Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/13/012

Address :
Netherleigh House Massey Avenue Belfast County Antrim BT4 2JP

Townland:
Ballymaghan

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
13/03/1987 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Office

Former Use
Office

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-15NE

IG Ref:
J3920 7498

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Owner Category

Local Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

A rendered mainly two storey neo-classical building dating between 1877 and 1883, most likely by architect W. H. Lynn. Rectangular plan form with portico to west elevation, three-sided two-storey bay to south elevation and connected to the neighbouring modern building to east though a modern corridor. The site is fronting onto Massey Avenue. Half-hipped natural slate roof with overhanging eaves and dentilled cornicing; cast-iron ogee shaped guttering and circular downpipes. Rendered chimneystacks with corbelled coping, now blocked. The ground floor is rusticated on moulded plinth course. Continuous moulded sill to both floors and projecting string course to impost level at first floor. Window openings are square-headed with moulded architraves to ground floor and segmental headed with stop-chamfered jambs and hood mould to first floor; original 1/1 double-hung timber sash windows with ogee horns throughout. The main elevation is four-bays wide, faces west and has a projecting Ionic distyle portico with moulded soffit and openwork parapet to first bay (from north). Round arch opening inside the portico leading to a small tiled porch to main entrance door. Single window to first floor to first bay, one window to each floor to second and fourth bay; double windows to third bay. The south elevation is symmetrical, three bays wide having a three-sided canted bay to the centre. One window to each floor to each bay. The east elevation has three-storeys, having an additional floor level to north side, and is five bays wide. Square-headed window openings to ground and first floor, segmental headed window openings with panelled apron to second floor. A two-storey curtain wall corridor attached to the centre of the elevation leads to the modern building to the east (of little interest). The north elevation consists of five bays with a projecting two-storey elevation to east. To the west is a semi-circular arched opening with moulded surround and panelled soffit supported on pilasters and blocked by a dwarf wall with cast moulding and decorative column topped with ball and crown ornament. Main entrance door faces north and is accessed through the portico to west; square-headed door opening with moulded architrave and segmental decorated pediment with polished timber nine-panelled door. Materials: Roof natural slate Walling rendered brick RWG cast iron Windows timber sash

Architects

Lynn, William Henry Close, R M

Historical Information

Netherleigh, a two-storey former gentlemen’s residence on Massey Avenue, was constructed between 1877 and 1883. The dwelling was built for William Robertson of Robertson, Ferguson, Ledlie & Co. Ltd, a local magistrate, woollen draper and silk merchant who operated from the Bank Buildings on Castle Place (Belfast Street Directories). Prior to 1883 a previous dwelling had stood on the current site in the townland of Ballymaghan, valued at £18 10s. The Annual Revisions record that this building was acquired by Robertson in 1877 and was either remodelled or reconstructed by 1883. In that year the valuer noted that ‘Netherleigh’ was valued at £200 and consisted of the main house, a number of out offices, and a conservatory (now demolished). The architect of Netherleigh is not known with certainty, although Paul Larmour suggests that the mansion appears to be the work of W. H. Lynn (1829-1915). Lynn was a partner in Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon, until the partnership was dissolved in 1872, and subsequently set up an independent practise in Belfast. Larmour states that Netherleigh was probably designed by Lynn as the ‘swept chimney caps and deep necking to the columns of the porch’ are typical of his recognised style (NIEA HB Records; DIA). The square-shaped layout of the dwelling was depicted on the third edition of the Ordnance Survey maps (1901-02), although this map also depicted a large extension to its eastern elevation, a number of outbuildings to the east of the house, and a gate lodge at the western entrance to the estate (all now demolished). William Robertson continued to reside at Netherleigh until his death in 1905 when a Ms Mary J. Reid took possession of the site. The 1911 census building return described Netherleigh as a 1st class dwelling that consisted of 21 rooms and possessed a stable and coach house as its sole outbuildings (located to the east of the dwelling). Netherleigh was purchased by Samuel Hall-Thompson, the Governor of Campbell College (see HB26/13/004) in 1928. Due to financial difficulties Hall-Thompson decided to sell Netherleigh shortly after taking possession. Due to the proximity of the mansion to Campbell College, and mindful of the school’s desire to establish a prep school in the vicinity, Hall-Thompson sold Netherleigh to the college in 1929 at a cost of £11,150 (Haines). The Irish Builder records that Netherleigh was converted into a preparatory school for Campbell College in 1929. The architect responsible for the conversion was Richard Mills Close (1880-1949) who had succeeded W. H. Lynn as consulting architect to Queen’s University Belfast in 1915, and had been appointed architect to St. Anne’s Cathedral in 1923. Close also designed a number of additions to Campbell College in the same year (Irish Builder, p. 533; 608; 623; DIA). The value of Netherleigh House was increased to £300 by the First Revaluation of property (1935) following its conversion into a school building. This was subsequently increased to £852 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72). Netherleigh House was utilised as the Prep school of Campbell College for over 40 years. By the 1970s the former mansion was deemed redundant and was subsequently sold by Campbell College in 1973. By the First Survey (1984) Netherleigh House had been acquired by the government who converted the building into offices. Environmental improvements and general remedial work was carried out in 1987, the same year that Netherleigh was listed (Haine; NIEA HB Records). Netherleigh House continues to be utilised as a Government Building and is currently occupied as the Headquarters of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. Two modern office blocks have been constructed to the south and east of Netherleigh. The office blocks are linked to the eastern side of the former dwelling by a connecting corridor. The building is one of a number of former merchant’s mansions in the area that have been converted for alternate uses. Brett states that ‘few cities are surrounded by quite such imposing [merchant’s] palaces as Belfast. They are now for the most part used as hotels or institutions, or the headquarters of commercial undertakings.’ Larmour described Netherleigh in particular as ‘a good unaltered example of Victorian classicism [which] adds a point of interest to the progression from Campbell College to the Stormont Estate’ (Brett, p. 33; NIEA HB Records). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/5/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1834) 2. PRONI OS/6/3/5/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858) 3. PRONI OS/6/3/5/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02) 4. PRONI OS/6/3/5/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1919-20) 5. PRONI OS/6/3/5/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938-39) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/2B-2H - Annual Revisions (1879-1897) 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/N/1-9 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930) 8. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/20 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1935) 9. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/45 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1956-1972) 10. Belfast Street Directories (1877-1943) 11. PRONI Wills Catalogue (9 Feb 1905) 12. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 13. Irish Builder (8 Jun; 6 Jul 1929) 14. First Survey Record – HB26/13/012 (1984) 15. First Survey Image – HB26/13/012 (No Date) 16. NIEA HB Records – HB26/13/012 (including Paul Larmour’s report on Netherleigh) Secondary Sources 1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of Belfast, 1700-1914’ Belfast: Friars Bush Press, 1985. 2. Haines, K., ‘Neither rogues nor fools: A history of Campbell College and Campbellians’ Belfast: Campbell College, 1993. 3. Haines, K., ‘Campbell College’ Gloucestershire: tempus Publishing Ltd., 2004. 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 H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity U. Historic Associations V. Authorship X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A very good example of a Victorian merchant's house in the classical style, dating from between 1877 and 1883, most likely designed by prominent local architect WH Lynn. The building is elegantly proportioned with a fine surviving interior and interesting history. It was used for a period as the preparatory school for the nearby Campbell College.

General Comments

Date of Survey

11 February 2014