Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/12/057

Address :
Hampton House 8 Glenmachan Park Belfast Co. Antrim BT4 2PJ

Townland:
Ballymaghan

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
25/08/2015 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-11SE

IG Ref:
J3912 7597

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached four-bay two-storey rendered Neo-Classical villa, built 1862 to the designs of Thomas Jackson having single-storey entrance porch to north and projecting bays having two-storey canted bay to north, west and south. Three-bay single-storey extension to north-east and three-bay two-storey extension to south-east with single-bay, single storey extension adjoining outbuildings to east. Located within its own grounds with outbuildings to east. Driveway to north and steps leading down to overgrown garden to west; mature tree-lined hedge to south. Shallow-hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles, overhanging eaves on paired scrolled brackets. Pair of central two-stage ashlar chimneys with moulded sandstone cornice on scrolled brackets. Ogee moulded uPVC gutter discharging to circular downpipes. Flat roof to entrance porch having projecting cornice on dentilled eaves course with globe finial to corners. Square-headed windows with raised sandstone decorative surround and carved sandstone sills on scrolled brackets. Windows boarded up unless otherwise stated. Front elevation faces north and is three-bay two-storey with projecting bay to east having two-storey hipped roof and canted bay; single-storey entrance porch to centre. Two-bay single-storey extension to east having hipped roof with projecting eaves on dentilled sandstone cornice; recessed single-bay between extension and main house with similar detail. Smooth rendered walling with raised ashlar sandstone quoins and projecting plinth; raised smooth ashlar string course to first floor level. Three no. windows to entrance porch having one over one timber sliding sash windows with ogee horms. Side elevation to west is three-bay two-storey with shallow projecting bay to north having two-storey canted bay. Square-headed entrance door to entrance porch to north having fan-light over. Rear elevation to south is three-bay two-storey with shallow projecting bay to west having two-storey canted bay. Lined and ruled rendered walls. Metal staircase on posts to first floor giving access to later square-headed single-door opening. Adjoining two-storey building to east has lower eaves level than main building and is three-bay wide with hipped slate roof on dentilled eaves course. Paired square-headed openings with stone sill. Single-storey extension to south-east having curved corner to west and flat roof with raised parapet. West elevation is attached to outbuildings. Setting: Building is located on an elevated position within its own grounds with pathway and steps leading to overgrown garden at lower level to west, gardens to south and driveway to north. Mature tree and hedge boundary to south. Outbuildings adjoining to east forming courtyard complex having pair of square-plan rendered piers to north forming entrance. Outbuilding to north-east has shallow pitched roof on timber lattice trusses, smooth rendered walls. Six-bay single-storey smooth rendered building to west with mono-pitch slate roof on brick dentiled eaves course. Seven-bay single-storey building to south, now roofless. Twelve-bay two-storey building to east having pitched felt roof on painted brick dentilled eaves course and ogee moulded uPVC gutter and circular downpipes. Pair of red brick chimneys with cornice copings and terracotta chimney pot. Roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed openings with painted stone sills. Replacement casement windows throughout. Roof: Natural slate RWG: uPVC Walling: Smooth rendered with sandstone dressings Windows: One over one timber sliding sash, where visible

