694-696 ANTRIM ROAD

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached asymmetrical two-bay one and a half storey Tudor-Revival brick and render former gate lodge built c. 1892 as a gate-lodge to Belfast Castle (HB26/51/001A-E). ‘T-shaped’ plan with gables to east and north and series of single-storey bays forming entrance porches to north-east, single-storey extension to south-west and west. Located at the corner of Antrim Road and adjacent to an access road to Belfast Castle on an elevated site overlooking Belfast Lough, adjacent to pair of rock-faced coursed basalt piers to west.

Steeply pitched natural slate roof, terracotta roll-top ridge tiles, painted timber moulded bargeboards to overhanging verges having exposed purlin ends and decorative finial. Overhanging eaves having exposed rafter ends with painted timber sheeted soffit. Red brick two-stage chimneys having carved stone string course and coping with circular terracotta pot. uPVC rainwater goods throughout. Red brick Flemish bond walling having brick plinth course to ground floor; smooth rendered walling with applied timber framing with painted finish to gable apexes. Square-headed openings with ashlar sandstone surrounds having moulded stone drip mould and integral splayed sills with timber casement windows throughout, unless otherwise stated.

Elevation to north-east comprises of canted-bay with steep pyramidal natural slate roof having metal weather vane finial to east and projecting gable to centre having pitched roof. Square-headed opening to canted-bay having carved stone surround, built out at base, with six-panelled timber entrance door. Window openings to east and north. Pair of square-headed openings to ground floor of gabled bay; diagonal framing to gable.

Elevation built out at base to north comprises of gable-fronted bay with projecting rendered first floor supported on carved timber brackets, mono-pitched single-storey porch to east adjoining north-east facing gable and single-storey two-bay extension to west having metal roof-lights. Canted window to ground floor with projecting painted stone sill. Square-headed door opening to porch with moulded timber head having six-panelled timber door inset. Square-headed opening to first floor of gable with pair of timber casement windows having painted timber surrounds and moulded timber sill.

West elevation comprises of single-bay projecting gabled extension to north and two-bay single-storey elevation with flat roof adjoining gabled return to south. Square-headed opening to extension forming doorway, approached by brick steps; corner window returning to south. Timber sheeted fencing to flat roof. Clerestory window to main roof behind, with chimney stack adjoining.

South elevation comprises of single-bay, one and a half-storey gable-fronted central bay with projecting rendered first floor. South elevation of projecting gable to east is three-bay single-storey with pair of roof-lights to roof and part rendered at ground floor level. Single-bay mono-pitched extension to west of gable-front central bay with two-bay south elevation of projecting gable to west adjoining. Square-headed openings to first floor gable with pair of timber casement windows having painted timber surrounds and moulded timber sills. South elevation of west extension has square-headed window opening extending to west corner.

East elevation to Antrim Road comprises of gable-fronted bay with rendered apex and applied timber framing. Five-sided canted bay to south side at ground floor having flat roof, moulded parapet and lead roof covering; painted stone sill and nine over one or six over one timber casement windows. Paired square-headed openings to north side at ground floor. Abutted by north-east facing elevation, as described above, to north side.

Setting: Building is located at the corner of Antrim Road and adjacent to an access road to Belfast Castle (HB26/51/001A-E) with red brick boundary wall to north and east having chamfered cut-stone coping with metal railings over. Square-plan piers form entrances to north-east and south-east with rendered steps leading to entrance doors. Rubble stone wall extending to west from piers and forming entrance to rear on curved plan with square-plan piers, crenellated coping and metal gates forming entrance. Hedge boundary to south enclosing private gardens. Brick paving to west.

Roof: Natural slate
RWG: uPVC
Walls: Red Brick/ render with timber boarding
Windows: Double-glazed timber casement

Historical information

Nos 694-696 Antrim Road, a pair of one-and-a-half-storey red-brick buildings located in the townland of Green Castle, was constructed in c. 1892. The buildings were originally constructed for Anthony Ashley-Cooper (Lord Ashley) the 9th Earl of Shaftesbury. The Shaftesbury’s had come into possession of Belfast Castle (HB26/51/001A-E) in 1883 following the death of the 3rd Marquis of Donegall (the 8th Earl had married the Marquis’ daughter in 1857). Belfast Castle had been originally constructed in 1868-70 and possessed a gate lodge (HB01/51/001B) which had been built at the south-eastern entrance to the estate in 1870. Another gate lodge (italianate style) was constructed on the estate c. 1885 as the main northern entrance to the Belfast Castle estate (HB26.51.001D). The Earl of Shaftesbury had nos 694-696 Antrim Road constructed as Belfast Castle’s third gate lodge which permitted access to the estate from the north (Brett; Cave Hill Campaigner).

