Lennoxvale, Belfast

The daily stretch of the sprightly legs took me, in 2021, back to Malone Road in Belfast, specifically the short, leafy, secluded cul-de-sac, Lennoxvale.

Lennoxvale House (Image: Stone Database)

Lennoxvale is best known today as the location of the official residence of the Vice-Chancellor of the Queen's University of Belfast.

Queen's University in fact possesses practically all of the properties in Lennoxvale, to my knowledge.

Lennoxvale (Image: William Arthur Green (1870-1958))

Lennoxvale is located at 56 Malone Road, not far from Fisherwick Church.

I expect, however, that when it was first built in the 1870s most of the houses were private homes.

Lennoxvale Entrance at Malone Road (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2021)

The entrance to this cul-de-sac, at Malone Road, has a pair of Victorian, cast-iron, painted pillars.

Roundels at the front proclaim the name Lennoxvale.

Edgehill College, at the end of the cul-de-sac, is directly opposite the entrance to Vice-Chancellor's Lodge.

It was built in 1875 as a private residence.

Lennoxvale House, today known as Vice-Chancellor's Lodge, dates from ca 1873.

Gateway to Vice-Chancellor's Lodge (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2021)

Much has already been written about this property, tucked away at the end of the road in its own private grounds.

It's described as being a lofty three-storey building made of Scrabo stone, with a Scottish demeanour.

Its original owner was John Ward of Marcus Ward and Company; and its next owner, ca 1906, was Sir William Whitla MP, who bequeathed Lennoxvale House and its grounds in 1934 to the University as an official residence for future Vice-Chancellors.

FROM Lennoxvale I emerged again at Malone Road, walked about eighty yards to Fisherwick Church, where I turned right into Chlorine Gardens, on to Stranmillis Road.

Mount Pleasant from Stranmillis Road (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2021)

Mount Pleasant, beside St Bartholomew's Church, is one of my favourite cul-de-sacs in Belfast (as is Upper Crescent).

In 1919 the new parish of St Bartholomew was created, incorporating areas from the parishes of St Thomas and Malone. The Rev Herbert Lindsay had been in charge of the new parish since its inception, having been curate since 1913. 

In 1925 the lease of a two-acre site at Mount Pleasant was purchased. The foundation stone was laid on February 9 1929, and the Church was consecrated on September 13 1930.

Fifty years ago Mount Pleasant was home to professors, barristers and clergy.

Has that changed much?

Mount Pleasant dates from about 1860.

First published in February, 2021.