St Patrick’s Presbytery

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 2 storey redbrick house with sandstone dressings, gabled pavilions, slated roof with two back returns and two entrances.

The SW façade which contains the main entrance is 4 bays wide with the gabled pavilions. Each pavilion has a double sliding sash, two pane segmented headed window with sandstone dressings, all repeated on the 1st floor. In the gable there is a large Celtic cross in stone with a centre quatrefoil louvred as roof vent. Quoins are of sandstone in short and long patterns and the projecting bargestone terminate in rounded and panelled large kneeler stones.

The entrance is off-centre with ¾ engaged Roman Doric columns on each side and supporting a moulded segmented open pediment with a spandrel panel picking up the pattern of the church entrance without the Celtic overtures. The panelled door has a plain rectangular fanlight over. Above the entrance a single s/s 2 pane segmented headed window slightly less in height than those on the ground floor.

To one side a pair of sliding sash 2 pane similar to those in the pavilions and above a similar pair of less height. The eaves of the centre block are lower than those of the pavilions.

The NW elevation consists of 2 blocks in line each 3 bays long. The block forming the back return has a lower ridge and eaves line. The back return has a central plain door and window. The ends are gables.

The SE elevation is 3 bays long, the 1st bay a blank, the next contains an entrance of similar design to the main entrance. This entrance is opposite the door to the church sacristy. Above the entrance there is a single sliding sash 2 pane window and then a pair of sliding sash 2 pane windows at ground floor.

To the rear the pavilions and staircase roofs are gabled with barge stones and kneelers. All windows to the rear of similar design to those of the front.

The yard to the back of the presbytery is enclosed with high wall and wooden gates with stone gate piers. Garages have been added.

The roofs arefinished in natural slates and differ from those on the church. Gutters are half round and downpipes round and in cast iron. Walls are built of smooth redbrick and quoins window and door dressings are of sandstone.

The grounds are part of the adjacent church grounds and are included with the church.

Historical information

The house was designed in 1934 and completed in 1936. Architect was J. P. McGrath. McGrath originally composed a house linked to the church with an enclosed passageway but Bishop O’Kane preferred the built arrangement. The detail design differs from that of the church with a neo classical flavour.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A competent, architectural design with interesting neo-classical entrances. Well built and proportioned , it forms a pleasant ecclesiastical group with the adjacent church and surrounding railings. The unusual internal plan is of note. It is of local historic interest.