557 Ormeau Road, Belfast

557 Ormeau Road, Belfast

This is a two-storey terraced house with an attic, constructed in 1886 as part of a row of nine dwellings on the upper Ormeau Road, approximately 4 kilometres from Belfast's city centre. The house was built during a period of rapid expansion southwards from the city along the main thoroughfares of Ormeau, Lisburn and Malone Roads. It is one of a terrace of nine houses (numbered 547 to 563 Ormeau Road) which share group value as listed buildings.

The house is rectangular on plan with a two-storey return and features a small garden to the front and an enclosed rear yard. The ground floor walls are painted render, while the first floor is constructed of red clay brick laid in Flemish bond. The return is partially rendered and partially exposed red clay brick. The roof is covered with natural Bangor Blue slates.

The front elevation displays the principal architectural interest. The ground floor is finished in smooth painted render with a replacement six-panelled door to the right, fitted with a glazed overlight and set beneath a hood supported on ornate brackets. To the left is a canted bay with 1/1 top hung uPVC windows. The first floor is separated from the ground floor by a plaster string course and contains two 1/1 top hung windows detailed to match the bay below. Red clay brick laid in Flemish bond forms the first floor, with two rows of blue brick laid underneath a decorative brick cornice. A pitched roof dormer sits on the wall head and contains a 1/1 painted timber sliding sash window with a semi-circular head. A large Velux-type rooflight stands to the left of the dormer with a smaller similar rooflight to the right. A large clay brick chimney stack, detailed to match the front elevation, is set on the ridge to the left.

The rear elevation comprises a lower two-storey return to the left with the main building finished in painted, lined smooth render. The first floor contains a 1/1 uPVC window to the right and a top hung timber window to the other side, with a larger top hung window on the ground floor facing the yard. The double pitched return has painted render to its gable and red clay brick to its north side on the first floor with a window at the first floor landing; painted brick appears below. The yard side is red brick to the first floor with two top hung uPVC windows and painted render below. Beyond the return is a single-storey painted brick structure with a corrugated iron roof.

The L-shaped rear yard is separated from a communal alley by a modern timber fence. The small front garden, mainly gravelled, is separated from the pavement by a high modern timber fence and matching gate, with an original quarry tile path leading to two concrete steps and a concrete landing at the front door.

Historical Record

The terrace, originally known as 'Rosetta Terrace', appears in the valuation book in two stages: the four southernmost dwellings (present numbers 557–563) were completed in 1886, with numbers 547–555 following in 1887. The developer was H. Scott, a pawnbroker with premises at 117 Shankill Road, who occupied what is now number 557 and is listed in contemporary directories as the immediate lessor. Scott is presumed to be or closely related to Hugh Scott, who developed much of the south-eastern end of Sunnyside Street in the early 1900s. The architect remains unknown.

An October 1886 letting advertisement described one of the properties finished that year as a 'large house' with 'three reception, five bedrooms, hot and cold water, with all modern improvements; warm, healthy situation, with gardens; trams pass door'. A subsequent advertisement of July 1887 for the five dwellings completed that year referred to 'those new houses; well finished; two reception rooms on ground floor [and] six bedrooms'.

Number 557 was successively occupied by Hugh Scott (the developer) from circa 1887–95; Robert Carlile Blakley, a warehouse manager, from circa 1896–1902; Mrs Thompson from circa 1902–06; and John Frizeel from circa 1907–09. The 1901 census records Mr. Blakley living there with his wife, Nellie Rosetta, their three young children and a domestic servant. In the 1911 census, James Scott, a civil engineer and architect and possibly Hugh Scott's son, is recorded living there with his wife, Emily, their son and a domestic servant. The house is noted in that census as a first-class dwelling containing 12 rooms. J.E. Logan occupied the property in 1918, and a member of the Logan family retained it until the early 1960s. William Moore is listed as the householder thereafter, with the Moore family remaining until the 1980s. Gerard Teague is noted as resident in 1990 and Mary J. Teague in 1995. The building was listed in 1986.

Windows throughout are now 1/1 top hung uPVC to the front and rear elevations and the return, with cast iron rainwater goods. Some original features have been replaced, including the front door and most windows, which detracts from the building's authenticity, though the dormer window and chimney stack retain their original character.