1 Lorne Cottages, Station Road, Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0BS

1 Lorne Cottages is a picturesque end-terrace, one-and-a-half storey cottage built in 1875 as part of the Lorne estate, located at the south entrance to Lorne House on Station Road, Holywood. It is a fine example of its type, with superior design and quality detailing throughout.

The cottage is square-on-plan with a projecting porch and return to the rear. The principal elevation faces east. A steeply pitched natural slate roof features an overhanging eaves with a central band of fish-scale tiles and terracotta ridge tiles. Square chimneystacks with sandstone quoins, offset and plinth are topped by four terracotta pots. Half-round cast-iron rainwater goods run the length of the building.

The walling is yellow brick over a projecting ashlar plinth. Windows to the ground floor are 2/2 and 3/3 timber-framed sliding sash with horns, set within sandstone ashlar surrounds with lintel under brick segmental arch and chamfered sill. A dormer window features a 2/2 pointed head timber-framed design with lower panes on hinges.

The central projecting porch on the principal elevation is accessed by two deep stone steps. It comprises a pointed arch entrance with sandstone ashlar quoins and surround, a cartouche with 'HC' moulding, and decorative bargeboard and finial. The door is herringbone sheeted timber with brass furniture and a pointed-arched transom light. To the left is a 3/3 sliding sash window; to the right a 2/2 sliding sash window with a dormer window above, which has decorative bargeboard and finial. The south elevation has a central projecting chimneybreast and decorative overhanging bargeboard. The rear west elevation is completely abutted at ground floor by an extension. To the top floor, two dormer windows with decorative bargeboard and finial are present (the right is gabled), with a modern skylight to the right. At ground floor there is a raised stone patio extending the length of the terrace, with a projecting canopy supported on cast-iron columns; a modern half-panelled timber door is accessed by two stone steps.

The cottage retains much of its external architectural features, although little of the internal detailing has survived.

The property is set in leafy surroundings, separated from the small road leading to Lorne House by a rock-faced ashlar wall with coping and piers, and decorative modern cast-iron railing with fleur-de-lis detail. The front is pebbled. To the rear there is a communal garden with hedgerow. The original boundary wall forms an important group with the terrace and with Lorne House itself.

The cottages were built by Henry Campbell in 1875 as accommodation for his favoured estate workers, near the entrance gates to his mansion Lorne. Campbell had recently built the house in 1865, and it is possible that the same architect, John Boyd, designed both buildings. Campbell was a partner and director of Mossley Mills, linen thread manufacturers, and Messrs Gunning and Campbell, flax spinners of North Howard Street. He retired from business in 1873 and set about building a house on land leased from Sir Robert Kennedy. The house was named Lorne after the traditional home of the Clan Campbell in Scotland. On his death, Campbell left an endowment of £200,000 to found Campbell College at Belmont.

The cottages are dated 1875 and first appear in valuation records in 1876, listed as 'house and yard' valued at £8. In 1876 all three cottages were vacant, indicating they had been newly built. Subsequently, they show many changes of occupier, consistent with their use as tied accommodation. The landlord was always the occupier of Lorne House; by 1900 this was Alexander Mateer; by 1906 Henry C Craig; and by 1914 James Gamble. No changes in valuation are recorded in the period up to 1930.