Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB23/20/057 A

Address :
39 Victoria Road Holywood Co Down BT18 9BD

Townland:
Ballykeel

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
28/02/1975 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House - Terrace

Former Use
House - Terrace

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130/04

IG Ref:
J4023 7918

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-bay two–storey-over-basement end terrace townhouse, built c. 1850 and located to the south of Victoria Road, Holywood. Square-on-plan with two-storey gabled return to rear. Pitched natural slate roof with rectangular rendered chimneystacks having terracotta pots. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods with hopper on bracketed eaves; plastic rainwater goods to rear return. Windows are 1/1 timber framed sliding sash (segmental-headed to first floor), with projecting continuous sill. First floor windows have moulded architrave surround with keyblock detail, apron panels and corbel brackets under sills. Walling is painted smooth render; ground floor having band rustication with elongated keyblock detail over windows; reticulated block surround to entrance door with plain keyblock detail. The principal elevation faces north and is three equally spaced openings wide. Entrance door to right accessed by three stone steps, comprising six raised-and-fielded panel timber door with carved detail and brass door furniture surmounted by plain transom light. Modern timber double-leaf door to right at basement. The east elevation is abutted to adjoining building (HB23/20/057B) The south (rear) elevation is abutted by a full-length return to left and a full-height uPVC glass extension abutted to gable to neighbouring building to right; exposed section of rear return with single opening to first floor. The west elevation has two window openings to basement level. Projecting chimneystacks from basement level, converging on central stack to apex (chimney removed). Setting The entrance is up three stone steps over basement, with decorative cast-iron railings, also to front. The terrace is set back slightly from the road; number 39 has small tarmacadam parking area to front. To east is a lane access to neighbouring property and to rear is a large mature garden. Roof: natural slate Walling: render Windows: timber RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

Victoria Road in Holywood began to be developed from around 1850 to provide homes for merchants and professional people who were attracted by the opening of the railway in 1848, affording easy access to Belfast. This mercantile and professional class was experiencing increasing prosperity and sought healthier and more attractive surroundings outside the city. This terrace is dated by Merrick to 1858. (Merrick, p.5) The houses are first shown on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858, captioned ‘Martello Terrace’. Griffith’s Valuation lists a terrace of three houses with returns having identical dimensions, 6½x9?x2? for the house and 3x4½x2 for the return. The terrace is shown on the valuation town plan with L-shaped returns. The current house is the residence of Hugh Robinson who leases it from Hugh Kavanagh. The valuation is £21.10s later raised to £23. A rent of £28 yearly plus taxes is paid for the property. It is valued slightly higher than the other houses in the terrace due to a ‘better internal finish’. In c.1880 the name of the terrace was changed to ‘Martello Crescent’ and in 1887 there was a decrease in the valuation to £19. A further name change to ‘Lower Martello Crescent’ occurred in 1899. In 1891 the return was raised a storey and a bath put in which led to a rise in the valuation to £20. In 1895, following the landlord’s complaint that the houses were ‘difficult to let’, the valuation was lowered to £17. The valuer commented that there was a kitchen in the basement storey and the rent was now £21 plus taxes. A succession of tenants occupied the property, Mary Still (n.d.), Eliza Martin (1887) Robert Donnelly (1895), Mary Donnelly (1927) and Henry Graham in 1930. The lessor was Margaret McHugh from 1924. This house continues in use as a domestic dwelling. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858 2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02 3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31 4. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41 5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930) 7. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866) 8. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900) Secondary Sources 1. Merrick, Tony “Buildings of Holywood” Holywood: Holywood Advertiser, 1986

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation H-. Alterations detracting from building J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A two storey-over-basement end terrace townhouse, built c.1850. Architectural detailing is of good quality for a townhouse of this type, and is largely intact. Number 39 has group value given that it is part of a terrace of three, all equally well-preserved, and retaining much character. They are of interest as part of the development of Holywood after the railways arrived.

General Comments

Please note this record has been renumbered, it was previously recorded as HB23/20/057

Date of Survey

23 June 2010