Clifton House

Clifton House is an 18th-century Grade A listed Georgian building set in landscaped gardens in the heart of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was opened on 17 September 1774 by the Belfast Charitable Society as the city's first Poor House, having been commissioned by the Society on land donated by Arthur Chichester, the first Marquess of Donegall. The foundation stone was laid on 7 August 1771, and the design — allegedly conceived on the back of a napkin by newspaper publisher Robert Joy and realised by architects Thomas Cooley and Robert Mylne — combined a 36-person poorhouse with a 24-bed infirmary. More than a shelter, it became both a home for the poor and the meeting place for the Society, whose members played a pivotal role in shaping Belfast's civic and social development. For over a century after its Poor House years, the building served as a hospital and nursing home for older people. Today it still provides residential and sheltered housing for older people and remains the home from which the Belfast Charitable Society delivers its philanthropic work to address disadvantage. The building is shared by Helm Housing Association, which operates sheltered accommodation, and the Society, which runs an old persons home, following a 75-year lease arrangement made after the Society's 250th anniversary in 2002. At the heart of the building is Clifton House Centre, a heritage and interpretative centre where the past is brought to life through guided tours, talks and exhibitions, as well as augmented reality, telling the stories of the Poor House and those who sought sanctuary there. The building houses a vast archive dating back to the 1600s, documenting the development of Belfast, and a large collection of antiques and artefacts, some dating back to 1774. Clifton House is also marketed as Belfast's most historic meeting venue, available to hire for private events, dinners, conferences, seminars and strategic planning sessions, with state-of-the-art conferencing equipment and free onsite car parking. Tours also cover the associated Clifton Street Cemetery, which includes the burials of many associated with Clifton House, including Mary Ann McCracken, Thomas McCabe and William Drennan.

The Belfast Charitable Society was founded in August 1752 with the aim of setting up a poorhouse and a charitable hospital infirmary. It was financed by subscriptions collected from leading inhabitants of the then town of Belfast, and a nationwide lottery. After over 20 years, land was donated by Arthur Chichester, the first Marquess of Donegall, to the north of the town, and a plan was drawn up by Mr Cooley for a combined 36-person poorhouse and 24-bed infirmary, estimated at £3,000 to construct. In the centre of the final approved design were large assembly rooms. The foundation stone was laid on 7 August 1771, and the building opened on 17 September 1774 as Belfast's first Poor House. The design is alleged to have been conceived on the back of a napkin by newspaper publisher Robert Joy and realised by architects Thomas Cooley and Robert Mylne. Quickly becoming full and continually operating at full capacity, the Society agreed in March 1800 to permit Dr William Haliday to try the first trials of inoculation and vaccination in Ireland. Subject to the approval of their parents, poorhouse children were given vaccinations to protect them against diseases. The funds generated allowed the building to be extended, adding a lunatic ward. Doctor William Drennan, although never one of the Poor House's physicians, was a strong supporter of the Belfast Charitable Society and gave sound medical advice, especially on the advantages of public inoculation against smallpox to the Board. Drennan lodged in the house of Henry Joy McCracken and Mary Ann McCracken, who had strong links to the Society. Edward Bunting (1773–1843), an Irish musician and folk music collector, asked the Committee to support him in organising a festival, the proceeds of which were donated to the Charitable Society. A small sub-group of the Society's committee went to England to establish high-value trades in which the poor should be trained. Having studied the Lancashire cotton trade, they came back to Belfast with the plan of training all inmates in the skills of the same industry. Training was set up in weaving, spinning, knitting and net-making. The result was the foundation of Belfast's cotton industry. Clifton House operated as the original Poor House in Belfast until the 1880s. For the next 120 years it was a hospital and a nursing home for older people. After the Belfast Charitable Society celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2002, it decided to build a new nursing home at Carlisle Circus. This allowed them to lease Clifton House to Helm Housing Association for 75 years, funding required renovation work. Clifton House is now shared by Helm, which operates sheltered accommodation, and the Society, which runs an old persons home. The Clifton House Interpretative Centre offers tours of the building and the associated Clifton Street Cemetery, which includes the burials of many associated with Clifton House, including Mary Ann McCracken, Thomas McCabe and William Drennan.

• 2002

  Belfast Charitable Society celebrated its 250th anniversary and decided to build a new nursing home at Carlisle Circus.

• 1880

  Clifton House ceased operating as the Poor House; it then served as a hospital and nursing home for older people for about 120 years.

• 1800

  Society agreed in March to permit Dr William Haliday to try the first trials of inoculation and vaccination in Ireland.

• 1774

  Clifton House opened on 17 September as Belfast's first Poor House.

• 1771

  Foundation stone of Clifton House laid on 7 August.

• 1752

  Belfast Charitable Society founded in August with the aim of setting up a poorhouse and charitable hospital infirmary.

• Clifton House leased to Helm Housing Association for 75 years to fund renovation work.

Belfast's most historic meeting venue and heritage centre, combining a Grade A listed Georgian setting with modern conferencing facilities, while continuing its charitable residential mission for older people.

• Clifton House Tour: Experience The Belfast Poor House

• Clifton Street Cemetery Tours

• Mary Ann McCracken Walking Tour

• Mary Ann's Poor House Tales – Self-Guided Tour

• Room and venue hire for private events, dinners and conferences

• Office space for rent

• Residential and sheltered housing for older people

1. 1Clifton House Belfast | Talks, Tours and Eventscliftonbelfast.com
2. 2About Us | Clifton Housecliftonbelfast.com
3. 3Clifton Housewikidata.org
4. 4Clifton House, Belfasten.wikipedia.org