When the Markets area of Belfast was laid out in the 1830s (see
p.31), the houses were built in a simple Georgian style using
local crimson-coloured brick which has darkened through the effect
of soot to a warm brownish-black colour. In the early 1970s there
were still many terraces surviving, albeit some had deteriorated
from comfortable merchants' houses to lodging houses, and many
were in need of improve-ment. When the Housing Executive drew
up plans for the redevelopment of the area, this terrace was to
be restored, but as time went on and houses were vacated, it was
badly vandalised, and in 1988 the Executive applied for permission
to demolish it - with some justification, as the floor joists,
and even roof purlins, had been stolen from them, leaving only
a fragile brick shell. When the UAHS objected, the Executive agreed
to sell the buildings to Hearth, provided it would take them on
right away. At the time, Hearth's revolving fund did not have
sufficient capital to undertake a scheme of such a size, but it
considered the terrace of great importance not only in itself
but also for its group value. It agreed to take the buildings,
but work had to be phased carefully to make the property safe
while finance was raised.
The restoration involved virtually complete replacement of timbers,
very little having survived the vandals; new staircases,
windows with shutters, panelled doors, and moulded cornices, all
to the original details, were put into the houses; front doorcases
and area railings were reinstated, and new hipped roofs and chimneys
put on. The terrace was originally part of a larger block, but
neighbouring houses had been demolished as part of the redevelopment
of the area, and gable walls had to be reinstated using salvaged
brick; other areas of both front and back walls had to be extensively
rebuilt where lintels had collapsed. Finally, no.46 was adapted
as a shop with flat over, to suit the needs of a local corner
shopkeeper in Joy Street who was having to relocate following
redevelopment. When the houses were put on the market, they were
auctioned, with a discount offered to local families. Half the
houses went to locals, and, to the delight of all concerned, no.42
was bought by the family which had lived in it from 1902 till
they had been moved out by the Executive.
Client: Hearth Revolving
Fund
Architect: Hearth
Quantity Surveyor: McNeil Rainey & Best
Structural Engineer: Kirk McClure & Morton
Main Contractor: Phase 1: Heritage Repairs Ltd; Phase 2: Andrew
Bradley Ltd
Restored: 1988-90
Accommodation: Five three-bedroom houses, one shop with two bedroom
flat over.
Assisted by loans and grants from: N I Housing Executive, Historic
Buildings Branch DoE, Northern Bank, Architectural Heritage Fund,
Urban Development Grant (for no.46 only) and own capital.
