52 Plantation Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim, BT27 5PH

Three storey gabled house of mid to late 18th century date, situated in the Plantation area to the east of Lisburn beside the M1 motorway. This former linen mill owner's house is one room deep with a narrower and lower three storey return to the rear.

The front elevation faces almost south in a symmetrical arrangement of three bays with a central door and stepped quoins to the corners. The ground floor has a painted timber sun room added in the late 20th century, along with two earlier canted bays. The two upper floors each have three windows, the narrower central window lighting a landing and the others being wider. The walling to the front elevation is smooth render.

The east elevation features a large projecting chimney breast that has been curtailed at roof level, where a yellow clay brick chimney stack was erected probably at the end of the 19th century. The only opening to the main house on this elevation is a sealed door with two panels to the bottom and glazed panels to the top. The walling is roughcast render.

The rear elevation has a shallow pitched single storey lean-to extension with a blank wall above, apart from a small replacement window to the top floor. The main roof is double pitched with yellow clay brick chimney stacks at either gable, finished in natural Bangor blue slates.

The return is a single room wide with double pitched roofing matching the main block. The east elevation of the return has a fixed light window and a glazed double door to the ground floor, and two painted timber windows to each of the floors above, generally replacements. An external staircase leads to the first floor at the end of this elevation, with the gabled end largely covered in ivy. The west elevation has a window to the ground floor and two windows to each upper floor, all replacements of painted timber with top opening or fixed lights.

The house shares a setting with the attached two storey No. 50 (see record HB19.09.012). Both are set back from Plantation Road behind a tall random rubble stone wall with a now blocked vehicular entrance, one rendered gate pier of which remains, possibly the original main access for both houses. No. 52 is now accessed through ornate wrought iron gates supported on square wrought iron openwork posts, flanked by simple iron railings set into a dwarf rendered wall with painted stone coping. Behind this wall and to the side and rear are mainly grassed gardens. A rendered and slated 20th century double garage stands to the rear.

Earlier Ordnance Survey maps indicate an extensive industrial complex to the north, now demolished and replaced with late 20th century housing. Mill workers housing that once stood at the roadside has also been cleared, leaving Nos. 50 and 52 as the only historic houses in the vicinity apart from No. 74 Plantation Road, which also has a connection with the Barbour Linen business.