517 Antrim Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT15 3BS

517 Antrim Road is an end-of-terrace late Victorian house built around 1883 in red brick with blue brick dressings, forming the southernmost and last-built property in a terrace of nine houses (nos 517–533 Antrim Road). The architect is unknown. A three-storey rear return was added around 2013, and the building is currently undergoing further renovation.

The house sits on a rectangular plan facing west, set back from the east side of Antrim Road in the townland of Skegoneill. It is asymmetrical across three bays and rises two storeys to an attic. The pitched roof is covered in natural slate with black clay ridge tiles. A tall profiled red brick chimneystack with clay pots rises from the south gable. Rainwater goods consist of replacement steel guttering to a timber fascia with steel downpipes. Two gabled wall-head dormers feature timber bargeboards and finials, each with a round-arched opening containing a 1-over-1 pane double-hung timber sash window.

Window openings throughout have segmental arched heads formed with red and blue gauged brick headers, topped by projecting hood moulds made up of alternating angular blue bricks. Window cills are painted and projecting, and the windows themselves are 1-over-1 pane double-hung timber sash.

The principal west-facing elevation is arranged across three bays. To the left is a full-height canted bay window; at the centre is the entrance; and to the right is a single-storey rectangular-plan bay window. Both bay windows have moulded brick cornices carried on yellow brick corbels. The central door opening has a pointed arch with a painted keystone and a gauged black and red brick header, framed by a painted stone hood moulding with foliate label stops. The arch is supported by two painted columns with stiff-leaf capitals rising from flush painted stone plinths. The door itself is a replacement flush timber door with a plain glazed fanlight above, and opens onto a concrete-paved front area.

The Ruskinian detailing around the doorcase and windows closely resembles that found on nos 529–533 Antrim Road, the three houses at the north end of the terrace that were developed in 1879. John Smith, the local builder and contractor who commissioned no. 517 as his private residence, had previously lived at no. 533.

The north side elevation is abutted by the adjoining no. 519. The two-storey red brick rear elevation is largely obscured by the cement-rendered three-storey extension of around 2013, which has replacement single-pane timber sash windows to the ground and first floors and top-hung timber casement windows. The south gable is cement rendered with a slightly advanced double chimney breast and is abutted by a two-storey brick building on the adjoining property.

The terrace stands on the former grounds of Ashfield House, the home of solicitor Thomas McClelland, which was demolished at the turn of the 20th century. The Antrim Road itself was originally laid out in 1830, and by the mid-19th century the townland of Skegoneill had become one of Belfast's most affluent areas, driven by the growth of the shipbuilding, rope-making and textiles industries. The terrace was originally known as Castleton Terrace and was built in three phases: the five Georgian-style houses at nos 519–527 were erected in 1878, nos 529–533 followed in 1879, and no. 517 completed the terrace in 1883. All nine buildings are shown on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1901–02, by which time the surrounding area had been entirely developed with terraced streets.

No. 517 was initially valued at £45. The 1901 census described it as a first-class dwelling of 18 rooms. John Smith lived there until his death in 1916, after which the property passed to Dr W. J. Taggart, who remained until around 1950. The rateable value was raised to £58 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936–57). Around 1950 the house was partially converted into a private medical surgery and leased to Dr J. A. McVicker, who occupied it until the 1970s. By the end of the Second Revaluation (1956–72), the value stood at £65. In the late 20th century the building was converted to office premises before returning to residential use. Nos 517–533 Antrim Road were listed in 1987.

Recent renovations have resulted in the loss of the original staircase and other internal fabric, and the rear is largely obscured by the later extension. However, the front elevation survives in good condition and retains considerable architectural interest. The building has group value as part of the listed terrace and contributes to the late 19th-century character of the Antrim Road. The property is set back from the road with a paved front garden enclosed by a rendered wall, steel fence and gates, terminating the terrace between Glandore Avenue and Glandore Gardens.