Introduction
Wilton House forms part of a terrace of Georgian properties at College Square North which were designed during the 1820s and 1830s by Thomas Jackson.
It was first built as two separate homes, which were combined around 1894 by Mr J. Hicks who opened the Hotel Metropole. When the hotel closed it became the headquarters of the Royal National Institute for Deaf people, it was also the Centre for Deaf people for over 100 years, after which it fell into dereliction.
It is home to an Ulster History Circle which commemorates Francis Maginn. He was a pioneer for the rights and education of deaf people who promoted sign language and was instrumental in the establishment of the British Deaf Association.
He was also voted as the ‘Greatest Deaf Briton’ in a poll carried out by the BBC See Hear Programme.
In 2019 developers Wilton Group Limited proposed a 4.5 million redevelopment of Wilton house. The proposal included the refurbishment of Wilton House which had been vacant from 2012. The proposal would revive Wilton House with eight apartments and replace the existing extension with a separate, sensitively designed, new build that would reflect the historic design of the existing listed building and bring it back to life!
In 2022 , the property was purchased by investor and entrepreneur Justin Quirk. The doors of Wilton House reopened in 2023 and a new chapter of this magnificent building began.