Lavery's, 9 Chapel Hill, Lisburn, County Antrim, BT28 1EP

Laverys is a mid-terrace two-storey-with-attic public house of Grade B2 importance, located south of Chapel Hill in the centre of Lisburn. Originally built as a house circa 1800, it was remodelled circa 1870 into a public house and remains a well-preserved example of a traditional Victorian pub, now increasingly rare in Northern Ireland.

The building is rectangular on plan with a two-storey return and flat-roof extension to the rear. The pitched natural slate roof carries blue and black angled ridge tiles, red-brick chimneys, and modern rooflights. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods are mounted on a yellow brick eaves course. The walling is Flemish-bonded red brick with yellow-brick quoins, a projecting eaves course, and a string course between floors; a smooth rendered chamfered plinth runs at ground level.

The principal elevation faces north and is three bays wide. Windows are 2/2 timber-framed sliding sash with horizontal glazing bars and horns, fitted with yellow brick keyblocks to lintels and projecting painted masonry sills. To the ground floor, the segmental-headed windows feature this characteristic detailing. The ground floor is dominated by the pub-front from the 1870s, which comprises a bipartite segmental-headed window over a raised-and-fielded panel. This is flanked by entrance doors: a double-leaf two-panelled door to the left with pilasters on plinths, and a four-panelled door to the right with brass door furniture and transom light, also flanked by pilasters on plinths. The first floor contains five windows. Replacement uPVC windows have been installed to the rear. The east and west elevations are abutted by adjoining buildings. The south elevation retains windows at first floor to left and right; the ground floor is abutted by a modern extension and two-storey return with flat-roof extension, which are of no particular interest. The rear yard is flagged and enclosed by a high metal fence and gate.

The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833 shows a building on this site, but the present structure of Victorian character has replaced it. The Belfast Newsletter recorded that a spirit licence was granted in 1877 to Edward Lavery of Lisburn, who appears to have been the original owner and was likely responsible for the remodelling around this time. Edward Lavery died in 1898, leaving the premises to his wife Sarah, who was 52 years old at the 1901 census and had seven children ranging in age from 22 to 11 years. Her two eldest sons were studying law, and her three eldest daughters were working as shop assistants; all family members were fluent in both Irish and English. By 1911, Sarah's eldest son Michael was practising as a solicitor, and her younger son was a solicitor's clerk. Sarah continued to run the public house with assistance from her daughters until her death in 1921. Michael Lavery went on to practise as a solicitor in Lisburn and Belfast and for some years represented Nationalists in the Revision Courts. He died in Lisburn District Hospital in 1928 following an operation.

The pub has become a local landmark forming part of Lisburn's folk memory. Despite some alteration to the rear to accommodate a modern extension and beer garden, the building retains much of its interior fittings and displays considerable original Victorian character. It is of significant social and local interest to the Lisburn area, being a rare surviving example of a traditional public house with well-preserved 1870s fixtures and fittings.