Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/46/016 B

Address :
71 Somerton Road Belfast Co. Antrim BT15 4DE

Townland:
Skegoneill

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
09/12/2014 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-5

IG Ref:
J3343 7780

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached red brick three-bay two-storey over basement asymmetrical Italianate style villa built 1877, having three-storey entrance tower with pyramidal hipped roof. Likely to have been designed by John Lanyon, the building has been used as parochial house since 1960 but is now vacant. Single-storey curved bay to west and south and two-storey curved bay over canted base to east (rear), two-bay two-storey extension to north built c.1920. Set within a site including the Church of St. Therese of Lisieux to north (HB26/46/016A), fronting onto the East side of Somerton Road. Hipped slate roof having terracotta crested ridge tiles, overhanging eaves on moulded eaves course with dentils. Receding two-stage red brick chimneys. Flat roof to curved bays to west and south having stucco moulded cornice and raised pierced parapet. Flat roof to single storey outshot to south-west corner having raised red brick parapet on projecting stucco moulded string course with moulded coping. Hipped slate roof to north extension having terracotta ridge tiles with cresting, heavy eaves overhang and two-stage red brick chimneys. Cast-iron and uPVC rainwater goods. West Elevation. Three-bay principle elevation having red brick walling with squared and pitch coursed red sandstone plinth, projecting moulded sill course and guilloche moulding to springing course at ground and first floor windows. Moulded string course to ground and first floor of three-storey entrance tower with projecting moulded sill and springing course to second floor openings. Round-top stilted arch openings with moulded surround and keystone, scrolled brackets to sill of ground floor opening to south and first floor to entrance tower. Paired windows to first floor and curved bay to north having Corinthian colonette between openings. Projecting moulded keystones to curved bay with fleur de lys motif. One over one timber sliding sash windows to ground floor, two over two windows to first floor north bay and second floor of tower, one over two windows to remaining openings. Timber panelled double-entrance door with fan-light over approached by three steps with rock-faced red sandstone wall and metal railings. Integral garage to north-extension. Red brick walling with red sandstone plinth. 1920s extension comprising garage with rendered surround with cornice on pilasters with scrolled console brackets and rusticated walling inset. Square-headed openings with smooth raised rendered surround, projecting moulded sill on brackets and smooth rendered string course to FF that aligns with moulded cornice to adjacent bowed window. One over one timber sliding sash windows. South Elevation: Two-storey elevation with projecting bay to west, and single-storey flat-roofed curved bay with pierced parapet to centre followed by rear elevation of extension to north. Red brick walls with projecting moulded sill course and guilloche moulded springing course to ground and first floor openings. Single-storey curved bay has rendered spandrels; semi-circular stilted arch openings with raised surround and keystone, pilasters to outer ends of curved bay with openings separated by Corinthian columns; this detail is repeated to to pair of openings to first floor and to second floor of entrance tower. Blind opening to first floor of entrance tower. One over one timber sliding sash windows to ground floor and two-over-one windows to first floor. Square-headed openings to extension having smooth raised surrounds and projecting moulded sills on scrolled brackets to first floor. East Elevation: Two-bay two-storey over basement elevation having red sandstone basement. Red brick walling to upper floors having projecting moulded sill course on brackets and guilloche moulded springing course to ground and first floor. Single-storey flat-roofed entrance porch to extension to north on tapered piers on rock-faced red sandstone plinth. Semi-circular stilted-arch openings with moulded surround, keystone and band to ground floor, central Corinthian pilasters to curved bay openings. One over one timber sliding sash windows. Integral garage to north extension. Red brick walling. Square-headed openings to extension having smooth rendered surrounds and projecting moulded sills on scrolled brackets. North Elevation: Red brick walling. Semi-circular stilted-arch opening with moulded surround, keystone and projecting moulded sills on scrolled brackets with margin-paned timber sliding sash window. Square-headed openings with raised smooth rendered surround. Square-headed openings to north extension. Venetian mutli-pane double-height window at half-landing level to internal stairwell of original house, set back from extensions, with moulded stucco architrave, raised keystone, moulded cill sopported on brackets. Setting: Encompassed within a the same site as the Church of St. Therese of Lisieux to north (HB26/46/016A) with gardens to south and east, red brick boundary wall to east and parking to west. Tree-lined boundary to west with dwarf rendered wall having rustic red brick pillars and painted metal railings c.1990. Materials: Roof : Natural slate with terracotta ridge tiles RWG : Cast-iron and uPVC Walling: Red brick with stucco mouldings Windows : Timber sliding sash with timber casements to north extension.

