Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/14/022 B

Address :
209 Belmont Road Belfast Co. Antrim BT4 2AG

Townland:
Strandtown

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

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:
130-15

IG Ref:
J3788 7442

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

One of a pair of semi-detached houses, three-bay, two-storey over basement with double pile roof, built in1870. Principal elevation faces north and the property is set behind low brick wall with hedging and cast-iron pedestrian gate. Attached on the west side to 207 Belmont Road (HB26/14/022A). Double pile roof with natural slate and black terracotta ridge tiles to main ridge, return has natural slate with lead covered ridges. Cast metal rainwater goods, ogee shaped gutters to main elevation supported on paired console brackets, half-round uPVC gutters to rear on timber fascia. Overhanging eaves to gable with exposed purlin detail. Red-brick chimneystacks with three band corbelling set at gable end of each pile and centrally on ridge, all with modern clay pots. Principal elevation faces north. Walls constructed in red-brick in Flemish bond with canted bays either side of entrance having smooth rendered finish. Continuous painted cill course to ground and first floor. Wall below continuous cill and to basement level has smooth rendered finish with slightly projecting band at floor level. Canted bays have shallow lead covered hipped roof behind moulded ogee parapet. All windows to north and east elevations, painted timber 1/1 sliding sash; uPVC to south elevation. First floor: pair of windows, with segmental arched head, to east end of property, single window to centre over door opening, pair of windows as before to west end. Ground floor: square-headed window opening to each side of canted bay with bays placed either side of entrance door. Basement: no window openings. Centrally placed door opening to ground floor, accessed by inclined ramp with handrails spanning open area beneath. Door opening has arched moulded surround in smooth render, plain arched fanlight and painted timber door with circular panel detail. Door to basement level directly beneath main entrance. East elevation has red-brick and smooth rendered finish as before, with twosquare-headed windows to basement level, located in north pile; single square-headed window to ground floor and pair of windows with slightly arched heads to first floor level. South elevation has smooth rendered finish to walls with centrally placed return with hipped slate roof with lead ridges at slightly lower level to main roof. Square-headed uPVC windows throughout. West elevation attached to 207 Belmont Road (HB26/14/022A). Materials: Roof: Natural slate RWG : Cast iron and uPVC Walling : Brick and render Windows : Timber and uPVC Setting: One of a pair of semi-detached houses, including 207 Belmont Road (HB26/14/002A), located on the south side of the Belmont Road, with a low brick wall and hedging bounding garden area. Pedestrian gate to front entrance door with driveway to east side of property giving access to rear.

Architects

Historical Information

Nos 207-209 Belmont Road, a pair of two-storey double-pile red-brick semidetached houses located on the south side of the Belmont Road, were constructed in 1870. The second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps for the area (1858) record that the townland of Strandtown remained predominantly rural in character during the mid-19th century. The development of the area and the construction of mansions for Belfast’s prominent politicians and merchants took place from the 1860s. The construction of terraced rows of houses soon followed his initial development and by the turn of the 20th century the upper part of the Belmont Road had become one of Belfast’s most affluent residential areas, inhabited by the city’s merchant and professional classes. Nos 207-209 Belmont Road were constructed on land owned by Sir. Thomas McClure of Belmont House, a local gentleman who held much of the land in the townland of Strandtown (UTD). The Annual Revisions record that Nos 207-209 Belmont Road were constructed by 1870. The architect of the pair is not known. The valuer noted that each house was valued at £46 and that No. 209 was originally known as ‘Essex House.’ The first occupant of No. 209 Belmont Road was a Ms. Mary Grimshaw but by 1880 the house had passed to Richard C. Hyde, a commercial draper. In 1901 the Census of Ireland described Essex House as a 2nd class dwelling that consisted of nine rooms and possessed a stable and coach house as its sole out offices (UTD). Nos 207-209 Belmont Road appeared on the third edition Ordnance Survey map (1902) which depicted the pair along their current layouts and noted that few neighbouring buildings had been constructed next to the semidetached houses by the early 20th century (although Belmont Primary School had been constructed to the east side of the houses in 1889-92 – see HB26/14/001). Richard C. Hyde continued to reside at No. 209 Belmont Road until his death in 1909 (PRONI Wills). In 1921 ownership of the house passed to James Rooney who leased the property out to a Ms. Helena Wallace. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the value of No. 209 Belmont Road was slightly decreased to £44. By the Second Revaluation (1956-72) the house was occupied by a Mr. C. Davey and had been raised in value to £48. The 1954 Ordnance Survey Map records that No. 209 Belmont Road originally possessed a rear outbuilding but this has been demolished. During the Second Survey the house continued to be utilised as a private dwelling. References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/4/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1858) 2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1902) 3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1920-21) 4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1931) 5. PRONI OS/6/3/4/6 – Sixth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1938) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/2B-2H – Annual Revisions (1867-1897) 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/N1-9 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930) 8. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/31 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) 9. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/45 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 10. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943) 11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (20 Jun 1909) 12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 13. Ordnance Survey Map – 130-15 (1954)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

One of a pair of well-proportioned and detailed semi-detached houses, built in 1870, attached to 207 Belmont Road (HB26/14/022A). Three-bay, two-storey over basement with double pile roof, overhanging eaves and canted bays at ground level. Located on the south side of the Belmont Road with a garden area to front, bounded by a low brick wall and hedging. The houses, although of some character, are not considered of special architectural or historic interest.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 July 2014