7 Upper Crescent, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT7 1NT

7 Upper Crescent is a relatively large three-storey rendered town house, part of a regency-style crescent of ten similar but not identical properties built in 1846. The building has since been converted to offices and flats. Upper Crescent is situated to the east of University Road and faces across a small public park towards Lower Crescent, a comparable development of 1852 arranged in a straight terrace rather than crescent form. This property occupies the western end of the row and is among the more ornate buildings in the grouping.

The front elevation faces roughly north and is asymmetrical. At ground floor level, the rusticated render finish contrasts with plain render above. The entrance consists of a recessed timber panelled door with panelled pilaster jambs and a rectangular two-pane fanlight, approached by two stone steps. To the left of the doorway are two tall plain sash windows. The first floor carries three larger windows set on a cill course with recent frames made to resemble original regency-style sashes. The second floor has three pairs of narrow, semicircular-headed sash windows with horizontal glazing bars in a 1/2 pattern, resting on a more pronounced cornice-like cill course projection with dentillations.

The principal architectural feature is four large, evenly spaced Corinthian three-quarter columns spanning the ground and first floor heights and supporting a projecting frieze below the second floor cill course level. The outer columns are square. At second floor level, four panelled pilasters rise correspondingly to form parapet piers with a pierced balustrade-like parapet between them. The front elevation is painted, with different colours used to highlight the columns and uppermost storey.

The west elevation comprises the gable of the main portion and the face of a two-storey return, both finished in painted lined render. The gable return has a sash window with horizontal glazing bars (2/2) to its first floor. To the right, the return merges with a two-storey projection with a probable mono-pitched roof. This projection has a recent broad doorway at ground floor with a sash window to the first floor.

The rear elevation could not be seen entirely. The main portion appears to have one window to the right at ground floor, another to the right at first floor, and another to the right at second floor, together with a stairwell window to the left between first and second floors. The stairwell window retains a Georgian-paned sash frame, whilst the other windows have modern frames. This elevation is finished in plain painted render. The roof is slated with a tall rendered chimneystack with projecting coping and uniform pots to the east. The return has a small brick chimneystack to its gable. Cast iron rainwater goods are present.