Architects

Historical Information

No. 71 Somerton Road, a two-storey (with three-storey tower) red brick Italianate mansion located on the Somerton Road to the south side of the Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, was constructed in c. 1877. The gentlemen’s residence was constructed on one of the private parks formed from the breaking up of the Fortwilliam Estate in the mid-19th century. Fortwilliam Park was laid out in the mid-1860s. Larmour states that many grand mansions were erected on the former estate in the 1860s and 1870s, although only a few now survive. The Annual Revisions first recorded No. 71 Somerton Road in 1877, noting that the mansion was valued at £78 and was leased by William Valentine (of Fortwilliam House) to a Mr. Edward Crawford. The architect of the mansion, which was originally called ‘Eirene,’ is not known with certainty. The Italianate design of the building (including its three-storey tower) is similar in style to No. 30 Fortwilliam Park (HB26/46/006) which had been built in 1869 to designs by Boyd & Batt but the firm was dissolved in 1871. No. 71 Somerton Road was most likely designed by John Lanyon, the son of Sir. Charles Lanyon. John Lanyon (1839-1900) began his career in partnership with his father and W. H. Lynn, forming the firm Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon in 1860. Following the dissolution of the firm in 1872 and his father’s retirement, John Lanyon established an independent practice in Belfast. Lanyon’s association with the Fortwilliam and Somerton Road developments began in 1870 when he occupied Lisbreen House (HB26/46/008). The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that he carried out work to a mansion on Fortwilliam Park in 1889 and it is very likely that he was the architect of No. 71 Somerton House which neighboured his own dwelling. The distinctive three-storey Italianate Tower with pyramidal roof at Eirene was a common feature utilised in many of his designs including the Waterside Railway Station in Londonderry and Amiens Street Railway Station in Dublin (DIA). The third edition Ordnance Survey maps for the area (1901-02) shows that No. 71 Somerton Road was originally constructed as an irregular generally square-shaped building that did not possess its northern single and two-storey extension (added in 1920) at that time. The first occupant of No. 71 Somerton Road (Eirene), was Edward Crawford, a flour merchant and baker who held business premises at North Street. Crawford remained at Eivene until 1884 when William Spiller, assistant to the Director of the Belfast Bank, took possession of the house. The 1901 census building return described Spiller’s residence as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 11 rooms. William Spiller continued to reside here until his death in 1907. His widow, Susan Spiller, remained at the house until her own death in 1914 (PRONI Wills). By 1918 the mansion had been occupied by Robert S. Johnston, a shipbuilder with Workman, Clark & Co., but by 1920 Eirene had been acquired by Lady Margaret McDowell. Plans held at Belfast City Hall record that Lady McDowell changed the name of the mansion from Eirene to Ventnor and carried out an extension to the property. The extension to the north side of the building was designed by Samuel Stevenson (1859-1924), a Belfast-based architect who mostly carried out commercial and industrial contracts. The First Survey (1985) states that the alterations also included a ‘new doorway to tower; new porch, single-storey, to right of tower; new servants wing return along north side; new beams over covered gateway to covered yard.’ The alteration of Ventnor was carried out in 1920 and resulted in the current appearance of the building (apart from the covered entrance and yard which has since been demolished). Lady Margaret McDowell continued to reside at Ventnor until her death in 1951 (PRONI Wills). Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the rateable value of the house was increased to £100. In 1960 the building was acquired by the adjoining Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and converted into a parochial house. The rateable value of the building was decreased to £68 as a result of the change in use. Resources Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931) 4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/5/8A-F – Annual Revisions (1862-1897) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/H/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930) 7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/11- First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72) 8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/16 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 9. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943) 10. PRONI Wills Catalogue (19 Nov 1906; 9 Jan 1914; 20 Jan 1951) 11. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 12. First Survey record – HB26/46/003 (1985) 13. NIEA HB Records – HB26/46/003 (Missing) Secondary Sources 1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987. Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://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

R. Age V. Authorship X. Local Interest S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Detached red brick and stuccoed two-storey Italianate style dwelling, with three-stage tower, built c.1877 as a gentleman's residence, probably to designs by John Lanyon. The square-plan tower with pyramidal roof was a common design feature adopted by John Lanyon, used at both Waterside Railway Station in Londonderry and Amiens Street Railway Station in Dublin. Originally named Eirene, the building shares many similarities with Rosaville, 30 Fortwilliam Park (HB 26.46.003), in particular; the tower, the exuberant stucco detailing, arched and paired window openings, moulded heavy cornice and pierced stuccoed parapet to projecting bays. In 1920 the house was purchased by Lady Margaret McDowell who renamed it Ventnor and commissioned Samuel Stevenson to design two-storey extensions to the N to provide a servant's wing amongst other alterations. The property changed hands again in 1960 when it was acquired by then Diocese of Down and Connor who built the adjacent Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and converted it into a parochial house; it is now encompassed within the same site as this Church (HB 26. 46.016A). Many of the architectural features survive in relatively good condition including the stucco details, projecting sills, brackets and guilloche moulding. There is some evidence of the gardens to the rear with pathways and steps indicating a previous planned landscape. Inside, many features of architectural merit have also survived. Despite the later extensions, this house, constructed after the break up of the Fortwilliam Estate in the mid 19th century, is an important example of a suburban mid-Victorian residence.

General Comments

Date of Survey

24 June 2014