416 Antrim Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

End of terrace two-bay three-storey with attic red brick and stucco former house, built in 1872, to the designs of R.Kelly, as one of a terrace of seven similar houses (HB26/44/029A-G). Rectangular on plan facing east with lower three-storey gable-ended rear return. Terminating the south end of the terrace and set back on the west side of Antrim Road with a shared bitmac driveway set behind a low rendered wall. Small enclosed front private space and enclosed rear yard. Now subdivided into seven flats.

Pitched natural slate roof with lead-lined dormer window set behind painted stucco parapet wall with deep moulded cornice and plain frieze. Replacement rendered chimney stack to the north party wall and cast-iron downpipe to the south gable. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond with cement pointing, continuous moulded string courses at first and second floor sill level and vermiculated stucco quoins to the left corner. Red brick walling to the south gable and rough-cast cement rendered walling to the rear elevation and return. Square-headed window openings with decorative stucco surrounds, moulded sills and replacement single-pane timber sash windows (unless otherwise stated).

Two-bay three-storey east front elevation has rendered three-sided canted bay window to the ground floor with continuous masonry sill, plat band and shallow cornice to parapet. Decorative painted lugged architrave surrounds to the second floor with bracketed sills. First floor windows are framed by scrolled foliate console brackets supporting hood cornice and moulded sill supported on stepped brackets. Gauged brick to form round-arched opening to the left bay. Replacement timber paneled door flanked by fluted Ionic columns supporting dentilated lintel cornice with plain glazed fanlight and deep moulded surround. Door opens onto concrete platform and three concrete steps to a half-landing and a further three concrete steps. To the left hand side of the entrance door, the original stone plinth wall with carved anthemion panel has survived. Otherwise, the steps and the raised front area are retained by concrete and enclosed by replacement steel railings and pedestrian gates.

Gabled south side elevation is blank with the parapet, quoins and string courses returning the right corner only. The upper most section of the gable wall is rendered to a depth of approximately six brick courses near the ridge; this is likely to be in place of an earlier chimney stack, now removed.

Rear elevation abutted by gable-ended three-storey return. The original return with red brick walling is extended with the later addition having rough-cast cement rendered walling, square-headed window openings with concrete sills and uPVC windows throughout.

North side elevation abutted by adjoining house No.418 (HB26/44/029B).

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Redbrick / Stucco render
Windows Replacement timber sash

Historical information

Nos 416-428 Antrim Road, a terrace of seven three-storey red-brick buildings located along the west side of the Antrim Road, were constructed 1872. The Antrim Road was originally laid out in 1830. The second edition Ordnance Survey map (1858) records that the land to the north of the Belfast Waterworks and the Limestone Road remained predominantly rural in character by the 1850s. With the increase in Belfast’s population and the development of the shipbuilding, rope-making and textiles industries in the town, by the mid-19th century a number of gentlemen’s mansions and wealthy merchant’s houses had been constructed in the townland of Skegoneill which swiftly became one of the most affluent areas in Belfast. Nos 416-428 Antrim Road were constructed on the grounds of Hopefield House, a two-storey six-bay mansion that was occupied by the Sinclair family. The majority of the grounds were built over during the 1870s (nos 344-354 Antrim Road were also constructed on this parcel of land in 1877 – see HB26/44/028A-F).

Nos 416-428 Antrim Road was known as ‘Fortwilliam Terrace.’ The Annual Revisions note that the terrace was leased by Samuel Lawther, the manager of Samuel Lawther & Co. (local coal importers, ship and insurance brokers with business premises on Corporation Square) who resided on Duncairn Street (UTD). The terrace was designed by Redfern Kelly (1845-1928), a Belfast-based engineer who predominantly carried out contracts for the Belfast Harbour Commissioners. The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that Kelly was responsible for the deepening of the Victoria Channel, the reconstruction of the Alexandra Graving Dock (following its collapse in 1905) and the construction of the Thompson Graving Dock. Despite the predominance of industrial contracts, Kelly also designed a Masonic Hall in Larne and the Murlough Cottages in Dundrum (DIA).

The Annual Revisions record that No. 416 Antrim Road was initially valued at £40 and was first occupied by V. C. Taylor, a local Iron founder, machinist and millwright who owned the Atlas Foundry on Townsend Street (UTD). Taylor continued to reside at Fortwilliam Terrace until 1887 when he moved to No. 605 Antrim Road (HB26/46/009A). The terrace was depicted on the third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) which shows that the entire area had been developed with terraced streets by the turn of the 20th century. By 1901 No. 416 Antrim Road was occupied by William Roche, a local linen manufacturer. In that year the census building return described the house as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 14 rooms. By the 1930s No. 416 Antrim Road was occupied by a Ms. Mary E. Murphy and under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the value of the house was increased to £46. In 1965 ownership of No. 416 Antrim Road passed to J. W. Hall who converted the private dwelling into a number of self-contained apartments. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the value of the building had been further increased to £83. Nos 416-428 Antrim Road were listed in 1987 and, during the Second Survey, No. 416 Antrim Road continued to be used as self-contained apartments.

Resources

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/C/7-25 – Annual Revisions (1863-1905)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/F/4-7 – Annual Revisions (1905-1930)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/3- First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-56)
8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/1 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1877-1943)
10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
11. First Survey Record – HB26/44/029 (No Date)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB26/44/029A

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

End of terrace two-bay three-storey with attic red brick and stucco mid-Victorian house, built in 1872, as one of seven similar houses that were originally known as 'Fortwilliam Terrace' (HB26/44/029A-G) and designed by Redfern Kelly, a prominent engineer known for his work on behalf of Belfast Harbour Commissioners. The slightly elevated terrace is set back on the west side of Antrim Road and screened by a series of mature trees behind a low wall. Although no longer in single occupancy, the exterior of this distinctive mid nineteenth-century house, with its vertical emphasis, graduated fenestration and restrained neo-classical stucco mouldings exemplifies the formal aesthetics popular at the time. Prior to its development, the surrounding area of Skegoneil had been rural but following a period of rapid industrial expansion and population growth, many merchants were persuaded to move out of the overcrowded inner city. A similar terrace, also thought to have been designed by Kelly, formerly known as Castleton Terrace (HB26.46.012 B-F) and built in 1878, sits almost directly opposite on the east side of the Antrim Road. Despite the removal of the chimney stack to the gable end and replacement windows to the rear, this house presents a largely intact front elevation and has group valeu with the other listed houses in this terrace.