Former St Louis Convent House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A much extended three bay/ three storey symmetrical house with Gothic detailing set in mature grounds, the result of the remodelling an existing country house as a convent in the 1920s.

Roofs are pitched and natural slated with crested ridges and coped parapet verges. Four main chimney stacks are in two stages – two to each end bay, all rendered and with moulded caps.

1. South façade

Façade faces south and is three bays wide. The middle bay has a crenellated parapet and the flanking bays are gabled with raised copings, moulded kneelers and a cross finial at apex of each. The elevations of the flanking bays have projecting eaves courses supporting ogee cast iron gutters. Painted lined render walls.

Central bay of main elevation is abutted to centre by a large (out of scale) single storey porch. Flat roof concealed by a crenellated parapet. Walls are as main block, with moulded eaves cornice and two stage corner buttresses. The entrance is on its left (west) cheek and comprises a pair of three panelled painted timber doors. The front (south) wall of the porch has a pair of leaded stained glass windows separated by a masonry mullion. Its right (east) cheek is abutted by a lean-to timber framed and partially glazed extension with mono-pitched asbestos tiled roof (possibly of inter-war - 20thC - date).

Porch is flanked by a window in left and right bays. Upper floors each have three windows, one to each bay. Those to ground and first floor are exposed-box 6/6 sliding sashes with painted render cills with the exception of that to ground floor right which has been replaced by a modern stained timber bow window in an enlarged opening. The second floor windows are 6/6 (but boxes not exposed) slightly diminished in height and narrower. Those to left and right bays have Gothic headed hood moulds within which are tympanum panels of blind tracery. There is a blind lancet niche to each gable apex. The change in window details suggests that the second floor is a later addition.

2. West elevation

The left (west) elevation is three bays wide, with an advanced and gabled middle bay. This extended section has a pitched natural slate roof tied into he main roof and has a pair of three stage buttresses to each end.

At ground floor on the gable end of the middle bay is a 6/6 sliding sash. At first floor is a pair of 2/2 sashes. Above is a pair of 2/2 sashes with a traceried tympanum in gable above (as façade). All these reveals have chamfered arrises. The cheeks of this advanced bay are blank.

Right bay of this elevation has a 6/6 sliding sash on each floor (boxes exposed to ground and first floors). The left bay has two smaller but similar 6/6 windows to each floor (but no exposed boxes).

3. North elevation

The rear (north) elevation of the main block has, like the front, two gables flanking a crenellated central bay. The two gables are not in line and a modern boiler flue is fixed to the right cheek of a three-storey return abutting the east elevation at left. Windows are sliding sashes, but boxes not exposed.

Abutting to centre of the ground floor is a timber framed and clad one storey classroom linking with the school building (HB 16/4/25B). The left bay and middle bays each have a 4/4 sliding sash to first floor and a 6/6 sash to second floor. The right bay has two 6/6 sliding sashes to each of its three floors.

4. East elevation

The right (east) elevation is abutted at left by a two storey return, and at right by a three storey return. The exposed section of wall between the two returns is abutted by a one-storey infill block. The infill has a pair of 2/2 sliding sash windows to its front face. To first floor of main block is a modern door out to roof of infill, and to second floor is a 6/6 sliding sash. At left on this floor, above the left return roof, is a 6/6 sliding sash.

The left hand return has a natural slate roof, hipped at both ends; a gable rises from its east end. Painted, lined and rendered walls and moulded eaves cornice. Its left cheek is set back slightly from the line of the principal elevation of the main block. On this elevation are three 6/6 sliding sashes to ground floor. To first floor are three openings, each containing a pair of 2/2 sliding sashes. Its east gable is symmetrical, and has a slightly advanced middle section. At ground floor right is a sheeted service door. At first floor centre is a 4/4 sliding sash window. Its right cheek (to north) is abutted to ground floor by the one storey infill block. Two left are two 6/6 sliding sashes. At first floor are three pairs of 2/2 sliding sashes.

The three storey return at right has a pitched slate roof. Its east gable has, to ground floor, two doors and a 2/2 sliding sash window at right. The first floor has two 2/2 sliding sashes to centre. There is a modern window and fire escape to second floor middle; the fire escape descends right. There is a 1/1 sliding sash lancet window to the gable apex. Its left cheek is abutted at ground floor left by the infill block. There are various windows to first and second floors.

Setting

The rear of the school detracts from the
setting of this house. However, to NW is a large motte (Dunavan Fort) which is planted with trees and to ESE (beyond school) is an associated rath. Some early 19th century tree planting survives to ground which falls away to the south and west of house, and some of the smaller scale landscaping introduced by the nuns includes a Marian grotto on a raised site to SE of the house.

Historical information

A house is shown at this location on the 1834 OS map. It belonged to John Moore and measured 46ft6in by 35ft by 23ft. Its substantial nature is reflected in its valuation at £13. By the 1863 valuation, it was known as ‘The Fort’ and was occupied by John H Belcher. A two storey return is noted. The nuns moved here from Milestone House, Newry Road, Kilkeel in 1922 and founded the convent and a boarding school. Canon Starkey states that before that time the house was known as ‘Dunavan Fort’.

Primary Sources:

1. OS 6" map, 1st edition (1834) Co Down sheet 55 (PRONI OS/6/3/55/1)
2. PRONI- VAL 1B/390B, p.153 (1834 valuation).
3. PRONI- VAL 2B/3/81B, p.33 (1863 valuation).
4. Sites & Monuments Record, 5 - 33 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA - DOW 055:036 Dunavan Fort and DOW 055:037 Rath

Secondary Source:

1. Canon Starkey, Greencastle Road, Kilkeel.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A relatively plain house primarily of interest because of its association with the religious order of St Louis and adjoining school.