84 Hamilton Road, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4LG

84 Hamilton Road, Bangor, is a Grade B2 listed building comprising a single-bay, two-storey terraced cottage, one of three dwellings formed from the conversion of what was formerly Bangor Cottage Hospital.

The building was constructed around 1869 as a cottage hospital, established by Harriet Ward. The hospital operated with six beds, admitting patients on payment of five shillings weekly. It closed in 1910 upon the opening of Castle Street hospital, and was subsequently converted into three separate dwellings in 1912 by Bangor Urban District Council. The conversion marked an important transition to council housing, with the three properties each valued at £7 and initially leased to Council employees on Service Tenancies.

Architecturally, the building is square-on-plan with a pitched natural slate roof bearing terracotta ridge tiles and overhanging sheeted eaves. Tall rectangular brick and render chimneystacks with six decorative terracotta pots punctuate the roofline. The walling is Flemish bonded red brick with cement quoins and plinth. The principal north-west elevation is symmetrically arranged with two window openings to each floor and a central projecting porch. The windows are paired 1/1 timber sliding sash with horns and sandstone sills, with hood mouldings to ground floor and gabled dormers to first floor. The porch comprises a segmental timber door with cast-iron door furniture, set in a chamfered brick reveal with flat brick lintel, and is lit to the north-east and south-west by slender round-headed windows.

A single-storey return extends to the rear, incorporating a modern timber conservatory. The south-east gable has a single window opening to first floor and a single opening at ground floor. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods serve the principal elevation, with plastic rainwater goods to the rear return.

The detailing is largely intact, though plain, reflecting the building's original institutional use. Much of the interior has been modernised, but the group as a whole represents a building type that is becoming rare. The social and historic interest of the former cottage hospital, particularly its establishment by the Ward family and its subsequent conversion to council housing, is significant.

The terrace is situated to the north entrance of Ward Park, beside the Carnegie library, set back slightly from Hamilton Road with paved frontage and hedgerow to all sides, and a cast-iron entrance gate. To the rear is a small yard enclosed by masonry and brick wall, accessed by a simple timber gate.