Architects

Jackson, Thomas

Historical Information

Hampton House, a two-storey former gentleman’s villa located in the townland of Ballymaghan, was constructed in 1862. Hampton, which was originally known as ‘Glen Ebor,’ was designed by Thomas Jackson and was one of the earliest dwellings Jackson designed in the area between the 1860s and 1870s. The second edition Ordnance Survey map (1858) records that the townland of Ballymaghan remained predominantly rural in character during the mid-19th century. The only buildings of note to have been erected in the area before that time were Garnerville and Moat House (HB26/12/026 – the precursor to the current house). With the swift expansion of Belfast’s industries and population in the latter half of the 19th century a number of new suburbs were established for the city’s politicians, merchants and professionals in the eastern townlands of Ballyhackamore, Strandtown and Ballymaghan. The Dublin Builder records that Glen Ebor was constructed in 1862 as a residence for Jonathan Cordukes, a local provisions merchant with business premises on Victoria Street (UTD), to a design by Thomas Jackson. The Dictionary of Irish Architects describes Jackson (1807-1890) as primarily a domestic architect ‘although he turned his hand to buildings of every type, commercial, industrial, educational and ecclesiastical.’ Prior to undertaking work in the Sydenham area, Jackson had been responsible for the early-19th century suburban development of North Belfast. Jackson took inspiration (and the name - Cliftonville) for the new North Belfast suburb from the development of Bristol’s Clifton Suburb where he had received training. Having established his reputation as one of the leading domestic architects in the city, Jackson became the preferred architect to the town’s merchant elite. Between the 1860s and 1870s Jackson designed a number of suburban villas and mansions in East Belfast that included Glenmachan Tower, Glenmachan House, Lismachan House and Craigavon (DIA; Larmour, p. 33). The Dublin Builder and DIA note that Glen Ebor was faced with locally-quarried Scrabo sandstone in ashlar courses with Tyrone stone dressings and that the Dublin-based contractor, John Murphy, was responsible for the erection of the building (Dublin Builder, p. 112; DIA). The Annual Revisions initially valued Glen Ebor at £170 and noted that it was a 1st class building that possessed an entrance porch and billiard room. The building was leased by Sir. Thomas McClure of Belmont House, a local landowner and Member of Parliament, and was depicted on the third edition Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) along its current layout (the map also depicted the outbuildings and courtyard to the east side of the house). John Cordukes resided at Glen Ebor until his death in 1865 (PRONI Wills) at which time the house was acquired by Sir. Samuel Black, Town Clerk for Belfast who worked at the Belfast Municipal Buildings (UTD). Samuel Black continued to live at Glen Ebor until his own death in 1910 at which point his son Charles William Black took possession of the site. The 1911 census described Glen Ebor as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 16 rooms and possessed a stable, a coach house and a store amongst its eastern outbuildings. Charles W. Black was also employed as a solicitor and remained at Glen Ebor until his own death in 1932 at which time his widow Wilhelmina came into possession (PRONI Wills). The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) records that Wilhelmina Black continued to reside at Glen Ebor until her own death in 1939 at which time the Black family leased the house to a Mr. Albert Victor Maunder who remained there until 1958. The valuer decreased the value of the house to £155 and noted that the black family remained at the site, occupying the eastern outbuilding which had been converted into a private dwelling in 1940. Hampton Investment Co. Ltd. purchased Glen Ebor outright in 1958 and converted the former dwelling into a number of self-contained apartments. The building was renamed Hampton House and was valued at £231 by the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72). Field inspection of the site, carried out as part of the Second Survey, has found that Hampton House and its associated outbuildings have fallen into a state of disrepair. Some of the courtyard of outbuildings are now on an adjacent site and have been converted into dwellings. References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/5/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858) 2. PRONI OS/6/3/5/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02) 3. PRONI OS/6/3/5/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1919-20) 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/2A-2H - Annual Revisions (1863-1897) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/N/1-9 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930) 6. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/31 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935) 7. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/46 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 8. Dublin Builder (1 May 1862) 9. Belfast Street Directories (1861-1943) 10. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (10 Jan 1865; 18 Apr 1910; 1 Feb 1932; 29 Jan 1939) Secondary Sources 1. Dixon, H., ‘Honouring Thomas Jackson’ Belfast: Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society, 1970 77. 2. 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 I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Hampton House is a well-proportioned, detached, four-bay two-storey, rendered Neo-Classical villa, with single-storey entrance porch and projecting canted bays, built 1862, to the designs of Thomas Jackson. The Neo-Classical style is characterised by the shallow hipped roof, raised quoins and fine detailing to parapet and eaves. The building was one of the earliest dwellings designed by Jackson in the east of the city, a list which included Glenmachan Tower, Glenmachan House, Lismachan House and Craigavon House. The building, although no longer in use, has retained most of its original external form and character. The house is set on an elevated position within its own landscaped grounds with an extensive range of outbuildings adjacent, although most are now on an adjacent site and have been converted into dwellings. Built in the period of Belfast's industrial expansion and previously owned by various members of the city's political ,merchant and professional elite, Hampton House is a good example of a mansion house from the era.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 September 2014