Somerton Private Nursing Home For the E M I

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey with attic, red-brick Victorian former house built c.1900. Gabled slated roof; front elevation facing north-west having a pair of projecting two-storey sem-circular bays, two-storey canted bay to north-east and single-storey extension to north. Single-story glazed lean-to to south and five-bay two-storey extension to south-east. Set within its own grounds at the corner of Somerton Road and Somerton Park, having lawns to north-west, entrance to north with cast-iron gateway with tree and hedge boundaries to north-west, north-east and south-east. Timber fence to south-west. Extensively renovated c.1990 and now in use as a nursing home.

Pitched natural slate roof with dentil eaves course to north-west, stone finials to apexes. Conical slate roof to front bays with stone finial, ogee moulded metal guttering, downpipes and hoppers. Hipped natural slate roof with raised central section to single storey extension to north-east with dentil eaves to upper part and overhanging projecting eaves with exposed rafter-ends to lower section. Hipped roof to canted bay to north-east. Pair of two-stage chimney stacks to gable-ends with projecting cornice, flat stone coping and terracotta chimney pots. Walling is red brick in English Garden Wall bond with red sandstone dressings.

Symmetrical north-west front elevation with decorative terracotta detailing to eaves. Continuous moulded drip course above first floor windows and to ground floor windows of curved bays. Decorative floriated terracotta band to first floor level and projecting moulded plinth course. Square-headed openings to curved bays have smooth ashlar chamfered surrounds with slender colonettes between and continuous stone sill. First floor opening to centre bay is square-headed with sandstone head and stop-chamfered brick jambs. One over one sliding timber sash windows. Elliptical-headed door openings with drip mould and floral label stops, ashlar moulded surround on Corinthian colonnettes, with decorative keystone over.

North-east elevation has decorative terracotta string above pair of second-floor square-headed openings. Two-storey canted bay with dentil eaves course, string course and drip mould to first floor, decorative floriated terracotta band to first floor and projecting moulded plinth course. Square-headed openings with one over one timber sash windows to ground floor and replacement uPVC windows to first floor. Corner oriel canted windows to single storey extension to north-east supported on stone brackets. Leaded glass to windows. Two storey brick extension to south-east.

South-west elevation has decorative terracotta string above pair of second-floor square-headed openings having one over one timber sash windows. Three windows to first floor having top hung uPVC replacement windows. Two storey brick extension to south-east. Later conservatory attached to north-west side having shallow pitched hipped slate roof, brick plinth wall and timber framing; decorative glass to south-east elevation.

Two storey brick extension to south-east side.

Set within its own grounds at the corner of Somerton Road and Somerton Park, having lawns to north-west, entrance to north with cast-iron gateway with tree and hedge boundaries to north-west, north-east and south-east. Timber fence to south-west. Red-brick two-storey extension to south-east.

Materials:
Roof: Natural Slate
RWG : Painted metal
Walling: Red brick
Windows: Curved one over one timber sliding sash windows to projecting bays, one over one timber sliding sash windows and replacement uPVC windows. Leaded glass to oriel windows.

Historical information

No. 77 Somerton Road, a two-storey red brick dwelling located in the townland of Skegoneill, was built in 1900. The turn of the century house was constructed on the Somerton Road which was established following the breakup of the Fortwilliam Estate in the mid-19th century. Larmour states that many grand mansions were erected on the former estate in the 1860s and 1870s, although only a few now survive. No. 77 Somerton Road was constructed on land owned by Edward Allworthy, an estate agent and accountant who resided at Langford Villa in Duncairn Street (UTD). The unsigned plans for No. 77 Somerton Road are held at City Hall and record that the building was designed in January 1900. The completed building was first recorded in the Annual Revisions in 1901. The building was leased to William Barnett, a local grain importer who was a partner in W. & R. Barnett grain produce merchants (UTD), and was valued at £83. The third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) depicted the new building along its current layout but noted that it originally possessed a rear return (demolished in c. 1988).

Barnett named his house Rosindale and continued to reside there until c. 1911. By that year John Henderson, a wholesale butter, egg and provision merchant (who operated at St. George’s Market) had taken possession of the house which he subsequently renamed Ardbarron. The census building return described No. 77 Somerton Road as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 12 rooms and possessed a shed as its sole out office. John Henderson remained at Ardbarron until the 1940s. The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) recorded that ownership of No. 77 Somerton Road had passed to a Ms. Mary Fairburn by the 1930s and noted that the value of the property had been increased to £90. Following John Henderson’s death in 1949, Ardbarron was occupied by a Mr. William A. Agnew who continued to reside there until the 1980s. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the value of No. 77 Somerton Road remained at £90.

No. 77 Somerton Road was listed in 1987. The NIEA HB Records note that the building was converted into a nursing home in c. 1988 when the rear return was demolished and the current two-storey red brick extension (facing onto Somerton Park) was added. The glazed conservatory to the south side of the building was installed in c. 1990 (NIEA HB Records). During the Second Survey the former merchant’s residence continued to be utilised as a nursing home.

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/43/H/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
5. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/11- First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72)
6. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/16 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
7. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943)
8. PRONI Wills Catalogue (24 Nov 1949)
9. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
10. First Survey record – HB26/46/013 (1985)
11. NIEA HB Records – HB26/46/013

Secondary Sources
1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A well proportioned and detailed red brick Victorian building constructed at the turn of the twentieth century. Located within its own grounds with tree-lined boundaries, the building is of architectural and historical significance being one of only a few substantial houses that survive and which were erected following the breakup of the Fortwilliam Estate in the 1860s and 1870s. Designed in a typical Victorian style, characterised by features such as red-brick walling and projecting circular and canted bays, the building is enhanced by ornate brickwork to string courses and an elliptical-headed door opening with floral label stops and Corinthian colonnettes. The single-storey extension to the north-west is constructed in an 'Arts and Crafts' style, having oriel canted windows and leaded glass to windows. Internally, the building retains limited original detailing such as the glazed timber screen to vestibule and moulded architraves to doorways. Overall, the building is one of the most important buildings in Somerton Road.