4-8 Church Lane

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey five-bay rendered terraced building in late Georgian style with shopped ground floor facing Church Lane.

Pitched slate roof with blue clay ridge tiles; no chimneys. Ruled and lined rendered walling. Upper floors have 6/6 d/h timber sash windows (three windows over nos.4-6 and two above no.8) with projecting cills. Ground floor shopfront incorporates separate door at no.4 (modern flush door behind roller shutter) leading to the first floor over the shop at no.6.

Principal west elevation comprises double-fronted shop with plate glass windows over rendered stall risers with slender fluted pilasters on bases. Door and window of similar design to no.8. Shop sign on canted glass fascia with gold lettering at no.6.

Rear elevation rendered without windows and includes a small lean-to extension bringing the building out to the stone rubble wall of St George’s Church (HB26/50/045).

Setting: Although now obscured by rendering, Church Lane contains a number of similar related late Georgian structures which back onto St George’s churchyard, indicating the densely-packed nature of the city at that time.

Walls: Rendered
Windows: Timber
Roof: natural slate
RWG: Cast iron.

Historical information

Buildings are shown on the site on a map of Belfast dating from 1715 and it is possible that the present shops retain some early fabric. However, the appearance of the buildings is consistent with a Georgian/Victorian urban vernacular of uncertain date. Patton dates the current terrace to c1780 on the grounds that Church Lane had been redeveloped by 1788 with leases requiring frontages of up to fifteen feet in height.

In 1800 one of the principal inns of Belfast, the White Hart stood in Church Lane and the street was known for its shoemakers, the celebrated painter Andrew Nicholl being the son of a Church Lane bootmaker who lived at number six. (Patton) Nicholl painted many views of Belfast and Ulster and a large collection of his work is held by the Ulster Museum. (www.ulsterhistorycircle.co.uk)

Individual houses in Church Lane are not identifiable in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) because the associated town plan is missing. However the buildings are listed in Street Directories from the early nineteenth century and in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64). No occupants are recorded in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, suggesting that by this stage the shopkeepers resided elsewhere.

Numbers four and six Church Lane were initially two separate premises and the first occupant to be listed in street directories in 1806 was Andrew Nicholl, boot and shoemaker and father of the celebrated painter, at number 6. An 1843 directory lists Ann Johnston, bonnet maker at number four, while ‘Cumine’ saddle and harness manufacturer, occupied number six. By 1852 the terrace was entirely occupied by boot and shoe makers with John Mortimer at number 4 and Thomas Palmer at number 6. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists Samuel Moore, boot maker at number 4 and Thomas Palmer at number 6. The shops were leased from Edward Coey and a rent was paid of £14 a year for number 4 and £12 a year for number 6. The two buildings were divided in an unusual fashion, in that each shop rented a ground floor and number four rented in addition the first floor over numbers 4 and 6 while number 6 rented the second floor over both shops. Number 4 was valued at £11 and number 6 at £10.

In 1877 John Freeman rope and twine manufacturer was at number four and William McLarnon tobacconist at number six. In 1879 the two shops with dwellings over were combined into one and revalued at £26, the premises of William McLarnon tobacconist. The valuation of number 4/6 was increased to £40 c1900 in common with other buildings in the terrace indicating that remodelling or improvements took place at this time. By 1935 the shop had been taken over by Miss Moran, tobacconist who had formerly held the premises at number 10.

The shopfronts were replaced in traditional style c1985 and in 1993 Patton remarked that the ‘splendidly cosy treasure house of an interior to Miss Moran Ltd is largely untouched with display case windows, mirrored shelves of cigar boxes, mahogany counter, old posters advertising archaic tobaccos and a sheeted low ceiling’. The interior of the shop remains largely traditional to the present day.

Number eight Church Lane is noted in early street directories as the premises of boot and shoemakers. In 1819 it was occupied by George Taylor boot and shoemaker, then Alexander Faulkner (shoe shop 1843) and William Mortimer boot and shoe maker (1852). Griffith’s Valuation of 1856-64 lists the occupier as James Mortimer, shoe maker who paid a rent of £18. The valuation was £15 but this was increased to £25 c1900 indicating that remodelling or improvements took place at this time. Boot and shoe makers remained at the property until 1901 when it was taken over by R A Brown watch maker and jeweller. In the 1990s the shop was renamed ‘Accessories’ and presently operates as a sandwich bar.

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832-3
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1901-2
4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/6 – Sixth Edition OS Map 1931
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/7/4A Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/C/1-31 Annual Revisions (1863-1905)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/D/1-22 Annual Revisions (1862-1930)
8. Street Directories 1839-1995
9. 1901 census online
10. 1911 census online

Secondary Sources

1. Patton, M “Central Belfast: An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993
2. www.ulsterhistorycircle.co.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-storey rendered terraced building in late Georgian style. Although some historic fabric survives, the whole has been compromised by restoration and renewal. Of interest is the tobacconist's shop on the ground floor, which has good detailing (all modern replacement c1985) and an association with the site since 1935. This small group (HB26/50/042A&B) is of some interest as the remnant of the Georgian street, the remainder of which has been lost.