Historical Information on Waterman House

Overview of Waterman House

Waterman House is an attached two-storey office building, featuring a modern extension to the north side, originally constructed as a warehouse and distillery between 1896 and 1897. The site previously occupied a number of minor private dwellings that were demolished in 1872, leaving a large empty plot to the north of Hill Street, which remained vacant for over two decades.

Construction and Early Use

Completed in 1897, the façade of Waterman House, along with the Hill Street elevation, has remained largely unchanged for over a century. The only significant alterations include the removal of two chimneys and a small pediment inscribed with ‘1897 / THE OLD / BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY LTD.’ Upon completion, the building was valued at £170 and was designated as ‘offices and stores’ for the Old Bushmills Distillery, leased from Captain Samuel B. Hamilton of Kilmannock House Co., Wexford.

Revaluation and Functionality

By 1900, the Belfast Revaluation noted an increase in the building's value to £190, with the construction of new offices costing £1,718. The distillery was required to pay an annual rent of £125. A detailed plan at that time indicated a covered yard and several small outbuildings behind the main block, which have since been demolished.

Role in Whiskey Export

The 1901 Belfast Street Directory identified the Hill Street stores as a subsidiary of the Old Bushmills Distillery, Pure Malt Whiskey Distillers, based in County Antrim. The Hill Street location was crucial for exporting the company’s whiskey to the Bushmills branch in Norfolk Street, London, due to its proximity to Belfast’s docks. Bushmills maintained occupancy of the Hill Street offices until 1959.

Value Changes and Historical Significance

While the value of the offices remained unchanged by the end of the Annual Revisions, in 1935, the site was revalued to £390 under the First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland. The building survived the heavy bombardment of Belfast's docklands during the 1941 Blitz and was included in the second revaluation of Northern Ireland property. After the Old Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd. vacated in 1959, the building was classified simply as a ‘warehouse’ on the 1959-60 Ordnance Survey map, retaining its original rear extension.

Historical Context of Hill Street

Hill Street, a narrow thoroughfare running from Waring Street to Talbot Street, first appeared on the 1757 map of Belfast, originally known as Pott-house Lane due to a pottery shop located there. By the 1822 map, the current layout featured various structures, including private dwellings, a foundry, and numerous public houses established in the mid-to-late 19th century.

Architecture and Modern Developments

Nos. 5 - 33 Hill Street was purpose-built for the Old Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd. during 1896-97 and functioned as a whiskey store until the 1950s. Described by Patton as ‘a two-storey stucco building with arcaded ground floor windows and carriageway entrances,’ Waterman House was not reoccupied until July 1990 when it became home to the Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch of the Department of the Environment. It was listed as category B in 1982, and in 1990, the original building was extended to the north, featuring a modern four-storey extension designed by Barrie Todd Architects. A three-storey redbrick rear extension was added mid-20th century, replacing the original covered yard and outbuildings.

Current Use

Today, Waterman House serves as the office for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s Built Heritage division.

References

Primary Sources

PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1858
PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1901-02
PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1931
PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1938
PRONI VAL/12/B/43/C/1-42 - Annual Revisions 1897-1930
PRONI VAL/7/B/9/12 – Belfast Revaluation 1900
PRONI VAL/3/B/3/13 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1935
PRONI VAL/4/B/7/40 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1956-1972
George Benn’s The History of the town of Belfast (1823)
First Survey Record – HB26/50/156 (No Date)
First Survey Image – HB26/50/156 (1981)
Ordnance Survey Map – 130-13NE (1959-60)

Secondary Sources

Patton, M., ‘Central Belfast: An historical gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993

Online Resources

Department of the Environment – Historic Buildings and Monuments website – http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/built-home.htm

3 Belgravia Avenue

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