St Mary's Dominican Convent

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey-over basement rendered former dwelling in Tudor-Gothic style, now in use as a school; built 1834 as “Rock Castle” and converted for use as a school in 1917. Original building had a square footprint with stair towers to northwest and southeast corner, extended to south and canted projections added to north and west in 1844. Three-storey east wing (added 1929), later abutted to southeast by a three-storey Gothic-style chapel (1935). A large modern extension (1963) now abuts the south gable of the chapel and the main entrance is situated in the facade of the 1844 south extension. The complex plan reflects the historic development of the building.

Flat roof concealed behind crenellated parapet throughout. Cast-iron hoppers and downpipes. Walling is painted smooth render with plain two-stage buttresses and decorative castellated frieze to chapel. Windows are a variety of timber-framed sliding sash (some with horns) with projecting painted sills (unless otherwise stated); pointed-headed lattice casements to stair towers and cusped-headed bipartite leaded lancets surmounted by hood moulds to chapel.

The original house is largely concealed by the 1844 extensions; principal entrance located at south elevation of south extension, symmetrically arranged seven windows wide (two to basement at left) with central breakfront (three windows wide). Right bay is abutted by a modern porch insertion accessed by stone steps to front and ramp running to west. The west and north elevation are each centrally abutted by the canted projections, each lit by three windows to each floor (generally 6/6 with some modern replacements to lower levels); facing west, the south extension and west canted projection are divided by the exposed section of the original south-west tower, which is lit by Gothic cast-iron diamond lattice windows; the north-west corner (between canted sections) and the original northeast tower are similarly lit to each floor. The northeast tower has multi-pane fixed lights to lower stage and a replacement timber door set in projecting painted concrete surround to east, accessed by three steps. There is a flat roofed extension (of no interest) to northwest. Exposed east elevation of original building is lit by a variety of fenestration, generally Gothic arched multi-light windows, but also including bipartite 4/4 and 1/1 sashes, and a small pivoting oculus.

East wing (1929) has, to north elevation, six regularly arranged windows to second floor and irregularly arranged openings to remainder; projecting chimney flue at right and flat-roof abutments to left and right of centre. West elevation is three windows wide at upper floors, divided by lesenes. Ground floor has a window at right and is abutted by a flat-roof extension at an angle.

Chapel (1935) is abutted to the east wing (1929) by a narrow interlinking bay. East elevation has central semi-engaged polygonal bay with a window to each face, castellated parapet (taller at left with narrow openings) surmounted by large cross finial. To left of tower are twelve windows at upper floor, arranged in groups of two and divided by buttresses. To right of tower ground floor is abutted by a flat-roof projection (flush with canted bay) seven windows wide; first floor has seven pointed-headed windows divided by decorative gabletted buttresses. South elevation is abutted by the modern extension (1963). West elevation comprises breakfront to right of centre with diagonal buttresses, having painted Dominican College motif above two first floor windows and three windows at ground floor. Chapel at left is lit by seven evenly-spaced plate tracery lancets to first floor and seven 6/6 windows to ground floor, each divided by a buttress, with moulded shield motifs between floors. Connecting bay between chapel and breakfront is slightly lower and lit by a bipartite lancet at first floor; over single-storey abutment, two windows wide, to ground floor. To right of breakfront are five evenly-spaced windows to each floor divided by buttresses. North elevation abuts the east wing.

Setting:
Situated on a promontory dominating the north side of Portrush, accessed to south by a long tarmacadamed avenue. The site has been re-landscaped to accommodate the use as a modern school. Astroturf pitch and tennis courts to south. Original rubble stone boundary wall to west and north; that to north has castellated tops. Public pathway to other side of boundary wall. Modern stone wall runs full length of Strand Road to south, with modern steel entrance gates.

Roof: Concealed flat roof
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: Timber-framed sash and leaded casements
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The present Dominican College, Portstewart, a Catholic Voluntary Grammar school, was originally built as a private house in 1834 by Henry O’Hara. At the time, Thackeray called it ‘a hideous new castle’, Lewis felt it had the ‘character of a chieftain’s fortress of the feudal age’ while Girvan in the 1970s judged the original building ‘charmingly naive and toy-like’. An illustration in the OS Memoirs, dated 1835, shows a building three storeys high and four bays wide, enriched by four corner turrets. The windows are Gothick with diamond panes and eight oculi are shown in the second storey. The roof was battlemented and there was a small porch on the south front and a low service wing to the east. The building is first shown captioned ‘Port Stewart Castle’ on the second edition OS map of 1856. (OS Memoirs; Girvan) The ‘castle and offices’ is listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) at a valuation of £16.14s.

After O’Hara died in 1844 the castle was extended by the next owner William Wilson Campbell and a new seven-bay facade added on the south front to provide extra bedrooms. Pentagonal extensions were added to northern and western facades, somewhat subsuming the original form of the building. Girvan notes that the new rooms on the ground floor had ‘good black and white marble fireplaces and moulded ceiling cornices’. A rubble basalt wall was built along the cliff edge at this time, possibly as famine relief. (Girvan)

William Wilson Campbell was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a JP. (Dublin Medical Press Weds 12 January 1842) Campbell died at the house on 20th January 1858 after which his widow Susanna continued to live there and was listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as the occupier. The house and outbuildings are valued at £45 and this valuation did not change while the castle remained a private house, suggesting that there were no further major alterations.

