683 Antrim Road, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT15 4EG

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached symmetrical double-fronted three-bay two-storey with attic former house, built c.1898, converted for use as a community residential centre in the late 20th century and now in use as offices, located on the eastern side of the Antrim Road in north-west Belfast. The main building is largely regular on plan with two-storey canted bay windows flanking the central bay; the rear (west) elevation is abutted by a three-bay two-storey return. A single-storey modern extension (of little historic interest) links the northern elevation to a gable-fronted single-storey block with half-dormer attic, located to the north. Both the rear return and northern block are of similar construction period to the main building, and share similar detailing.

The roof is pitched artificial slate, with a velux window to rear (west) pitch, replacement terracotta ridge-tiles, hipped over canted bays with lead flashing and terracotta finials. Profiled gutters, largely with uPVC downpipes (box cast-iron to north), mounted on a painted and rendered projecting cornice carried on stiff-leaf consoles separated with foliated panels. Squared apex to gables with raised verges over matching cornice, rising to painted rendered chimneystacks with corbelled coping and multiple red clay pots. Walling is painted ruled-and-lined render over projecting plinth; contrasting dressings including vermiculated quoins to main house and rear return, continuous projecting sill courses to ground and first floor. Largely segmental-arched window openings with moulded architraves and projecting keystones, generally featuring swags over palmette motif; round-arched openings to attic level without keystones. Windows are largely 1/1 (replacement) timber sliding sashes with profiled horns to principal elevation; some original fixed or casement timber windows with decorative leaded stained-glass to east elevation and return. Remaining windows are uPVC casements. Segmental-arched central door opening with pole-moulded reveals framed by panelled, engaged pilasters supporting a moulded archivolt with projecting keystone over moulded timber doorcase comprising a double-leaf six-paneled timber door with brushed glass overlight and matching sidelights featuring a decorative foliate motif.

The south elevation contains an attic window to left-of-centre, over a two-storey flat-roof canted bay window.

West elevation largely abutted by a gable-fronted three-bay two-storey return, similarly detailed as main building but having simplified consoles to eaves course and largely flat-arched window openings. Gable breaks through eaves course, rising to flat top with moulded roundel to apex featuring quatrefoil and decorative marble plaque inscribed ‘MOUNT LENNOX’. Fixed light timber windows to central bay, round-headed to first floor, both having decorative leaded stained-glass. Right cheek features a plainly detailed diminutive fixed-light timber/metal window with thin concrete/tile sill, to right-side of first floor over a single-storey lean-to with artificial slate roof and uPVC window in plain surrounds with painted concrete sill. Left cheek abutted by modern link-block.

North elevation contains a first floor window to right-side, with an attic window over. Left-side of elevation is blank, ground floor of right-side abutted by modern link-block which extends north, abutting to south elevation of northern block.

Gable-fronted principal elevation of northern block faces west, single-bay and single-storey with half-dormer attic. Artificial slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and profiled uPVC rainwater goods; north and eastern eaves detailed as return, those to south and west are plain replacement timber. Smooth rendered and painted walling to north elevation, chamfered quoins flanking east elevation and to north corner of west elevation. Round-arched windows to first floor of east and west elevations, similarly detailed to main building with non-continuous sills, plain keys to impost level and uPVC windows. Plain surrounds to flat-arched north and west openings with uPVC window to north and flush timber door to west. Flat-arched opening to ground floor of east elevation with uPVC conservatory abutting, over painted and rendered masonry base.

A two-bay single-storey garage is sited to the north-west corner of the site, in close proximity to the west elevation of the northern block, built c. 1925 (although possibly rebuilt around the late 20th century). Detailing and finish matches that of modern link block with painted ruled-and-lined cement-rendered walls with chamfered quoins, artificial slate roof with raised verges terminated by profiled kneelers, a pair of plainly detailed segmental-arched vehicular door openings to south elevation with metal roller-shutter doors.

Setting

Located on the eastern side of the Antrim Road, the principal elevation of the main building faces east, overlooking a garden area, while the rear (west) elevation and gable-fronted return face the Antrim Road. The principal entrance to the former house is located to the east and comprises an entrance platform of concrete flags approached by three-tiers of matching steps, flanked by a rendered and painted dwarf wall, which is topped by a pair of remaining decorative plant-pots. Principal access to the building complex is located in the western elevation of the modern link-block, which abuts to the north elevation of the main building and rear return (is of no interest). Set back from street level, the site is bound to the west by modern steel railings mounted on a late 19th century painted ruled-and-lined rendered wall with coping over. The wall is terminated by matching square-plan piers with moulded round-arched panels and console brackets carrying pyramidal capstones, topped with spherical finials. The curved vehicular entrance contains modern steel gates, flanked by matching piers.

