Orient House, 142 Upper Road, Greenisland, Co Antrim, BT38 8RL

Orient House is a little-altered two-storey detached house built in 1904 (or possibly 1905) in an Edwardian free style with eclectic detailing. The rendered building incorporates Tudor elements and extensive castellations, creating the distinctive appearance for which it is locally known as 'The Castle'. It was originally built for Mrs Susan Laughlin and is set within mature grounds on Upper Road, Greenisland, with views towards the County Antrim war memorial on Knockagh mountain.

The front elevation, facing south-east, is symmetrical about a central three-storey castellated tower. The ground floor of the tower features a five-panelled scumbled door with a Tudor arched overlight and side lights, set within a hood moulding with moulded faces as stop ends. The two upper floors of the tower contain six-light rectangular windows with solid mullions and transoms, each also surmounted by a hood moulding. To either side of the tower are semi-circular two-storey bays, each with three 1/1 timber sliding sash windows on both floors. The entire front and side elevations are castellated.

The south-west side elevation has a two-storey bay similar to the front, but distinguished by a continuous heavy moulding carrying an ogee cast iron gutter. This moulding was removed from the front bays during later repairs. A rendered chimney stack rises from the castellations to the right of the bay. The north-east side elevation presents a flush rendered wall with two sash timber windows on each floor, with a 2/2 sash window on each floor of the rear return. A matching rendered chimney stack rises from this elevation.

The north-west rear elevation includes a two-storey lined rendered return to the left with a simple flat roof; a previous parapet was removed. The original garage, with timber sheeted doors, stands to the left. To its right is a single-storey enclosed yard, followed by a relatively modern lean-to conservatory. To the right of the conservatory are the remains of the tiled floor of an original conservatory that was damaged and subsequently removed after a storm.

A large walled garden, enclosed with red clay brick, occupies the rear grounds. Within the south-east wall are two rendered stores and a more elaborate garage with an integral veranda. The garage features a double-pitched natural slate roof with decorated barge boards to the north-west and a castellated gable to the south-west matching the main house, surmounted by a cast iron weather vane. In front of this is an open-fronted veranda with a glazed mono-pitch roof, partially glazed side walls, ornate cast iron spandril brackets supported on timber posts, and a glazed front elevation. The front boundary wall to Upper Road is constructed of reconstituted stone and is a late twentieth-century addition, part of a road widening scheme. A narrow lane to the east provides access to the rear of Orient House through simple rendered gate posts and to two adjoining properties.

According to the original owner's account, the building was initially constructed with a flat roof but, due to leakage, this was replaced with the present pitched roof at an early stage. This alteration must have occurred before 1935, as no major alterations are recorded in the valuation books after that date. The property originally bore the name 'Orient House', which may indicate a connection to overseas trade. When built, Greenisland was a fashionable residence for ship's captains and ship's pilots. The house remained with Mrs Laughlin until 1945, when the lease passed to Mr William Martin, a relative. Mr Martin acquired the freehold in 1957, and the current occupant inherited the property in 1966. The architect remains unknown.