13 Mount Charles, Belfast

A three-storey mid-terraced brick townhouse with attic, designed by Alexander MacAlister and constructed in 1859. It forms the sixth house from the right in a terrace of nine, positioned on the south side of Mount Charles, a tree-lined street running between Botanic Avenue and University Road within the Queen's Conservation Area. The building is rectangular on plan with a projecting return to the rear. Originally built as a townhouse, it is now used as university student accommodation.

The front elevation faces north and is constructed in red brick with Flemish bond and painted render. At ground floor level there is a single-storey canted rendered bay on the right and a recessed doorway on the left. The doorway features an elliptical arched head with brick voussoirs and moulded plaster reveal, with Ionic columns on raised moulded plaster panelled bases supporting a moulded plaster entablature and plain fanlight. The timber four-panelled door appears original, though the top two panels have been replaced with glazing. The doorway sits on two replacement concrete steps with dwarf walls either side.

The first and second storeys each have two windows, with two modern rooflights at attic level. All front windows are replacement single-glazed timber sliding sash with horns. The first floor and bay windows are horizontally split 2/2, whilst second floor windows are 8/8. Window heads to the first and second floors are straight with splayed brick soldiers. A continuous painted stone cill course runs across the first and second floors. A deep painted rendered plinth forms the base, with similar frieze beneath the eaves. The canted bay is painted render with moulded plaster detailing.

The pitched roof is clad in natural Welsh slate with black clay ridge tiles. Brick chimney stacks to right and left, rebuilt but corbelled and centred on the ridge, are shared with adjacent properties and topped with seven circular clay pots. Cast aluminium rainwater goods service the front, comprising downpipe and ogee gutter, with a small section of PVC at the canted bay.

The side elevations are fully abutted by the adjacent terraced houses. The rear elevation comprises a three-storey main facade with an original three-storey return on the right at half-landing height. All rear walls are painted render. The rear yard is enclosed by the rear wall of the house, the return on the right, the return of the neighbouring property on the left, and a three-storey yard wall fronting University Street.

The rear elevation of the main block has a 2/2 window on the left side at each level with painted stone cills, and a smaller single 6/6 window at attic half-landing level on the right. The return facing the yard has a replacement timber back door on the left, with a 6/6 window above on first floor and a similar window on second floor. To the right of the back door is a 6/6 window on ground floor, possibly original. All rear windows are replacement single-glazed timber sliding sash with horns, with possible exception of the ground floor window on the rear yard wall.

The internal face of the yard wall onto University Street is constructed of dark brown brick in Flemish bond with rendered plinth and eaves band. It features a replacement timber sheeted door with plain fanlight at ground floor level and two multi-pane timber window frames above (without glass), one at first floor and one at second floor, both with slim painted stone cills. A semi-circular arched head with brick voussoirs tops the ground floor door. To the right of the door is a 6/6 window with wrought iron bars and painted stone cills. A diminutive square single-pane frosted window is positioned to the right (boarded up at time of survey). The first and second floors each have a false multi-pane window frame to the left and a 6/6 window to the right. First floor openings have shallow arched heads; second floor heads are straight. Cast iron gutter runs above the painted rendered eaves band.

The roof over the return is hipped natural Welsh slate with black clay ridge tiles, with one modern rooflight to the left side of the main block. A plain flat concrete coping stone tops the rear wall.

Materials include natural Welsh slate and black clay ridge tiles to the roof, red brick in Flemish bond and painted render to the walls with lime pointing, timber sliding sash windows with horns (replacement, single-glazed), cast aluminium rainwater goods with small PVC section at the canted bay, and modern rooflights.

The front of the house is accessed directly from the tree-lined pavement of Mount Charles, whilst the rear is accessed from the pavement of University Street via the yard door.