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Heritage at Risk(v1.0)
The Water Margin Restaurant 159 - 161 Donegall Pass Belfast County Antrim BT7 1DT


HB Ref No:
HB26/30/012

Address
The Water Margin Restaurant 159 - 161 Donegall Pass Belfast County Antrim BT7 1DT

Townland:
Malone Lower

Status:
Currently at Risk

Listing Grade:
B2


HARNI Number:
HARNI 26/30/010

Conservation Area:
No

Condition:
Very Poor

Industrial Archeology:
No

Occupancy:
Vacant

Vernacular:
No

Degree of Risk:
Critical

Thatched:
No

Availability:
Unknown

Monument:
No

Current Building Use:
Entertainment Building

Derelict:
No


Description

An attached, two-storey Scrabo sandstone rubble former Presbyterian Church in the Gothic-revival style with unfinished entrance tower. Built in 1873 to designs by Young and Mackenzie, it is located on the south side of Donegall Pass. Inside, there was capacity for 580 people on the ground floor and 186 in the gallery. The builder was Robert Corry and it cost £2,300 to complete. The Church closed in 1973 when the congregation amalgamated with Fitzroy Presbyterian Church. It was refitted as a Chinese restaurant (The Water Margin) and offices and recently was used by the Belfast Multi-Cultural Association. This building was fire damaged in January 2021. Architecturally it has a loose Early English Gothic style although other parts contain more ornamental carving. The front doors are paired, separated by a central column of polished granite. Above this is a tympanum with plate tracery trefoil and a soffit moulding with fruit and eastern plants. To the right is a quatrefoil with decorative carving with the date 1873 and the initials of the Church (DPPC). To the right of the entrance is a paired lancet window, the triple transept continues this theme with triple lancets having pointed-arched plate tracery windows above, to gallery level with more ornate detailing to the central window. The south (rear) elevation is five pairs of windows wide to each floor. As a result of the fire damage to the building the building lost its roof. It has since been re-roofed which has helped reduce water ingress to the building. As of February 2023, the building is for sale where it is hoped that the building can be reused to its full potential. Refs, Buildings Database HB23/20/008, Irish Builder 15 June 1872, Architects of Ulster Young and Mackenzie by Paul Harron