Named after Belvoir, a house built in the mid-18th century and demolished in 1961. It stood where the main car park for Belvoir Forest Park is today.
According to Fred Heatley and Hugh Dixon the original house of the Hill family, later Viscount Dungannon, who owned the Belvoir estate in the 17th century, was built in the 1740s by Anne Trevor, widow of Michael Hill (d.1699), after the death of her second husband Viscount Midleton (1728). They believe Anne Trevor named the place after Belvoir Castle, home of the Duke of Rutland, where she had spent a happy childhood. Thomas Bateson purchased the Belvoir estate about 1811. Thomas’ grandson Thomas acquired the adjoining grounds of Derramore. Source: Belfast Scenery In Thirty Views 1832 (1983). Publisher: Linen Hall Library Illustrators:Edward K. Proctor, Joseph Molloy. Contributors:Fred Heatley, Hugh Dixon Bullet points: “Big House” The large house and estate at Belvoir once belonged to Sir Robert Bateson Baronet and MP.
Hugh Hamilton has drawn our attention to 18th century paintings of Belvoir by Jonathan Fisher which show that the house once enjoyed views along the Lagan Valley to Belfast and beyond. See the link below in "Further Information". This is no longer the case due to the growth of trees in Belvoir Forest Park. In addition to Anne Trevor's childhood connection with Belvoir in England, this fine vista of the Lagan was an important factor in the choice of the name Belvoir (Old French, 'beautiful view').