Former Parochial House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey former parochial house, built c.1915, located to the south side of Knockmoyle Road. Rectangular-on-plan with two-storey return to east; single-storey lean-to sunroom to north, added c.1980.

Roof is hipped natural slate with terracotta ridge tiles over timber jettied eaves supported on timber brackets on stone corbels; red brick corbelled chimneys. Walls are roughcast with painted brick quoins over rendered plinth; smooth rendered banded cornice to return. Windows are square-headed timber framed 1/1 sliding sash with margin lights; painted brick voussoirs; painted masonry sills.

Principal elevation faces west; left and right canted bays each contain paired windows to each floor at front; window to each cheek at each floor; central bay contains square-headed timber-panelled entrance door flanked by stained glass sidelights in painted brick surround surmounted by plain frieze and triangular pediment; single window with side lights at first floor.

North elevation contains two windows at first floor; abutted at ground floor by lean-to uPVC sunroom with slated roof.

East elevation is abutted at centre by return; exposed section at left contains two windows at each floor; exposed section at right contains single window at each floor. East elevation of return contains single window at ground floor; north elevation contains window at ground floor (now blocked) surmounted by oculus in smooth rendered surround at first floor; south elevation contains replacement square-headed uPVC door at ground floor; single window at first floor.

South elevation contains two windows at ground floor left; window at first floor right and left.

Setting:-
Set within mature gardens with modern garage to south-east; bounded to all sides by hedging; access from road at west through pair of square rendered pillars with panelled detailing surmounted by pyramidal coping.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The house is first shown on the fourth edition OS map of 1936 captioned ‘Parochial House’. It was built for St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Knockmoyle (HB11/16/004) which is shown on the 1833 map.

Valuation Revisions record a previous house on the site valued at £1. The valuation increases to £13 in 1916, with the occupier of a ‘house, office and land’ listed as the Rev. John Mc Kenna, who holds the property 'in fee’.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/26/1 –First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/26/2 –Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/26/3 –Third Edition OS Map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/26/4 –Fourth Edition OS Map (1936)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A detached three-bay two-storey former parochial house, built c.1915. This symmetrically fronted Edwardian house exhibits many original and idiosyncratic features, including ornate paired windows with margin lights, brick detailing, and timber jettying to eaves. The house retains much of its original character and is a notable element in the area. It is in a robust, unorthodox style and unusual enough to be of interest.

General comments

New listing.