Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/13/024

Address :
Bridge Community Centre 50 Railway Street Lisburn Co Antrim BT28 1XP

Townland:
Lisnagarvy

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
28/11/2005 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hall

Former Use
Hall

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
165/6 SE

IG Ref:
J2671 6454

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Owner Category

Local Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-storey building with basement and attics, in a freely treated Italianate style, of red brick with stucco dressings. Main entrance faces west. West elevation is asymmetrical, five openings wide, composed of three bays and comprising a slightly recessed central bay, flanked by a triplet of windows to the right, to each main storey, and a single window to the left, to each main storey, with the left-hand extremity extending to a canted corner bay, one window wide. Gabled roof, hipped to the corner bay, of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; moulded cast iron gutter with circular cast iron downpipe to right-hand end; two dormer windows to the main roof, with a third at the corner hip: gabled, with triangular pediments surmounting a rectangular timber sliding sash window, 1 over 1 vertically hung, with horns, set in timber surrounds, the one on the canted corner bay having a keyblock; dormer roofs and cheeks slated, similar to main roof. Two chimneys, red brick with moulded stucco cornice; some original stoneware pots to one on south gable, otherwise red pots. Walls of red brick with high projecting channel-rusticated stucco plinth to basement; moulded projecting sandstone stringcourse at first floor cill level; projecting sandstone eaves course, raised moulded stucco dressings to openings; and stucco quoins to extremities and corners of projecting bays. Central entrance comprises a pair of original rectangular panelled double doors set in what appears to be later marble-dressed reveals surmounted by a moulded stucco semi-circular arch with a plain semi-circular fanlight; deep frieze over door of later timber, bearing inscription ‘Bridge Community Centre’; faceted keystone to arch, rising into a stuccoed cartouche with open segmental pediment containing a datestone inscribed ‘1890’; two steps to door, concrete at base with granite above it. Windows are timber sashed as previous to dormers, rectangular except for right-hand triplet to first floor which have semi-circular arched upper sashes. Surrounds to first floor windows are moulded with keystone; surrounds to ground floor are similar but also surmounted by cornices or a pediment; projecting stone cills to ground floor windows; basement windows are deep set without surrounds, modern pvc replacements; modern steel bars affixed. North elevation is of similar storey heights and materials to the west elevation, and is also five openings wide in the one plane, extending at the right-hand extremity to an angled corner bay. Roof similar to previous elevation, with one chimney, as previous, on left-hand gable, with red pots, and two dormers in main roof, detailed as previous, both with keyblocks; walls similar to previous elevation; gutter similar to previous, with similar downpipe. Windows to ground floor, first floor, and dormers, are timber sashed, as previous to west elevation, except all are rectangular; windows to basement are pvc as previous elevation. Left-hand end opening on ground floor is a doorway, semi-circular arched with raised stucco surround rising from rusticated plinth; moulded label with keystone; contains an original rectangular panelled two-leaf door. To left of doorway is a marble drinking fountain set into the wall with bowed basin and projecting surround; inscribed with monogram ‘AJS’; tap now missing. Rear elevation is of plainer more utilitarian character than street-front elevations. Roof gabled and hipped, of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; one chimney, as previous, with red pots; three original flush rooflights; roof broken by a later modern monopitch roof to fire-escape door leading onto steel fire-escape. Walls of plain red brick, with stucco quoins to right-hand extremity; short returns of moulded stringcourses from north elevation, two shallow buttresses to main walling. Cast iron gutter with cast iron downpipes, plus modern pvc soil pipes and downpipe. Windows to first floor are rectangular timber sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, set in plain reveals with brick flat-arch heads. Fire-escape door to attic storey is modern glazed flush timber set in felt dressed timber structure: leads onto a modern steel fire-escape stairway which dog-legs around projecting ground floor toilet block to rear yard. Similar door opens onto fire escape at first floor level. Rear wall of main block: at right-hand end, at ground level is a doorway leading to basement area: modern diagonally sheeted timber door set in plain reveals with modern projecting segmental arched hood, surmounted by a plain rectangular window set in flat-arched brick reveal; door opens onto a concrete step partly enclosed by a low curving rubble stone wall, the retaining wall of the tarmac driveway down to rear yard. Projecting from right-hand extremity of rear wall is a short red brick pier forming part of open gateway to rear driveway into yard. Projecting from ground floor of main rear wall is an original toilet block with basement storey: hipped pavilion-type roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with red ridge tiles; timber louvred ventilating dormer to south side, with slated gabled roof; three-light flush rooflight to south side. Area between toilet block and main block is covered with a lean-to corrugated fibreglass roof. Walls of toilet block are of red brick with timber eaves board; pvc gutters and downpipes and cast iron downpipe; windows are rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 4 over 4 with horns, set in plain reveals with brick flat-arched heads; projecting sandstone cills; basement has later timber fixed lights. To south side of toilet block is a flat-roofed passageway with canted corner next to main block: red brick walls, flat felt-covered roof; one window in canted plane, timber sashed, 1 over 1 as previous. Projecting from the rear wall of toilet block at basement level is a modern flat-roofed garage of preformed metal panels with timber sheeted double doors; within garage part of rear wall of toilets is exposed including three windows, modern pvc replacements. At basement level on south side of toilet block is an open basement well enclosed by the rear wall of main block, the wall of the rear return, the brick wall of a single storey garage range in the rear yard, and a stone and brick retaining wall to adjoining property to the south; enclosing walls are painted white; paved ground surface; windows to rear of main block and to rear return are modern pvc replacements. South elevation of main block visible above abutting building and to its rear is a plain red brick gable. SETTING: The building stands within the built-up area of the town, occupying a corner site with two elevations facing directly onto main roads, and opening directly onto the pavement. It is adjoined on the south side by a neighbouring building on Railway Street, but not on the east side, on the Magheralave Road. Beyond the end of the building on the east side is a gateway leading into the rear yard with a boundary wall beyond the gate pier; boundary wall to roadway is of red brick, in a curving plane, with red ridge tile coping. Rear yard slopes down to the east, with tarmac surface throughout. Along the south boundary of the rear yard is a run of single storey lean-to roofed red brick garages, of no special interest. Along the east boundary stands a two-storey high gymnasium, with three lean-to roofed rendered garages of no special interest at its north end. GYMNASIUM: A plain gabled rectangular red brick building, of double storey height: roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; walls of red brick with projecting brick eaves courses; one chimney, to south gable, rendered; end gables are blind. Windows in west wall are rectangular timber sliding sash, 2 over 2, with horns, set in plain reveals, with projecting sandstone cills; three large tall windows to left-hand end, with two small first floor windows to the right-hand end. Ground floor contains an original timber sheeted door at left-hand end; at right-hand end is a later roofed open porch between gymnasium and adjacent garages containing a modern door in right-hand end of gym with a modern timber fixed light and top-hung vent to left of it.

