[Extracts from Central Belfast: An Historical Gazetteer, by Marcus Patton, published by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society in 1993.]
Road north from Donegall Street to York Road, considered here
only to the junction with Great George's Street. Known in 1791
as Fishers Row, "a long line of thatched huts", and
in the early 19c as New Barrack Street (from the Artillery Barracks
of 1797) or Carrickfergus Street (since it led to Carrickfergus).
It marks the prehistoric shoreline, and houses immediately to
the E of it are built on firm sand rather than the sleech that
is more typical of the centre of Belfast. O'Hanlon, writing in
1852, observed that "no region of the town seems to be more
fully furnished with the elements and means of immorality than
this", since nearly all its shops were public houses; some
were music-saloons, "where vice, under the garb of pleasure,
is so cheapened down that...the young of both sexes can purchase
even 'a pennyworth of blackguardism' ". In 1840, the public
houses included the Wellington, the Punch Bowl and the Shakespeare.
A road widening scheme carried out at the top of Donegall Street
in the late 1980s resulted in the demolition of the St Kevin's
Chapel of Ease at nos.1-5, formerly Ekenhead Presbyterian Church,
and a harshly functional St Kevin's Hall of brick and corrugated
metal has been built at nos.7-19 to replace it (c.1990, architects
McLean & Forte). No.47 was the birthplace of Sir John Lavery
the artist in 1856. Many of his pictures are in the collection
of the Ulster Museum.
Refs: Bardon p.77; Benn I p.560; Gaffikin p.5; Merrick XIII; O'Byrne
pp.209-10; O'Hanlon pp.l3-14; UM 223.1928.
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Clifton House: 1771-74, probably based on designs by Robert
Joy:
Belfast's oldest public building, built as the Poorhouse, and
still used for more or less its original purpose, as a charitable
home for old people. Its central pedimented two-storey block is
flanked by single-storey wings with gabled end pavilions set forward,
all in nicely weathered old red brick, and its octagonal stone
tower with ball finial and weather vane forms a visual stop at
the end of Frederick Street. Small pane sash windows with stone
cills with surrounds to those in central bays; central pedimented
entrance doorcase with attached Doric columns, at head of sweeping
stone steps. Taller roundheaded windows to wings, and curious
"fanlights" in arched recesses in the pavilions. The
pavilions are now the ends of side wings 17 bays long, extended
during the 19c in sympathetic but slightly grander style, with
quoins, moulded surrounds to windows, and heavier corbels to chimney
stacks. These were paid for by John Charters in 1868 (whose architect
was W J Barre) and Edward Benn of Glenravel House in 1872, whose
architect was William Hastings.
The grounds are well kept with mature trees (some of which were
lost during road widening in 1990), but there is a rather disconcerting
view of barricading, complete with sangar, on the N side where
it bounds with an army base. The single-storey hipped roof gatelodge
with central chimney dates from 1938 and was designed by Godfrey
Ferguson. The ironwork to the entrance gateway has been replaced
rather meanly following the road widening - earlier and more robust
ironwork survives at the Clifton Street entrance. Behind in Henry
Place is the Clifton Street Graveyard, laid out in connection
with the Poorhouse in 1797.
The Poorhouse came into being as a result of the establishment
of the Belfast Charitable Society, established in 1752 to raise
funds to house the aged and infirm poor. The Marquis of Donegall
presented the ground for the building, "healthfully situated
at the north end of Donegall Street", and public subscription
and lotteries paid for the construction cost of some £7000.
The foundation stone was laid in 1771 by Stewart Banks, and in
due course its intended fifty paupers and ten destitute sick persons
took up residence, growing to a population of over 400 old people
and children by 1833. The children of beggars also had to be housed,
and steps taken to educate and apprentice them to suitable trades.
Most significant in this respect was the expedition of Thomas
McCabe and Robert Joy to discover the secrets of the English cotton
mills, after which they set up the first cotton looms in Ireland
in the N wing of the Poorhouse and put some of the older children
to work on them; by 1780 ninety children were employed. Seven
beds were provided for what was in effect Belfast's first hospital,
and a General Dispensary for the Sick Poor was started in 1792,
which grew into the Fever Hospital of 1817.
The first smallpox inoculation in Ireland was carried out here
in 1800. Even lunatics were admitted on occasion (and apparently
confined in the steeple when they became violent). Initially rooms
here were used as Assembly Rooms for balls and gatherings. The
Charitable Society also took steps to improve the town's water
supply, and the Spring Water Commissioners were set up under its
auspices in 1817, providing reservoirs in Fountain Street.
