25 Bloomfield Road, Belfast

25 Bloomfield Road is a semi-detached three-storey Arts & Crafts style house constructed in 1900, most likely designed by architect W.J. Moore. The building forms part of a row of three pairs of semi-detached houses on the south side of Bloomfield Road and has group value with its neighbours.

The exterior is built in redbrick laid to a variation between English-garden bond and Scottish bond (four courses of stretchers to one of headers), with a projecting plinth course. The pitched roof is clad in natural slate with roll-top red-clay ridge tiles, red-clay knob finials, and a shared redbrick chimneystack with corbelled coping. All gables have timber barge boards. Half-round cast-iron guttering and circular cast-iron downpipes run throughout.

The front elevation features a three-storey three-sided canted bay supporting a gabled projection, rendered with mock timber detailing including timber brackets, continuous painted sill course, flush painted lintel course, terracotta mouldings, and a terracotta plaque at the centre of each bay. Window openings are square-headed with stop-chamfer jambs to brick openings, fitted with original 1/1 double-hung timber sash windows with ogee horns. The west elevation has a two-storey single bay gabled projection. A segmental-headed door opening facing north with replacement timber panelled door and fanlight is approached by a single nosed step, with painted sills, flush painted lintels, terracotta mouldings, and a terracotta plaque over the main doorcase. The rear elevation comprises a two-storey redbrick return with pitched natural slate roof, roll-top red-clay ridge tiles, and a single course of decorative bricks; door and window openings appear square-headed with replacement top-hung timber casement windows. The east side elevation is abutted by the adjoining house.

The front yard is divided into a paved pathway and landscaped garden enclosed by a redbrick wall topped with metal railings. Square redbrick gate piers with stone capping support a timber gate. An alleyway directly to the rear separates the building from a row of three-storey terraced houses. The exterior has retained most of its original character, style, and proportions.

The house was first recorded as vacant in the Annual Revisions of 1900. The property was owned by Francis Quinn and the Beechpark Estate Company. The first occupant was G.E. Monroe, an oil merchant; by 1911 the house was occupied by Thomas Agnew, a solicitor. The 1911 census described it as a first-class dwelling with 11 rooms. Ownership passed to Joseph McMaster by 1935 and remained with him until the 1970s. The property value was assessed at £16 in 1930, increased to £24 by the First Revaluation in 1935, and stood at £28 by 1972.

W.J. Moore (circa 1873-1921) was a Belfast-based architect who established his private practice in Ann Street by 1896. Numbers 21-31 Bloomfield Road were among the earliest domestic buildings he completed during his independent practice. Moore derived his style from Scottish architect Norman Shaw, who made a significant break from established classical and gothic traditions and was instrumental in the development of the Arts & Crafts movement. The terracotta mouldings were made in Belfast at the time of construction.

The building continues in domestic use. Roof repairs were carried out in 1987, and the roof valleys were replaced in 2012.