Architects

Young & Mackenzie

Historical Information

Built as a Temperance Institute for the Lisburn Temperance Union in 1889-90 to the designs of Young and McKenzie, architects of Belfast; builders, D and P. MacHenry. Site donated by Sir Richard Wallace; foundation stone laid by Mrs J.D. Barbour on 24 June 1889; building opened in 1890; cost of construction paid largely by J.N. Nicholson of Lissue House, Rev. J.A. Stewart, and Messrs W. Barbour and Sons; drinking fountain set in wall facing Magheralave Road added in 1891 at the expense of Rev. J.A. Stewart. The original purpose of the building was to provide a centre with reading and recreation rooms to counteract the attraction and influence of public houses; the Lisburn Temperance Union had been formed on 21st February 1887. The original accommodation comprised a café and kitchen, reading and recreation rooms, committee rooms, and a gymnasium in a separate building to the rear. Stabling facilities were added to the rear in 1893 but by 1934 they were let as garages and by 1977 they were sold. Gymnasium reconstructed in 1919 to provide a caretaker’s house and billiard rooms; remodelled in 1965 when Sea Cadets took over and constructed decks and rooms to replicate those of a ship. The Institute was requisitioned by the army during the 2nd World War from c 1939 to 1944, then taken over by the Ministry of Finance until 1950, before reverting to its original function; subsequently bought by Lisburn Borough Council in 1979 who re-opened it as the Bridge Community Centre on 12 May 1981, continuing part of the building’s original functions. References – Primary Sources OS Map 1857, Co Antrim 68 (building not shown and Bachelors Walk not yet developed). OS Map 1939, Co Antrim 68 (building shown, marked as ‘Institute’). Original documents in Young and MacKenzie collection in PRONI, file no. 96/1. Secondary Sources DOENI, Lisburn Conservation Area [N.D.], p 16. Lisburn Borough Council, The Lisburn Temperance Institute: Bridge Community Centre 1890-1990 (Lisburn, 1990). B. Mackey, Lisburn: The Town and its People 1873-1973 (Belfast, 2000), p 45.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion D. Plan Form H-. Alterations detracting from building

Historic Interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a late Victorian building, a former Temperance Institute of 1890, designed by architects, Young and MacKenzie, in a free Italianate style, which retains most of its original exterior features and a number of its original interior features, as well as its original character. In addition to it being a handsome building in a prominent position in an urban setting characterised by a number of other set-piece buildings of recognisable historic architectural merit, its continuity of at least part of its original functions after over a century of use endows it with a considerable degree of local historical interest as well as undoubted social importance.

General Comments

Date of Survey

24 January 2004