The Belfast Street Directories first recorded nos 694-696 Antrim Road in 1892. The architect of the lodge is unknown, although the building was designed in an early Arts-and-Crafts Style. Dixon states that the Arts & Crafts movement derived from William Morris’ abhorrence of ‘the mass productions of the machine age [and was an attempt] to return to the irregular but more agreeable qualities of handicraft. Simplicity of decoration and functional planning were the very essence of such houses [and] the most concentrated development of the style was in and around Belfast’ (DIA; Dixon). The gate lodge is an early example of the Arts-and-Crafts style in Ulster and was likely designed by one of the early proponents of the style (which included Vincent Craig and James John Phillips).

The Annual Revisions note that construction of nos 694-696 Antrim Road cost £1,160 with the completed building divided into two sections. No. 694 was valued at £12 and was utilised as a post office and dwelling, known as the Cave Hill Post Office, whilst the adjoining gate lodge at No. 696 was valued at £17. The first recorded occupant of the post office was a Ms. Mary Sampson whilst the gate keeper at the lodge was a Mr. Charles West. The Census of Ireland records that in 1901 the post office was occupied by a Ms. Julia Armstrong whilst the gate lodge was inhabited by Richard Nevin, a retired policeman. In that year the census building return described No. 694 Antrim Road as a 2nd class shop and dwelling that consisted of five rooms, with the adjoining No. 696 also being designated 2nd class but consisting of four rooms. No. 694 Antrim Road continued to be utilised as a post office until the 1970s. Photographs of the Antrim Road elevation (dated c. 1920) records that few structural changes have been made to the building since the early-20th century (although the single-storey extension to No. 696 was added in 2008-2010).

The Shaftesbury family continued to hold Belfast Castle and its outbuildings until 1934 when the 9th Earl of Shaftesbury granted the building and the 200 acre estate to Belfast Corporation. Having been utilised as a private dwelling for only 65 years, Belfast Castle was granted to the Corporation on 1st February 1935. Scott states that ‘the corporation made a number of alterations to the castle’s interior to make it suitable for public use. Belfast Castle was officially opened to the public by the Lord Mayor on 9th July 1937, swiftly becoming one of the city’s most popular venues for wedding receptions, public dances and afternoon teas. No. 696 Antrim Road ceased to be utilised as a gate lodge from the 1930s and became a private dwelling (the adjoining laneway was used as the main exit from the estate). Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the former gate lodge, which had been lowered in value to £12, was leased by Belfast Corporation to a Ms. Elizabeth Gillespie. The valuer also noted that the post office at No. 694 Antrim Road had been increased in value to £17 and was occupied by the postmistress, a Mrs. F. Beamish, from the 1930s. The occupants of both buildings remained unchanged by the end of the Second Revaluation at which time the value of No. 694 Antrim Road had been raised to £38 whilst No. 696 remained valued at £12.

Ownership of nos 694-696 Antrim Road passed to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in 1973 and the pair were subsequently listed in 1984. Information supplied by the current occupant suggests that the post office ceased operating from No. 694 Antrim Road in c. 1974 when the Beamish family vacated the site. The NIEA HB Records note that nos 694-696 Antrim Road underwent an extensive renovation in 2008-2010 which included the construction of the single-storey red-brick extension to the north side of No. 696, the addition of new entrance doors, replacement of original roof timbers and reslating of the roof in Spanish slate, repointing of its brickwork and the installation of new timber window frames throughout. The restoration and remodelling of the former gate lodge was designed by Gordon McKnight Partnership (NIEA HB Records).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1857)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/57/4 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/57/5 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/57/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1936-38)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/5/8D-8F – Annual Revisions (1887-1897)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/F/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/3 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/1 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1890-1943)
10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
11. First Survey Record – HB26/51/004 (No date)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB26/51/004

Secondary Sources
1. ‘The Cave Hill Campaigner’ Belfast: Cave Hill Conservation Campaign, 2002.
2. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of Belfast: 1700-1914’ Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1985.
3. Dixon, H; Walker, B., ‘No Mean City: 1880-1914’ Belfast: The Friar’s Bush Press, 1984.
4. Scott, R., ‘A breath of fresh air: The story of Belfast’s parks’ Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 2000.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie
2. Belfast City Council Website - www.belfastcity.gov.uk/tourism-venues/belfastcastle/bchistory.aspx

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
U. Historic Associations
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A well proportioned and detailed detached asymmetrical two-bay one and a half storey Tudor-Revival brick and render former gate-lodge and post-office, now in use as a pair of private dwellings. The building is of architectural, historical and social interest to the locality, built as a gate-lodge to Belfast Castle (HB26/51/001A-E) with a portion in use as 'Cavehill Post-office' up until the latter half of the twentieth century. It has group value with Belfast Castle and the other listed strucures associated with the castle. Restored in 2007, the building retains its original form and Tudor-Revival characteristics such as the gable-fronted facades with applied timber framing, steeply pitched slate roofs and canted bays.

General comments

Previoulsy recorded as HB26/51/004.