Stranmillis
Encyclopedia
Stranmillis is an area in south Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. It is also an electoral ward for Belfast City Council
, part of the Laganbank district electoral area
. As part of the Queen's Quarter
, it is the location for prominent attractions such as the Ulster Museum
and Botanic Gardens
and is popular among tourists. The area is located on the Stranmillis Road, with the Malone Road
to the west and the River Lagan
to the east.
Stranmillis Road breaks away from the Malone Road at the Ulster Independent Clinic, arches round eastwards toward the Lagan before rejoining the Malone Road to make University Road. The north of the road is the area most popular with students and young professionals, with many shops and restaurants, the south of the road is mainly housing.
Other places of interest in the area include the Lyric Theatre
and the Friar’s Bush Graveyard, one of the oldest Christian sites in Belfast, with some graves dating to the early mediaeval period.
which are located on the other side of the Botanic Gardens, and have become infamous for anti-social behavior among students, and, in recent times, among full-time residents.
The northern end of the road is only seconds away from the main building of Queen’s University, the Lanyon Building, while several other prominent university buildings are located on the road itself, including the dominating David Keir Building, the multi-story Ashby Building, while the University’s Physical Education Centre is located close to the river and adjacent to the Botanic Gardens. Stranmillis University College
, a constituent college of Queen’s established in 1922, is located at the midway point of the road. Film actor Errol Flynn's family lived on the Stranmillis Road
runs along the Lagan Valley
from the area to the city of Lisburn
south of Belfast. The QUB Boat Club
is also based in the area.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is also an electoral ward for Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
, part of the Laganbank district electoral area
Laganbank (District Electoral Area)
Laganbank is one of the nine district electoral areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Located in the south of the city, the district elects five members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Ballynafeigh; Botanic; Shaftesbury; Stranmillis and Rosetta...
. As part of the Queen's Quarter
Queen's Quarter, Belfast
Queen's Quarter is the southern-most quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland and named after Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland's largest university...
, it is the location for prominent attractions such as the Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
and Botanic Gardens
Belfast Botanic Gardens
Belfast Botanic Gardens is a public park in Belfast, Northern Ireland.Occupying of south Belfast, the gardens are popular with office workers, students and tourists. They are located on Stranmillis Road in Belfast's university area, with Queen's University nearby...
and is popular among tourists. The area is located on the Stranmillis Road, with the Malone Road
Malone Road
The Malone Road is a radial road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, leading from the university quarter southwards to the affluent suburbs of Malone and Upper Malone, each a separate electoral ward...
to the west and the River Lagan
River Lagan
The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The River Lagan forms much of the border between County Antrim and County Down. It rises as a tiny fast...
to the east.
Stranmillis Road breaks away from the Malone Road at the Ulster Independent Clinic, arches round eastwards toward the Lagan before rejoining the Malone Road to make University Road. The north of the road is the area most popular with students and young professionals, with many shops and restaurants, the south of the road is mainly housing.
Queen's Quarter
In total the road is about 2.5 km (about 1.5 miles) long, forms part of the city’s Queen's or University Quarter, and is popular among tourists with many restaurants and coffee shops. Several well-known Belfast landmarks are located in the area including the main gate to the Botanic Gardens, a 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) public park opened in 1828, including some rare species in the iconic Palm House. Northern Ireland’s largest museum, the Ulster Museum is situated adjacent to the park and has been located in Stranmillis since 1929. The museum closed in 2007 for extensive renovation and reopened in October 2009, eighty years to the day since the original opening. Within a month over 100,000 people had visited the museum.Other places of interest in the area include the Lyric Theatre
Lyric Players' Theatre
The Lyric Players' Theatre, more commonly known as The Lyric Theatre, or simply The Lyric, is the main full-time producing theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The theatre was first established as the Lyric Players in 1951 at the home of its founders Mary and Pearse O’Malley in Derryvolgie Ave.,...
and the Friar’s Bush Graveyard, one of the oldest Christian sites in Belfast, with some graves dating to the early mediaeval period.
Queen’s University and Stranmillis College
Stranmillis is quite a popular place among students, and is seen as more up market than the HolylandsHolyland (Belfast)
The Holyland, The Holy Land is a residential area of inner-south Belfast, Northern Ireland. Composed of a series of streets behind Queen's University near to the River Lagan, the area has been dubbed the Holyland from its street names: Jerusalem Street, Palestine Street, Damascus Street, Carmel...
which are located on the other side of the Botanic Gardens, and have become infamous for anti-social behavior among students, and, in recent times, among full-time residents.
Stranmillis University College
Stranmillis University College is a university college of Queen's University Belfast. The institution is located on the Stranmillis Road in Belfast, and has approximately 700 students today and offers the BEd, PGCE and TESOL, as well as other courses....
, a constituent college of Queen’s established in 1922, is located at the midway point of the road. Film actor Errol Flynn's family lived on the Stranmillis Road
River Lagan
The Stranmillis Embankment is also popular among locals and tourists, and runs along the Lagan, while a towpathTowpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
runs along the Lagan Valley
Lagan Valley
Lagan Valley is an area of Northern Ireland between Belfast and Lisburn. The Lagan is a famous river that flows into Belfast Lough. For a section, the river forms part of the border between the counties of Antrim and Down....
from the area to the city of Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
south of Belfast. The QUB Boat Club
Queen's University Belfast Boat Club
Queen's University Belfast Boat Club is the Boat Club of Queen's University Belfast which is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is based on the River Lagan in the Stranmillis area of the city, about 10 minutes walk from the university.-1931–1951:...
is also based in the area.