81 Victoria Road, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 9BG

81 Victoria Road, Holywood is a two-storey three-bay Victorian former manse built around 1850. Although largely original and retaining many original features, it is not among the best examples of the type.

The building is symmetrically arranged and rectangular on plan with an adjoining rectangular addition set parallel to the main block. A projecting porch fronts the building, with a canted bay to the west. A two-storey gabled return and single-storey flat roof extension project to the rear. The pitched natural slate roof is finished with terracotta ridge tiles. Rendered chimneystacks with tall clay pots rise through the roof. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods are supported on corbelled eaves. The walling is ruled-and-lined painted render with a plinth. Windows are mainly 1/1 timber-framed sliding sash with moulded surrounds to the first floor; the ground floor has projecting masonry sills and label moulds.

The principal elevation faces north and is three openings wide. At ground floor centre is a single-storey square porch accessed by two rounded steps, with corner pilasters, cornice and blocking course. The porch has windows to each cheek and a four-panelled timber door with transom light in a moulded architrave. The east elevation comprises two gables. The main block gable has two windows to the first floor and a single window to the ground floor right, with a small single-storey abutment to the ground floor left. The rear addition gable has a window to the first floor and an enlarged plate glass encasement to the ground floor. The rear elevation is almost completely abutted by the rear addition, which is in turn abutted by a perpendicular two-storey return. This return has a window to the first floor of its gable and a modern glazed timber door to the ground floor. The west elevation of the return has a 1/1 window to the first floor and a replacement timber-framed window to the ground floor. The east elevation of the return is abutted by a single-storey extension with a modern timber door to the left and a modern timber-framed window to the right. The south elevation of the addition has two windows to the left at first floor, with 2/2 windows with sidelights to the ground floor left. The west elevation of the addition has a multi-paned window with sidelights to the ground floor and a replacement window to the first floor. The east elevation of the addition has a window to the first floor and a replacement window to the ground floor. The west elevation of the main block has a canted bay with 2/2 windows and slate roof to the ground floor, with a single window to the first floor.

The building sits on a mature site backing onto Glenlyon Park, set back from the road to the north with a gravelled driveway accessed via painted masonry square gate piers with pointed caps and a cast-iron gate. The rear yard contains a former stable block with painted masonry walls and a slated roof, with two large openings and a central doorway, all fitted with replacement timber-sheeted doors. The yard is enclosed by a high masonry wall with a round pier to the left of the stable block, accessed via large timber gates.

The house first appears on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858 captioned 'Glenside'. On later historical map editions it is captioned 'Glenside Manse'. The house was built by the Reverend Henry Henderson in 1849. A nineteenth-century street directory records that Glenside was the first house to be built in High Holywood, an area that became increasingly popular with the mercantile and professional classes following the opening of the railway in 1848. The Belfast and Ulster Directory of 1880 noted: "[Glenside] was built by the late Rev. Henry Henderson, in 1849, but now the whole of that greatly admired district is covered with detached mansions, terraces and plantings." Kelly's 1850 History of Holywood described the "beautiful little cottage, 'Glenside', the residence of Rev Henry Henderson" and advised visitors to the area to observe it.

Reverend Henry Henderson was ordained as minister of Holywood First Presbyterian Church in 1844 and appears to have built Glenside shortly afterwards. He was a considerable landowner and property developer in the area on behalf of the church. He is known to have been living in the house in 1852, but by 1861 had moved to Thornbank Manse to the south of the present building. Henderson wrote a weekly article for the Belfast Weekly News under the pseudonym 'Ulster-Scot'.

Following Reverend Henderson's removal, the house was let to a number of tenants. In September 1858, the Belfast Newsletter recorded a visit to the house by Brigadier-General T.H. Franks CB, the district Indian Officer, and Sir D Norreys MP. In 1860, the house was advertised to let when occupied by Captain Robinson, Poor-Law Inspector, who was removing to Dublin. The advertisement described it as "commodious" and standing "on an Acre of ground, laid out in Gardens &c.; and there is Cow-house, Coach-house and stabling for four Horses." In Griffith's Valuation of 1861, the house, offices, yard and just over one acre are listed as the residence of William Langtry Bell, a merchant and town councillor for Belfast, with buildings valued at £36. In May 1862, Reverend Henderson was again living at Glenside and appears to have been resident at the house at least until 1877.

According to historical sources, Henry Henderson sold the house to the Kirk session for £600 in 1878, shortly before his death in 1879. The house remained the property of the church until 1996, when it was sold and part of the orchard used to build a new manse. The house is captioned 'Glenside Manse' on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1900–02 and remains so captioned throughout the historic map editions. Today the house is in use as a private residence.