Refs: Allison ST p.5; Appletree 1987 wk.16; Bardon pp.33-34, 69;
BC p.87; Beckett pp.21, 42-43; Benn I p.520; Brett pp.4, 9, pl.2;
Doyle p.24; Dubourdieu p.539; IB 1875 pp.l 7, 24; Larmour pp.xii,
1, pl.l; McCutcheon pl.l35.3; New Burying Ground, passim; Merrick
XIV; O'Byrne pp.l79-82; Smith pp.25-26; Strain, passim; UM Pl.1983.
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Single-sided street from Ann Street to Corporation Square,
overlooking the Lagan. Built on reclaimed land at approximately
the "High Watter Marke" of 1685, with the southern section
shown as Hannover kye on 1715 map; this was subsequently spelt
Hanover Quay, and around 1822 known as Custom House Quay, since
the old Custom House had by then replaced the King's Stores on
the block bounded by Donegall Quay, High Street, Princes Street
and Marlborough Street. The central section between High Street
and Waring Street was known in 1822 as Merchants Quay. The northern
portion between the Custom House and Corporation Square was built
somewhat later, by David Tomb in 1804, and was known either as
Tomb's Quay, or, by 1819, as Donegall Quay. This name became applied
to the whole street when all the old docks, which had only been
available at high water, were filled in about 1850 and the new
Channels allowed larger vessels to come up to the town. The Bangor
Boats left from here in the early part of this century, and from
c.1850 until recently the river side was occupied by the embarcation
sheds for the Liverpool, Ardrossan and Glasgow ferries, with the
cattle travelling on most sailings herded into sheds in the Markets
area until they were ready to be driven on.
Refs: BC pp.6, 81; Beckett pp.59, 62-63; Benn I p.529, 11 p.45;
Gaffikin p.20; McTear pp.l68-69; Millin p.l07.
Nos. 3-4: 1991-92:
New office block based on, but much larger than, the adjacent
Tedfords building.
Nos.5 and 7: James Tedford & Co Ltd:
1855, by Alexander McAllister: No.5 is a narrow three-storey stucco
building with central gable: facade enclosed by rope moulding,
with triple pulley block and tackle hanging at first floor level
and a stucco lifebelt marked "Est. 1851" above: embossed
lettering reading "Ship Chandlers, Sail & Tentmakers".
Perhaps not great architecture, but a charming evocation of the
nautical past of the area. James Tedford started his chandlery
in Donaghadee, moving to this site in the 1850s and expanding
into ship-owning; his ships travelled to South America and the
Caribbean, returning to unload their cargoes just alongside the
shop. In later years the firm also supplied tarpaulin to road
transport firms. Tedfords closed in 1991, but has since re-opened
under new management. Nearby at no.7 is a gable-fronted warehouse
of plain stucco where the canvas sails were sewn; this has a projecting
roof over hoist doors at first and second floors, and until recently
bore a gaily painted ship's figurehead, said to have belonged
to one of Tedford's brigantines. The actual dates of the buildings
are uncertain; the sail loft is reputed to have been built between
1760 and 1790, and the shop in 1843, McAllister having been responsible
only for refacing it; while the pulley block was apparently made
by a ships carpenter about a hundred years ago.
Refs: Appletree 1987 wk.15; Brett p.35; BNL 23 Jan 1990; BT 14
May 1991, 21 May 1991.
No.17 (now a car park) was the approximate location of the
original Custom-House, on the corner of what was then Custom-house
Quay and the Town Dock, later Queen's Square.
Ref: Leases 509/657.
Nos.39-41: Goligher (Belfast) Ltd:
c.1840: Three-storey five bay stucco building with quoins, and
small pediment over central arched recess converted into goods
hoist.
Ref: Appletree 1992 front endpaper.
Nos.42-43: City Optical Co Ltd:
1887, by Joseph Bell for Belfast Steam Ship Company: Two-storey
seven bay red brick building with terracotta detailing, and three-storey
addition to N side. Roundheaded doorcase under entablature with
swags supported on columns with cloth-like Ionic capitals; central
gablet flanked by tall chimneys breaking through balustraded parapet
above heavily corbelled cornice. The BSSC was on this site from
c.1855 but must have found its business increasing to the point
that new facilities were required - one interesting feature of
the new building was "an excellent arrangement for the hoisting
of ledgers, &c., from the general office up to the audit office".
Ref: Appletree 1992 front endpaper; IB 1888 p.100.
No.44, the Liverpool Lounge:
is now a plain rendered building of no character, but Brett describes
the Liverpool House as having "an outside comfortingly garish
with white wall, black pilasters, quoins and architraves and plenty
of red and yellow ornament". Extensively bomb-damaged in
1972, it has since established itself as a popular venue for traditional
music.
Ref: Barzilay I p.44; Brett p.l9; Tohill p.161.
[Note: Since 1993 Tedford's has become a fish restaurant, and the sailmakers have moved elsewhere; part of the original Tedfords premises and the adjacent vacant lot is now a multi-storey car park. In 1998 and 1999 Golighers and the old BSSC building were demolished, and the Liverpool Lounge has followed in 2000.]
