Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/50/058 A

Address :
Merchant Hotel Waring Street Belfast County Antrim BT1 2DZ

Townland:
Town Parks

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
27/11/1975 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hotel

Former Use
Bank

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-13NE

IG Ref:
J3410 7454

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

Attached symmetrical multi-bay two-storey over basement Italianate sandstone former bank, built c.1860, to the designs of James Hamilton with two tier colonnaded portico. Rectangular on plan, set back on the south side of Waring Street with a front railed area and a central domed former banking hall. Converted for use as a hotel c.2006 and now interconnected via a single-bay two-storey wing to a former bank extension to the west (HB26/50/058B). Pitched natural slate roofs on a U-plan hidden behind parapets with a central glazed dome and several profiled chimneystacks (not seen). Roof set behind panelled sandstone parapet, advanced to the portico, framed by decoratively carved plinth blocks supporting elaborate paired urns. The sandstone front block returns onto both side elevations topped by parapet and urns as per front elevation, resulting in three urns to the corners. To the centre of the portico is a large plinth block with Arabesque carving supporting a figurative sculpture group representing Britannia, Justice and Commerce arranged around a heraldic shield. Replacement cast-iron rainwater goods throughout. Sandstone ashlar walling with rusticated vermiculated basement walling to the front block. Red brick walling to the side and rear elevations with sandstone courses. Round-headed window openings throughout with steel casement windows. North front elevation is five windows wide, paired to either end with a two-stage colonnaded portico. Crown cornice to the base of the parapet supported by series of foliate modillions over a decoratively carved Arabesque frieze embellished with seraphim. Entablature is supported on paired Corinthian pilasters framing the window openings, responding as paired Corinthian columns to the portico and rising from a blocking course over the ground floor entablature. Ground floor topped by cornice with mutules and panelled frieze embellished with triglyphs and supported on paired Doric pilasters embellished with egg-and-dart mouldings, responding as paired Doric columns to the portico rising from a sandstone stylobate advanced to either end and framing a flight of eleven sandstone steps. First floor window openings framed by Corinthian columns supporting dentiled impost mouldings with archivolt over having an ancon and decoratively carved spandrels. Deeply set compound moulded surrounds to the ground floor window openings flanked by pilasters and panelled impost blocks also having ancons and decorative spandrels with continuous moulded sills. The ground floor window openings to the portico have foliate carved heads. Plain square-headed window openings to the basement. Central square-headed door opening with varnished double-leaf timber panelled doors flanked by engaged Doric piers and a further pair of Doric pilasters supporting a stepped lintel cornice. Elaborately carved semi-circular overpanel (depicting Ulster Bank coat of arms) framed by archivolt and ancon. Door opens onto stylobate within the portico enclosed by replacement iron railings and gates. The decorative sandstone detailing of the front elevation returns onto the east side elevation by a further two windows, detailed as per front elevation. The remainder of the east side elevation is a further four windows wide with flush block-and-start sandstone surrounds on continuous moulded sandstone sills. Red brick rear elevation is three windows wide with thermal windows to the upper level and round-headed door openings, detailed as per side elevations. West side elevation as per east side elevation abutted by a flat-roofed two-storey single-bay wing, detailed as per front elevation built in a lighter sandstone. Square-headed door opening at basement level with glazed doors and fronted by a decorative cast-iron gated screen. Setting: Located on the south side of Waring Street, set back slightly from the street with a broad flight of sandstone steps, having spliced granite sections to the centre and decorative cast-iron posts with bronze tubular handrails. Cobblelock front area enclosed to the street by highly decorative cast-iron panelled railings on sandstone plinth walls and cast-iron piers supporting decorative cast-iron lamps. Roof: Natural slate RWG : Replacement cast-iron Walling: Giffnock sandstone ashlar Windows : Steel casement

