159 Skegoniel Avenue

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached four-bay one and a half storey red-brick former gatelodge, built in 1893 with single-storey extension to rear, now vacant. The building is adjacent to and parallel with Skegoneill Avenue, having a brown brick boundary wall flanking to east and west and set back slightly from the pavement to north.

Pitched slate roof having terracotta roll-top ridge tiles, exposed rafter ends and beaded fascia; timber bargeboard to overhanging verges at east and west gables. No rainwater goods. Pair of red brick chimneys to east and west having corbelled brick copings and terracotta chimney pots. Flat roof to rear extension. Red brick walling in English Garden wall bond with moulded string course below eaves level. Square-headed openings with brick soldier course having painted stone sills; windows boarded unless otherwise stated.

Front elevation faces north and has four bays with ocular window over entrance door. Remants of paint finish to all walling.

East elevation has window opening at upper level with the remains of one over one timber sliding sash window having ogee horms.

South elevation has single-storey extension.

West elevation has window opening at upper level with the remains of one over one timber sliding sash window having ogee horns.

Materials:

Roof: natural slate/terracotta ridges
RWG: n/a
Walling: red-brick
Windows: timber sliding sash/boarded

Setting: Building is located along Skegoneill Avenue with brown brick boundary wall flanking to east and west. Low boundary wall enclosing grass to north with steps leading to entrance door. Boundary wall encloses Brantwood FC football pitch adjacent.

Historical information

No. 159 Skegoneill Avenue, a one-and-a-half-storey four-bay red-brick building located in the townland of Skegoneill, was originally constructed in 1893 as a gate lodge for The Grove, a now-demolished former gentleman’s residence. The Grove was constructed in the 18th century and was home to Robert Simms, proprietor of a paper mill in Ballyclare and a founding member of the United Irishmen. Robert Simms, along with his brother William and fellow revolutionary Samuel Nielson, set up the Northern Star as the official newspaper for the United Irishmen in January 1792. In the aftermath of the failed 1798 Rebellion, Robert and William Simms escaped prosecution by the Crown authorities and settled at The Grove (Old Belfast, p. 12). The first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps (1832-33; 1858) record that The Grove possessed extensive grounds that took up most of the lands between Skegoneill Avenue and the Limestone Road. Skegoneill Avenue was originally known as Buttermilk Loney (lane), an Ulster-Scots place name ‘that reflected the rural nature of an area that provided an important supply of milk to the growing town,’ but the lane was renamed in 1887 (Lewis; The Giant’s Tale, p. 24).

Griffith’s Valuation (1859-60) recorded that The Grove was occupied by a Ms. Eliza Sinclair and that the house and its outbuildings were valued at £140 in the mid-19th century (the house possessed two gate lodges at the Shore Road entrance to the estate at that time). In the 1860s The Grove passed to William B. Ritchie, a local physician and magistrate, and it was during his occupancy of the estate that No. 159 Skegoneill Avenue was constructed. The Annual Revisions note that William B. Ritchie had the red-brick dwelling built in 1893 to provide a gate lodge at the rear entrance to The Grove. The building, which was recorded in the Belfast Street Directories as The Grove’s Back Lodge, was initially valued at £5 and 10 shillings. The first occupant of the lodge was Thomas Black but by 1901 the building was inhabited by Andrew Clugston who was employed as gardener at The Grove. In that year the census building return described No. 159 Skegoneill Avenue as a 2nd class dwelling that consisted of four rooms. The back gate lodge was recorded on the third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) which depicted it along its current layout at the corner of Skegoneill Avenue and Jellico Avenue (the grounds to the south of the house remained undeveloped at that time).

The Grove was demolished in c. 1950 when its former back gate lodge was leased out to tenants as a private dwelling. The Grove’s former grounds were transferred to Belfast City Council and have been utilised as playing fields since the 1950s. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) ownership of No. 159 Skegoneill Avenue passed to the trustees of F. Forbes and M. Taylor. The house, which was increased in value to £6, was occupied by a Mr. William Pierce who remained at the site until at least the 1970s. By the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) the total rateable value of the house stood at £7 and 10 shillings.

Resources

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1832-33)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
5. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/7/2H – Griffith’s Valuation (1859-60)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/B/5-17 - Annual Revisions (1862-1905)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/H/3-7 – Annual Revisions (1906-1930)
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/11 - First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72)
10. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/16 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
11. Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)
12. Ulster Town Directories (1877-1943)
13. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
14. First Survey record – HB26/47/007 (1986)

Secondary Sources
1. ‘Old Belfast: Vol. 9’ Belfast: Glenravel Local History Project, 2011.
2. Linder, S., ‘The Giant’s Tale: The history and heritage of North Belfast’ Belfast: North Belfast Partnership. c. 2010.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A modest, detached, four-bay one and a half storey red-brick former gatelodge, built in 1893 on the Grove Estate (main house now demolished). The building was the last of 3 no. gate lodges erected on the estate, a gentleman's residence which was home to Robert Simms, a founding member of the United Irishmen. Built in red brick walling laid in English Garden wall bond with a string course forming ocular window over entrance door and the pair of red brick chimneys. Although of some architectural and historic interest it is not considered of special interest.