16 University Square, Belfast

A three-storey terraced townhouse with attic, now offices for the Institute of Theology at Queen's University. Built in 1852 as part of the University Square terrace, constructed in stages between 1848 and 1853. While Charles Lanyon laid out University Square, the architect of the terrace itself is unconfirmed.

The building is constructed in red brick with Flemish bond, facing south onto University Square in South Belfast, positioned roughly midway along a row of thirty former houses. It is flanked by No 15 to the west and No 17 to the east. The building overlooks the Old Library (now the QUB Student Graduate Centre) and the grounds at the northern end of The Lanyon Building.

Front Elevation

The south-facing front presents a two-bay composition across three storeys plus attic. The roof is pitched natural Welsh slate with red clay ridge tiles and corbelled brick chimneys with seven yellow clay pots each, rebuilt but matching original detailing and shared with neighbouring properties. A small modern rooflight sits on the left roof slope; a large lead-clad dormer with timber top-hung windows occupies the right side.

The ground floor entrance, positioned on the left side, has an elliptical arched head of brick voussoirs with a moulded plaster reveal. Two fluted columns with Doric-type capitals support a plain rendered entablature with moulded cornice. The door itself is painted and panelled timber with a rectangular Georgian-wired top pane, with a leaded stained-glass fanlight bearing the number '16' in the centre. To the right of the door are two single window openings, both original timber sliding-sash with horns, featuring leaded stained-glass top panes and two tall bottom panes, with separate painted stone cills.

The first floor has two 1/2 sash windows (small top pane and two tall bottom panes) over a continuous painted stone cill course. The second floor contains two 6/6 sash windows with separate painted stone cills. All front windows are original, single-glazed timber sash with painted rendered reveals and splayed brick heads. No rainwater goods are visible on the front elevation; water is managed by a hidden parapet gutter, likely formed in lead.

The front elevation sits beneath a plain rendered plinth and corbelled painted stone cornice with lead to the parapet edges. Four replacement reconstituted stone steps lead from street level with modern metal railings either side. A small front garden is paved with concrete stones and contains flower beds. A disabled ramp is formed with dwarf brick walls, reconstituted stone copings, and brick pavers. The boundary wall is red brick in Flemish bond with reconstituted stone coping beneath replacement painted metal railings; this wall is not original.

Rear and Return

The rear elevation is three storeys of painted render. A two-storey return projects from the right side at half-landing level, further abutted by a two-storey mews building to the north. A yard is enclosed by the main rear elevation, the side wall of the rear return, the south wall of the mews building, and the side wall of the rear return to No 17. Rainwater goods are painted metal; a plastic soil vent pipe serves the yard.

The exposed left side of the main rear elevation has windows on each level: 6/6 sash windows to the first and second floors, and a 4/4 to ground floor. All are replacement timber sash without horns, single-glazed, with plain reveals and painted stone cills. On the right side above the roof of the rear return, the second floor has an arched window opening with a timber 10/6 sash. The attic half-landing above this has a smaller 3/3 window, also arched. A modern dormer with lead sides and cheeks and timber top-hung window sits on the left side of the rear roof slope.

The east side wall of the rear return has a 3/3 window to ground floor on the left. The first floor has three regularly spaced 6/6 windows. The north wall of the yard (south wall of the mews building) has a triple metal casement window to ground floor; the first-floor wall is blank. The rear yard is accessed from No 17 via a modern flush timber door on the north end. A twentieth-century metal glazed conical rooflight sits on the first-floor landing of the rear return on its leaded flat roof section.

The roof of the return and mews building is hipped natural slate with red clay ridge tiles. The rear elevation of the mews building, facing the alley, has two ground-floor 3/3 windows (left and right) with metal grilles attached to the reveals. The first floor has three openings: two 6/6 windows (left and centre) and one 3/6 (right). Further modern buildings extend to the rear of the mews building onto University Square Mews.

Materials and Details

Roof: Natural Welsh slate (replacement). Walls: Red brick in Flemish bond. Front windows: Timber sliding sash, single-glazed, original with horns to ground and first floors. Dormer windows: Lead with timber top-hung windows (modern). Rear, return, and mews windows: Timber sliding sash without horns, single-glazed (replacements), except where noted. Rainwater management: Hidden parapet gutter to front roof; painted metal gutters to yard and mews building rear; plastic soil vent pipe to yard.