Architects

Hamilton, James

Historical Information

The former Ulster Bank Head Office, now the Merchant Hotel, dates from 1858-60 and was built to designs by James Hamilton with carving by the Fitzpatrick Brothers. The contractors were D & J Fulton. The Ulster Banking Company commenced business at Belfast on 1st July 1836 in premises in Waring Street opposite Warehouse Lane. By the time the bank opened, arrangements had been made for the opening of a number of branches in towns across the north of Ireland. The bank was a success and in 1850 the directors began to think about expanding the premises to provide more accommodation. However, it was not until 1857 that the plot on the corner of Waring Street and Skipper Street was purchased and two of the directors made a trip to Glasgow and Scotland, returning with firm ideas of their requirements in regard to the new banking house. (Knox) A competition was held, with a prize of £100 and sixty-five designs were received, the winner being James Hamilton of Glasgow. By January 1858 a builder was purchasing log piles that were driven into the ground as supports. In April 1858, a contract was signed with D & J Fulton and the building was eventually completed at a cost of £30,000. The stone was originally to be quarried in France, but Hamilton feared that the French stone would wear too quickly in the exposed northern climate of Belfast and Scottish Giffnock stone was used, although it was considerably more expensive. The bank opened for business on 22nd October 1860 and was praised by the local press as a ‘commercial palace’. Three figures on the front signify Justice, Peace and Plenty and the dome lighting the main banking hall displays on its frieze representations of ‘Science’, ‘Poetry’, ‘Sculpture’ and ‘Music’. Above the frieze are ‘heathen’ deities and allegorical figures of engineering, commerce, poetry, architecture, navigation, astronomy, plenty, peace, agriculture and banking surmounted by portraits of ‘eminent persons’ associated with each, respectively Stevenson, Brown of Liverpool, Shakespeare, Wren, Cook, Newton, Peel, the Queen, the Prince Consort and Grote (now gone). The dome was decorated by Sibthorpe of Dublin. Stucco work was carried out by a Belfast man, George Crowe. Desks and counters were of mahogany with metal screens carrying a red hand of ulster in a shield surrounded by a laurel wreath. On the upper floor were living quarters for the cashier, James Wallace, which contained means by which the five safes could be secured while he was in bed. By turning a lever in his bedroom, a heavy iron bolt could be dropped down into each of the iron doors of the safes in the basement together with a steel plate across each keyhole. A platform which could be raised and lowered by turning handles moved bullion in between the safes and the banking department. (Knox) The lamp standards nad railings were by Messrs Laidlaw of Glasgow (Brett) Sadly, it is said that Robert Grimshaw an 80-year-old Director of the bank fell to his death on the steps in 1867 (Patton). In 1886 the dome was reconstructed to improve the lighting and ventilation of the main banking hall. Further alterations took place in 1919-21 when the area between the main bank and the Ulster Buildings was covered over to provide additional accommodation. A Foreign Department was established in 1926 and the main counter was extended in 1931 with room for clerical staff at the rear. (Knox) Major modernisation works took place in the 1950s. The high mahogany partitions at the counter were cut down in 1956 and offices on the ground floor of the Ulster Buildings were reconstructed to provide accommodation for Income Tax, Trustee and Stock and Share departments. Photographic and Duplicating department was later moved here as well. Messrs Houston and Beaumont architects were engaged to remodel the upper floor which had formerly been the chief cashier’s accommodation and convert this into offices for directors and executive staff. Two new wings were also added. Then the original mahogany counter and fittings and the floor of the public office were removed for more modern fittings. The strong rooms were renovated and the latest anti-burglar devices installed. A large chandelier was also put in at this time and the dome was repainted. Telephone equipment was installed with 100 internal extensions. Externally the original iron gates were removed and plinths either side of the front steps were resurfaced with granite slabs. New lamps bearing the name and crest of the bank were erected on the existing standards and car parks were provided at either side of the building. The bank formally reopened on 26th October 1960. (Knox) By 1991 Ulster Bank had moved its headquarters to Donegall Square, but continued to retain the present building as its Waring Street branch. Restoration work took place between 1991 and 1994. The roof, gutters and dome over the banking hall were renovated and windows replaced, and the stonework was cleaned and repaired. The cast iron balustrades and lamp standards were cleaned and repainted and the interior of the banking hall was repainted and restored. (Ulster Architect) The Ulster Bank vacated the building c2003 and the building passed to new owners. It was cleaned externally and remodelled internally by Consarc Design Group and reopened as the ‘Merchant Hotel’ in 2006. The former banking hall is now a dining room and the adjacent Ulster Buildings have been converted into a public bar. The curved brick of the bank vaults is exposed in the basement night club and one of the former vaults houses the billiard room. The resident’s lounge and member’s bar retains the timber cladding from the bank manager’s office. In 2010 the project was completed with a £16.5 million modern extension to the rear. (Ulster Architect; themerchanthotel.com) Larmour calls the bank ‘Belfast’s finest commercial building’and Brett echoes his enthusiasm, naming the bank as ‘one of the most magnificently exuberant buildings in Belfast’ and a ‘splendid florescence of Victorian voluptuousness’. References: 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/12/B/43/C/1-45 Annual Revisions (1863-1930) 6. Belfast Newsletter 3rd June 1861 7. Belfast Newsletter 22nd April 1874 Secondary Sources 1. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of Belfast 1700-1914” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, revised edition 1985 2. Patton, M “Central Belfast: An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993 3. www.dia.ie

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

Attached symmetrical multi-bay two-storey over basement Italianate sandstone former bank, built c.1860, to the designs of James Hamilton with colonnaded portico. Rectangular on plan, set back with a front railed area and a central domed former banking hall, its historic character, fabric and detailing survive. This former bank exhibits an exuberant carved stone exterior with parapet statuary carved by Thomas Fitzpatrick and a fine two tier portico. The interior continues the elaborate decorative exuberance with stucco ornamentation executed by George Crowe and one of the best banking halls in the city. Converted for use as a hotel, the building along with its former wing (HB26/50/058B) remain a fin example of this type of confident mercantile building, representing the continued growth of the city in the Victorian era by an architect of note.

General Comments

Date of Survey

02 October 2012