Mount Charles, Belfast, runs from 36 University Road to 57 Botanic Avenue.
This street has a distinct air of privacy and seclusion about it: Victorian gate piers adorn each end.
These little villas, built about 1842 in the Greek-Revival (or Regency style, according to others) are the finest buildings in Mount Charles, and greatly enhance its undoubted charm.
The first person to reside at Number Six was, it is believed, James Bruce (1808-61), editor of the Northern Whig newspaper in Belfast.
William J Shaw resided here briefly, followed by William Grey (1830-1917), district surveyor for the Board of Works in Belfast.
Number Six continued to have a number of tenants until at least 1974; since 1990, however, the house has not been, to my knowledge, residential.
The Belfast street directory of 1974 tells us that Number Four, the second villa to be built, was occupied by the Queen's University and Miss D D Rankin MBE; and Henry W Donaghy resided at Number Six.
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| Numbers 2-6, Mount Charles, ca 1860 (historic OS map) |
These little villas, built about 1842 in the Greek-Revival (or Regency style, according to others) are the finest buildings in Mount Charles, and greatly enhance its undoubted charm.
Mount Charles itself was built or developed by Bernard "Barney" Hughes (1808-78).
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| Gate pier beside 2, Mount Charles, Belfast (Timothy Ferres, 2023) |
The first person to reside at Number Six was, it is believed, James Bruce (1808-61), editor of the Northern Whig newspaper in Belfast.
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| 2-4 Mount Charles in the 1920s (Hogg Collection/Ulster Museum) |
William J Shaw resided here briefly, followed by William Grey (1830-1917), district surveyor for the Board of Works in Belfast.
At the beginning of the 20th century Mount Charles was acquired by Sir John Fagan JP DL, son-in-law of none other than Barney Hughes.
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| 6, Mount Charles (Timothy Ferres, 2023) |
Number Six continued to have a number of tenants until at least 1974; since 1990, however, the house has not been, to my knowledge, residential.
The three villas were devastated by terrorist bombing in 1973 and 1974 (Robert McKinstry and Melvyn Brown restored the first two in 1982).
The Queen's University of Belfast appears to own Mount Charles today.
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| Upper Crescent, Belfast (Timothy Ferres, 2023) |
On my way back to Upper Crescent I passed the Crescent Church, which stands on University Road, sandwiched between Upper and Lower Crescent.
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| Greek inscription at Crescent Church (Timothy Ferres, 2023) |
The Greek inscription above the church's porch is doubtless intended to allure Classical students of the Queen's University to its fold on the sabbath.
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