10 College Green, Belfast

10 College Green, Belfast

A two-storey red brick terraced house built in 1876, facing south on College Green to the north-east of the main quadrangle at Queens University, Belfast. The house now functions as offices. It forms part of a longer Victorian terrace (Nos. 2–26 inclusive) and has group value with its adjacent neighbours at Nos. 12 and 14 College Green. The terrace overlooks the Theological College of the Presbyterian Church, within the Queens Conservation Area.

The building has an asymmetrical south elevation (the principal façade), with the entrance positioned to the left and a single-storey canted bay at ground floor to the right. A natural slate duo-pitched roof features two red brick chimneys, each rectangular on plan with corbelled brick copings and octagonal yellow clay pots; one chimney is shared with No. 12, and the other abuts a similar chimney at No. 8. Wall-head dormers sit at both the front (south pitch, hipped roof) and rear (north pitch, gabled roof).

The walls are constructed in red clay brick in Flemish bond on the south elevation and English Garden Wall bond on the north, with the north-facing return rendered. Windows are single-glazed timber-framed double-hung sliding sashes with 1/1 panes on the south elevation and 2/2 panes on the north, unless otherwise noted. Rainwater goods comprise cast iron on the south elevation and cast metal half-round guttering and circular section downpipes on the north; the rear return has matching cast metal fittings. Modern uPVC soil pipes are also present.

The south elevation displays deep painted surrounds (likely combined stucco and dressed stone beneath paint) at the entrance door and canted bay. The canted bay features stop-chamfered details to the head and jambs, with deep bull-nosed stone cills recessed between extended jambs. Decorative round and diamond-shaped incisions above the bay incorporate abstract thistle and clover motifs. The entrance comprises a square-headed timber-framed four-panelled replacement door with plain glass fanlight set within a round-arched opening with roll-edge detail, all framed by a projecting surround with moulded cornice hood and incised roundels. At first floor, two equal-sized square-headed windows are separated by a moulded string course serving as cill; they feature moulded surrounds with cornice hoods and diamond-head moulding projecting over dentils. Heavy eaves are supported on scrolled brackets above a deep plain frieze and moulded string course. The wall-head dormer contains paired windows with canted heads and stop-chamfered lintels to match, a shared projecting cill, and 2/2 panes.

A deep continuous base plinth with sub-floor vents and moulded top runs across the south elevation.

The east and west elevations are abutted by Nos. 8 and 12 College Green respectively. A two-storey gabled return to the rear (north side), built at half-landing level and extended c.1989, is fenestrated to the east with informally arranged modern timber-framed top-hung casement windows. A single modern fully-glazed timber-framed door sits at ground floor on the far left side. Clipped eaves finish the gable end, with painted timber eaves boards along the east and west sides. Modern roof-lights line the west slope. The lower half of the west elevation is painted white and concealed near the main house by a single-storey L-shaped lean-to at No. 8.

The north (rear) elevation faces College Green Mews along a shared alley. The main building has one opening each at ground, first, and second floor. These are timber-framed single-glazed sliding sashes likely to be original: a round-arched window with 1/1 pane at second floor, and flat-arched windows with 2/2 panes at ground and first floors. At first floor, evidence of a further later opening with precast concrete lintel is visible, infilled with salvaged brick. The two-storey gabled return to the right (east) contains a single opening above with a timber-framed sliding sash window of 2/2 panes, likely original. Brick soldier-coursed headers, thick projecting stone cills, and rendered reveals to openings (painted) characterise the north elevation.

The boundary to the south is defined by a concrete dwarf wall and modern metal railings, enclosing a small front garden paved in brushed concrete. An entrance path of brick-coloured precast concrete pavers grades to meet the front door threshold. The rear yard extends to the north boundary with College Green Mews, bounded by a two-storey gabled return and rendered walling with a vertically-sheeted timber gate.