23 Bloomfield Road, Belfast

Semi-detached three-storey redbrick Arts & Crafts style house with applied timber framing to 2nd storey, dated 1900, most likely by architect W.J. Moore. Regular plan form facing north with a three-storey gabled bay to front elevation, a two-storey gabled projection to east elevation and a two-storey return to rear. The house forms part of a row of 3 pairs of semi-detached houses to the south side of Bloomfield Road. Pitched natural slate roof with roll top red-clay ridge tiles, red-clay knob finials and a shared redbrick chimneystack with corbelled coping and red-clay chimney pots. All gables have timber barge boards; half-round cast-iron guttering and circular cast-iron downpipes throughout. Redbrick walling is laid to a variation between the English-garden bond and the Scottish bond (four courses of stretchers to one of headers) with projecting plinth course. Window openings to principal elevations are square-headed with stop-chamfer jambs to brick openings and replacement 1/1 double-hung timber sash windows with coved horns. The front elevation has a two-storey three-sided canted bay supporting a third storey gabled projection, rendered with mock timber detailing. The elevation is embellished with timber brackets, continuous painted sill course, flush painted lintel course, terracotta mouldings and terracotta plaque to the centre of each bay. A two-storey single bay gabled projection to the east side elevation contains a segmental-headed door opening, facing north, with replacement timber panelled door and fanlight approached by a single nosed step. The east elevation has painted sills, flush painted lintels and terracotta mouldings. There is a terracotta plaque over the main doorcase. Although no access to the rear was granted it appears that the original return has been enlarged to the east resulting in an asymmetrical two-storey redbrick return with pitched slate roof and roll top red-clay ridge tiles. The original portion has a single course of decorative bricks. The window openings are square-headed with replacement top-hung uPVC casement windows. West side elevation abutted by adjoining house No. 21 (HB26/10/001A). The front yard is divided into a paved pathway and a modest landscaped garden enclosed by a redbrick dwarf wall topped by metal railings and metal gate. Directly to the rear of the building is an alleyway separating the dwelling from a row of three-storey terraced houses. The terrace forms the end of three terraced streets, facing North East and fronting on to Bloomfield Road near St Donards Church of Ireland (HB26.10.03) Materials: Roof: natural slate RWG: cast iron Walling: red brick Windows: replacement timber sash