Materials:

Roof; Replacement natural slate.
Walling; Painted ruled-and-lined render.
RWG; uPVC and cast-iron.
Windows Timber 1/1 sashes, uPVC casements & timber casements with leaded stained glass.

Historical information

No. 683 Antrim Road is a detached late-Victorian villa built c. 1898, on what was then known as ‘Ashley Park’. First shown on the third edition OS map (1901-2) the house, with a substantial L-plan outbuilding to the north, was then the only property sited between Parkmount Road to the north and Glastonbury Avenue to the south. Prior to development the site formed part of lands belonging to the nearby Parkmount house, which is shown on the second edition OS map (1857) and the Annual Revisions (1894-97). The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that work was carried out to the roads and sewers of Ashley Park in 1891 by John Lanyon, of the Belfast partnership of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon, and by 1895 Ashley Park was simply listed as ‘building ground’ in the Street Directory.

Occupied by a William Knox, ‘Mount Lennox’ was noted as a newly constructed house in the Belfast Street Directory (1899), having been added to the Annual Revisions (1897-1905) in 1897. Leased from someone named McWhircker(?), the plot comprised a house, offices, yard and land with an initial rateable value of £75, which was later reduced to £73 in 1899. Census records (1901) show that the house was occupied by Knox and his wife, along with two young boarders, and comprised eleven rooms with five windows at the front of the house and a total of five outbuildings, which included a stable, coach house, barn, fowl house and boiling house.

The valuation of the property had increased to £90 by 1906 and further rose to £100 following the addition of a ‘motor house’ in 1922 (Annual Revisions 1906-30). While the footprint of the main house altered little between 1902-36, the south-eastern proportion of the outbuilding was removed and a new section added to the south-western side (likely the motor house), as shown on the sixth edition OS map (1936-8). The 1911 Census records suggest that the removed section had previously incorporated the barn, fowl house and boiling house.

Ownership passed to William’s wife, followed by a James Gill (c. 1947) and a Robert Robinson (c.1956) under the First General Revaluation (1936-57), at which time the value had been reduced to £70 but rose to £76 in 1956. Occupied by Mrs Robertson until the mid 1980s, the Street Directories note that by 1986 the property had become the base of a residential ecumenical community, ‘The Columbanus Community of Reconciliation’ which was founded by Father Michael Hurley. As a result of this change of use, planning records show that alterations and extensions were subsequently made to the house c.2004, including a large extension linking the north elevation of the house to the outbuilding. Although the Community was disbanded, Hurley aided in establishing the Belfast campus of the Irish School of Ecumenics, which remains based at Mount Lennox. Planning records illustrate that further internal changes were made to the house, with former bedrooms converted for use as offices (c.2003) and security fencing and gates added to the premises (c.2006).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1857)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/57/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/57/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/57/6 – Sixth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1936-38)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/F/8 – Annual Revisions (1894-1897)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/H/1-6 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/10 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
8. Belfast Street Directories (1880-1943)
9. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)

Secondary Sources

1. Belfast Telegraph (16th September 2015)

Online Sources

1. DIA (www.dia.ie)

2. The Columbanus Community of Reconciliation and the Irish School of Ecumenics (http://www.gladysganiel.com/irish-catholic-church/remembering-fr-michael-hurley-in-belfast/)

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

S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A symmetrical double-fronted former residence, built c.1898 and highly characteristic of the late Victorian era, located on the eastern side of the Antrim Road. The principal elevation addresses the rear garden, while the gable-fronted rear return faces the Antrim Road. Despite the large modern extension which has been added to the north side, much authenticity is expressed through the exterior historic fabric and detailing of the former house including a pair of two-storey canted bay windows flanking the central entrance bay and a number of fine decorative stained-glass windows. The house's setting is significantly enhanced by the boundary walling and pillars that mark it's entrance on the Antrim Road. It displays well-balanced proportions, retains good quality detailing inside and has local interest as a good example of its type.

General comments

Also HB26/LQ265