7 The Crescent, Holywood, County Down, BT18 9AY

A three-storey two-bay Georgian terraced townhouse built around 1830, located south of High Street close to the centre of Holywood. The building is situated in a secluded square with mature trees, enclosed by a brick wall with modern electric gates to the north and mature hedges to east and west.

The house is rectangular on plan with a two-storey gabled return and extension to the rear. The roof is pitched natural slate with rectangular brick chimneystacks featuring stone plinths and terracotta pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods with drive-in brackets are fitted to the main building, with uPVC rainwater goods to the rear extension.

The walls are painted smooth render with quoins and plinth, and a plat band runs between the ground and first floors. Windows throughout are 6/6 timber-framed sliding sash unless otherwise stated, with projecting stone sills. The principal elevation faces north and is two windows wide, with diminutive 3/3 windows to the second floor. The entrance is positioned to the left, accessed by two stone steps, with a double-panelled door featuring brass furniture and a slender transom light. To the right is a canted bay window with 2/2 sliding sash glazing with horizontal glazing bars and dividing Doric pilasters. This canted bay retains Regency glazing bars and the upper floors display Georgian glazing patterns, representing quality architectural detailing that remains largely intact.

The east elevation is abutted by the neighbouring building. The rear elevation has a window opening to each floor and is abutted to the left by the two-storey gabled return, which has single openings to each floor of its exposed section. This return is further abutted by a small single-storey extension with a diminutive 4/2 sash window and pent roof with modern skylights. The west elevation is abutted by the adjoining building.

Two outbuildings of no real interest stand to the rear of the property.

The original floor plan has largely survived, though much interior detailing has been lost and finishes are predominantly modern. The house represents a good example of the Georgian terraced townhouse type in fairly original condition and holds group value within its own terrace, which combines with a Victorian terrace located at right angles to form the square. The setting of this informal square survives in relatively original form.

According to local records, this terrace began as a single farmhouse in the late eighteenth century situated at the edge of Holywood village. In the 1820s the plot was taken over by Hugh Stewart and redeveloped to create a terrace of four houses. Hugh Stewart had been appointed Post Master of Holywood in 1822 and was responsible for several housing developments in the village, including Holywood's first public baths. In the Townland Valuation of 1828-40, all houses in the terrace are listed as the property of Hugh Stewart, with this house valued at £11 8 shillings. By Griffith's Valuation of 1856-64, the house was occupied by Alex Grumfield, later by John Forrester, and valued at £17. Stables and carriage houses are recorded to the rear of the terrace. A valuation town plan dating from circa 1860 to 1866 notes that the plot in front of the houses was laid to potatoes.

In his will of 1858, Hugh Stewart bequeathed the houses in the Crescent to his daughter Harriet Kennedy "for her own sole use and benefit independently of her present or any future husband and I direct that they be subject to her own control nevertheless that she be not at liberty to sell alien or mortgage or anticipate the same during her life but that at her death she may will them to whom she pleases". He further directed that a £12 annuity be paid to his daughter Susan Greenfield "out of the rents derived from the Crescent lying behind the house in which I at present dwell".

After Hugh Stewart's death, his grandson became the immediate lessor. By 1863, Mrs McCormick was the occupier and John Anderson and others held the position of immediate lessor. The valuation reduced in stages to £14 by 1874 when James Greenfield was the occupier, then to £12 in 1884 and £11 in 1892. The house experienced numerous changes in occupier throughout its history, including Bridget Wiber in 1887, Robert Price in 1900, James Parkhill in 1905, and James J Greene in 1925. In 1903 the valuation rose slightly to £13 following the installation of a bathroom and an alteration, recorded with plan and dimensions in the valuer's notes.