30 Derryvolgie Ave, Belfast, BT9 6FP

A semi-detached two-storey late-Victorian villa built around 1870 by John Woods, architect unknown. The house is located on the north side of Derryvolgie Avenue, which runs east to west between Malone and Lisburn Roads, two main arterial routes south of the city centre. It forms one of a pair with No. 28, though unusually configured: No. 28 reads as a largely symmetrical detached single dwelling facing onto Derryvolgie Avenue, while No. 30 is tucked behind it, accessed by a long driveway. The pair sits within the Derryvolgie and Windsor Conservation Area, screened behind mature trees and hedging with extensive gardens to the east and north.

The building is roughly L-shaped in plan, with a gabled main section abutted by a two-storey return to the east. The returns attach to form an overall U-shaped plan, and both have later single-storey additions. The roof is natural slate (Bangor Blue) with black clay ridge tiles. Projecting eaves feature exposed carved timber rafter ends, with matching carved detail to the overhanging gable timbers.

Three red brick chimneys are present: one centred on the main roof ridge, offset to the left with canted and soldier-coursed bricks to a corbelled cap and one octagonal yellow clay pot plus two smaller black clay pots; another centred on the return ridge with identical cap detail and three octagonal yellow clay pots; and a third set along the dividing wall between the two properties, plainly detailed with six circular clay pots and partly replaced.

Materials and Finishes

The roof is natural slate with cast iron guttering of ogee profile to the north and east elevations and cast iron rainwater pipes to the west gable; elsewhere the guttering and pipes are uPVC. The walls are red brick in Flemish bond to the north and east, and English Garden Wall bond to the south and west. Windows are single-glazed double-hung sliding sashes with 2/2 panes horizontally split, except where otherwise noted. Some windows on the north elevation retain historic glass, probably cylinder glass.

Front Elevation

Facing north, the front elevation is symmetrical with formal fenestration: five equally spaced windows at first floor, with a central entrance portico flanked by two windows at ground floor, aligned with those above. A continuous brick plinth with chamfered brick cap runs across the base. Soldier-coursed brick heads the windows with projecting stone cills, all painted. Sheeted timber panels block two windows on the right side, suggesting an internal arrangement at odds with the exterior fenestration.

The portico appears on earlier Ordnance Survey maps from 1873 to 1931 but not on maps from 1959–85. The current owner raised the existing stone plinth, column base and collar by the height of three steps and formed the remainder of the porch in concrete and timber with replacement slate risers and treads. Doric columns of circular hollow-section concrete with corresponding pilasters support an entablature comprising a plain frieze and projecting moulded cornice, topped by a lead-lined flat roof. The timber-framed front door has two moulded panels below the mid-rail and plain glass panels above, with two further panes below the top rail featuring stop-chamfered edges. The same detail is applied to the plain glass over-light, side-lights and diagonally sheeted base panels. A brass door knocker, probably original, is fitted to the door.

East Elevation

The east elevation comprises the gable end of the main building and the east face of the return. The gable features a projecting timber bargeboard with carved timber supports arranged in threes. A stone roundel centred on the ridge contains a blind shield at its centre, with hood mould and foliated label stops. Two windows at first floor match those on the front elevation. A canted bay at ground floor has a mono-pitched roof with fish-scale slates, cantilevered on decorative carved timber brackets with elliptical corner pendants and similar detail to the bracket bases. The exposed deep eaves beam, carved rafter ends and verge timbers all have stop-chamfered edges.

The return section has two windows each at ground and first floor, formally arranged with openings aligned and diminishing in height. The base plinth, window heads and cills match the front elevation.

West Elevation

The west elevation comprises the gable end of the main building and the west face of the return. The gable is informally arranged with a projecting timber bargeboard and carved timber supports in pairs. Two small timber sliding-sash windows with 1/1 panes are centred on the apex at attic level. At first floor are two windows, the left one larger and aligned with the attic window, while the right one is blocked up. A modern timber-framed glass door occupies what appears to be an original opening at ground floor, with a small offset timber-framed casement window to its right. The gable is abutted by a full-height bay with a cat-slide roof and clipped eaves, containing a timber sliding-sash window with 1/1 panes at first floor and a diminutive fixed pane at attic level. A fixed triangular-shaped light sits in the near valley between the cat-slide and main roof, with a modern skylight adjacent. The ground floor walling is painted white and faces onto a small paved yard.

The return section has a single window at first floor and a three-part timber-framed window with side-hung opening casement at ground floor. The ground floor walling is rendered and painted white.

The yard is partially enclosed by a butterfly glass roof with a central valley gutter that abuts the gable in part.

Rear Elevation

No. 28 abuts the south side of the return. The south elevation of the main building has a modern timber-framed glass door at ground floor with a small offset timber-framed casement window, and a single window at half-landing level above with reeded glass panes. The ground floor walling is rendered and painted white. A red brick wall abutting the west side of the front elevation contains a ledged-and-braced sheeted timber gate leading to the yard.

Later Additions and Outbuildings

The original outbuildings were demolished by the previous owner and replaced with a single-storey rendered lean-to with a corrugated asbestos roof and slide-back garage door. The yard is partially enclosed by the glazed roof described above.

Gardens and Setting

A large, symmetrical formal garden to the east of the house features a timber pergola flanked by copper beech hedging, encircling various water features, paved and planted areas. Metal gates on modern brick piers mark the entrance to No. 30 from approximately halfway along the driveway. The drive sweeps round to the front of the house with lawns and mature planting either side.