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1811-16 by John Bowden of Dublin, incorporating earlier portico:
Two-storey church in beige sandstone with four-columned Corinthian
porch attached with fluted responds on the slightly curved main
facade, built as a chapel of ease for St Anne's parish church
which had become too small for its congregation. Originally named
for George III, it was ultimately consecrated in the name of the
saint.
The portico came from the Earl Bishop of Derry's unfinished Ballyscullion
House near Castledawson of 1788 (part of his scheme "to make
County Derry look like a gentleman"), and was brought down
from there by lighters along the Lagan Navigation, having been
bought by the Bishop of Down and presented to the church. The
pediment has two badges in the centre above oak leaf garlands,
one of bishop's keys (arms of the See of Down and Connor), the
other the Belfast coat of arms. Between the six-panel front doors
at ground floor level are semicircular niches, and the first floor
windows are round headed.
Set behind spear-headed railings, with stone corner pillars with
semicircular caps, and surrounded by rubble stone walls, mostly
badly pointed, but with a rather evocative view of the backs of
Church Lane houses. The area around the church recently brick
paviored, but retaining a few stone slabs, and three very important
trees at the front (there were twelve in 1959).
Internally, the original pulpit and reading desk formed "one
massive structure in front of the east window", but in the
1860s the Rev MacIlwaine "anxiously desired to have the interior
improved", and W J Barre was called in to alter the "debased
Grecian" of the church. The "low and dangerous"
flat ceiling was removed, exposing the structure, and a new pulpit
was designed. The chancel was added by Edward Braddell in 1882.
The effect of the interior is disappointing, half altered Georgian
and half High Victorian; but with a simple and enigmatic memorial
to Sir Henry Pottinger, "late Minister Plenipotentiary and
Ambassador Extraordinary to the Emperor of China" (see also
Pottinger's Entry), to the right of the chancel. The school at
the rear was built in 1885.
This is the site of the Chapel of the Ford, where travellers could
give thanks for safe crossing of the Farset; it was standing by
1306, but considerably repaired in 1657, it having been "much
ruinated by being for some years past converted and made use of
as a Citadell" by Cromwellian forces in 1649-56. The old
Corporation Church, as it was known because the Sovereign and
Burgesses worshipped here, was still considered dangerous and
eventually pulled down in 1774 when St Anne's was built. When
St Anne's proved too small for the expanding population of the
city, the foundation stone of the present building was laid in
1813, and the church opened three years later. At first choirboys
could fish in the Farset which still flowed down the High Street,
and the graveyard continued to be used for a while despite increasing
public nuisance from flooding in the area, but within a few decades
the river had been closed in. St George's was the first Belfast
church to introduce a harvest thanksgiving service, and has pioneered
many musical innovations over the years - a Choral Society met
in the school-house here in the 1850s.
Refs: Appletree 1992 wk.9; Bardon p.74; Beckett p.74; Benn 1, pp.6, 139-41; BNL 31 Oct 1896; Brett pp.15-17, 39, pl.10; Brett notes; BT 26 June 1913, 4 Oct 1972, 31 Dec 1983; Conlin pp.4-5, 12-13; Dixon UA p.16; Doyle p.29; Dubourdieu p.547; Dunlop pp.59-60; Hogg 10/21/783; Larmour p.4; Lawrence C2421, C6037; Millin p.25; NMC p.8; O'Byrne pp.65-68, 102; Rankin p.63; Smith pp.43-44, 53; Welch W10/21/195; Young Province p.116.
[Note: St George's has recently undergone extensive renovations
and stonework repairs, completed in 2000].
No.107 High Street was part of the Eglinton and Winton
Hotel (familiarly known as the "Egg and Winkle"). See
53-57 Victoria Street.
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Bedford Terrace, 189-197 Sandy Row:
1852: Terrace of five neo-classical houses separated by fluted
Corinthian pilasters supporting a deep cornice with dentils over
acanthus scrollings. Now converted into a bar with all the first
floor windows obliterated except at the gable, it looks very strange,
but a glance at Lower Crescent on the other side of Bradbury Place
suggests what it must once have looked like. The pilasters ran
down to the ground, the ground floor windows and doors had flat
entablatures, and the hipped roof was broken up by five chimney
stacks set parallel to the ridge. The 1860 Valuer, with his estate
agent's eye, was scornful of the terrace, considering it "too
good for the locality". The adjacent terrace at nos.l97-207
was known in the 1880s as Napier Place.
Refs: Brett p.33; BT 30 Mar 1974; Carleton p.l35, pl.XXIX.
[Note: Bedford Terrace was still housing in the 1970s, but was converted to a bar shortly after, and the buildings were demolished in 2000 to make way for an apartment block].
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