After Susanna Campbell’s death in 1864 the outdoor effects were sold including a carriage, barouche, phaeton and jaunting-car, three good carriage horses, three dairy cows and a pig. Later followed the sale of the Wilsons’ extensive collection of ‘Objects of Ancient and Modern Art’ including valuable paintings by the Old Masters and a library of 2,000 volumes, French and Turkish carpets and ‘ Ancient War Implements most interesting to Archaeologists’. The estate and the castle were then sold in 1871 by the Landed Estates Court to Mr Cromie for £950, the Castle being described as ‘beautifully situated’ and ‘containing Six reception-rooms, Fourteen Bed-rooms with numerous Servants’ apartments. The Grounds are walled-in and large sums of money have been expended on the Buildings and Out-offices’. (Belfast Newsletter)

The castle was let to Rev James O’Hara, probably a relative of the original owner, in 1877 and remained the O’Hara home until his death in 1893. Rev James O’Hara’s son, Rev Henry O’Hara was largely responsible for the bringing to fruition of plans for St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast in 1899. (Belfast Newsletter) The next occupier was Emily Cromie, 68-year-old widow of the Church of England denomination, who lived in the 34-room, first class house with her grand-daughter Mary Emily Montagu, a Catholic child of 8 and an adopted daughter of 17, Violet Leigh. A French governess, also Catholic, was employed for Mary Emily and the remaining staff totalled five, a housekeeper, a housemaid, a parlour-maid, a lady’s maid and a kitchen maid. After Emily Cromie’s death, the castle passed to the Montagu family who sold it in 1917 to the Dominican Sisters. (www.dominican-portstewart.org.uk)

The accommodation in the early days of the school was listed in valuer’s notes in about 1920: basement – dining hall, storeroom, kitchen, scullery, pantry, washhouse, ironing room, cloakroom, coal and wine cellars, ground floor – two reception rooms, two schoolrooms, oratory, sitting room and pantry, first floor – schoolroom, four dormitories, hot press, bedrooms, bathroom, boxroom and WC, second floor – three bedrooms and WC. Photographs of the interior have survived from this time showing some of the lavish furnishings at this period. (McDonald and Anderson)

The Sisters, who originated from a community in the Falls Road Belfast, had been accustomed to holiday in Portstewart in the summer and noted the lack of provision for the secondary education of Catholic children in the growing town. On 3rd September 1917 the school opened with 16 boarders and five day pupils. (www.dominican-portstewart.org.uk) In 1929 the sisters added a new wing containing a a drill hall, study hall and a new dormitory and classrooms and this was extended in 1935 by Padraig Gregory to provide a Gothic chapel. The chapel was redesigned in the 1970s in a ‘chaste modern style’ (Girvan)

In 1963-5 Brian Gregory made considerable additions, ‘sympathetic in scale and design’ (Girvan) comprising an assembly hall, two laboratories, five classrooms, a library and 56 study bedrooms for the boarders. The school began to build a reputation for its cultural activities and remains noted today for its focus on drama, music and the arts. The school was made co-educational in 1968 when a need was felt for boys’ secondary education in the area and in 1977 the school building was listed. (www.dominican-portstewart.org.uk; HB file)

In 1980 another new wing was opened providing a biology laboratory, drama and English rooms as well as PE changing facilities and cloakrooms. In the 1990’s the Dominican Order began to hand over the running of the school to lay staff and the Sisters left the school in 1999. The Girls’ Boarding Department was closed down in 1995 and the dormitories converted into an ICT suite. In 1996 a new science block and technology suite was opened and in 2001 P and B Gregory made a further addition to the teaching accommodation. (HB file) Astroturf tennis courts/pitches were opened in 1998 on the Convent’s former vegetable garden. (www.dominican-portstewart.org.uk)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/3/1 First Edition OS Map 1830
2. PRONI OS/6/5/3/2 Second Edition OS map 1856
3. PRONI OS/6/5/3/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/3/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1922-39
5. PRONI OS/6/5/3/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1939-50
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/539A-B Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/10 Griffiths Valuation (1861)
8. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/5 – Valuer’s Notes c1920
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17A-E Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
10. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/18 First General Revaluation 1933-57
11. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/8/A/22 First General Revaluation 1933-57
12. Dublin Medical Press Weds 12 January 1842
13. Belfast Newsletter 20th January 1858
14. Belfast Newsletter 6th November 1864
15. Belfast Newsletter 2nd December 1864
16. Belfast Newsletter 1st April 1865
17. Belfast Newsletter 25th May 1871
18. Belfast Newsletter 1st July 1871
19. Belfast Newsletter 16th August 1893
20. Belfast Newsletter 7th September 1899
21. Irish Builder Vol 77 26th January 1935, p74
22. Irish Builder Vol 77 29th June 1935, p550
23. HB file – 03/08/003

Secondary Sources

1. Day, A., P. McWilliams, English L., eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Londonderry XII, 1829-30, 1832, 1834-6, Vol. 33.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1995.
2. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in Coleraine and Portstewart” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1971-2
3. McDonald, T and Anderson, R “Memories in Focus: NE Ulster from old photographs 1850-1950 Volumes 1 to 4” 1981-83
4. www.dominican-portstewart.org.uk

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

A two-storey-over basement rendered former dwelling in Gothic-Revival style, now in use as a school; built 1834 as “Rock Castle” and converted for use as a school in 1917 with three-storey chapel to south added in 1935. A highly prominent building dominating the western end of Portstewart promenade. The dramatic setting on a headland overlooking the town centre and Portstewart Strand makes it a landmark building synonymous with the town. The original house has been significantly altered and extended, however, the floor-plan of the original house is still discernible and much of the Gothic character of Rock Castle is intact. The chapel to south (1935) adds to the historic interest of the building, illustrating its evolution and later associations with the Dominican Order. The setting has been significantly altered and re-landscaped for use as a modern school, however the rubble stone boundary walls along the headland have been retained and add to the historic integrity and interest of the site. Despite alterations and extensions, Dominican College remains of significant architectural and historic interest and makes an important contribution to the architectural quality and character of Portstewart and the wider area.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.