as the ‘area 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).

Resources

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/5/8B-8F – Annual Revisions (1867-1897)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/F/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/3 - First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72)
7. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/2 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
8. Ulster Town Directories (1868-1943)
9. PRONI Wills Catalogue (21 Jan 1917; 19 Nov 1925)
10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
11. First Survey record – HB26/44/003 (1985)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB26/44/003

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects – http://www.dia.ie/
2. Natural Stone Database – http://www.stonedatabase.com/
3. DOE Conservation Areas –
http://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/policy/supplementary_guidance/conservation/conservation_map/conservation_somerton_chichester.htm

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey with attic Gothic Revival sandstone former house, built in 1877, to the designs of the renowned architect Robert Young as his own private residence. Young had lived at other houses nearby within the townland of Skegoneill, namely No. 268 Antrim Road (HB26/47/003A) and Fortwilliam Villas (which he also designed, HB26/46/017A-B). Originally known as Rathvarna, this is a well-articulated building that has similarities with Young's others commissions, such as the Cresent Arts Centre. Although the building has been substantially modified, with single and two-storey rendered extensions to rear, built c.2000, many well crafted internal features remain intact. The external composition retains much of its architectural character, with fine stone detailing and good proportions, while the stone pillars at the entrance further enhance the mature setting of the original building.