William Barre Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Gothic Revival Memorial, c. 2.5m high, aligned N-S (front is east facing) in churchyard to south of the clock tower.

Executed in honey-coloured sandstone with some ashlar granite detailing, it consists of a tall gable over a Gothic opening. Base course is stepped granite with two courses of canted sandstone over. Base is surmounted by a course of granite and a canted sandstone course; the latter has a pair of decorative miniature gablets to middle of north elevation (identical pair on north side are now missing). Gable has a pitched copping with a roll-moulded ridge and cusped gables at each end (much eroded). The eaves were foliated, but most has now eroded away. The gable head contains a carved (much eroded) trefoil, above which was a stone pinnacle with iron cross, all of which have been removed (and lie at foot of memorial). To E and W faces are small corbel stones which formerly supported the pinnacle.

In centre of memorial is a Gothic opening with cusped trefoil inset to head. The archivolt retains remains of a foliated roll moulded reveal. Corners to reveals have truncated polished grey granite attached colonettes with eroded sandstone heads. There are similar colonettes to the four outer corners of the memorial. The opening has a pitched flush cill, with a small V-channel cut to centre. It seems that a memorial tablet was once inserted into this opening. To front (east face) over head of arch a raised ribbon is carved in the stone and falls in two levels. Top section states ‘ERECTED’ (first E now gone) and there are two sections to second level: ‘BY MRS’, ‘M. BARRE’. The ends of the ribbon fall down each side of the opening head - that to right is eroded off and that to left terminates in two spikes.

Historical information

William J. Barre was born in Newry in 1830. A pupil of Thomas Duff and Edward Gribbon, he established his own architectural practice in Newry around 1850. He died on 26 September 1867. During his short career, he designed over 70 major buildings (including some 20 churches) throughout Ireland. Notable Newry buildings which he designed include the First Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church (John Mitchel Place, 1853, HB16/30/011) and the Riverside Reformed Presbyterian Church (Basin Walk, 1866, HB16/29/003). He also designed the Albert Memorial Clock, Provincial Bank of Ireland (Castle Place) and Ulster Hall (Bedford St), all in Belfast.

This memorial was intended by Barre for this father, but when William died at the age of 37, his mother erected it to his memory also. His sister Elizabeth died on 8 September 1900 and was also interred here. Two photographs in the Historic Monuments Record show the Gothic opening to centre inset with a white stone shield. A photograph in Canavan shows that the corbels at the head of this memorial once supported an open Gothic lantern which was surmounted by a wrought-iron cross. These were subsequently toppled by lightning.

Secondary Sources:
1. G. Fay (1994), ‘William Barre’, in G. Fay (ed.), ‘Proud people: a Newry anthology’, p.19 (Newry).
2. J. Williams, ‘A companion guide to architecture in Ireland 1837-1921’, p.109.
3. T. Canavan (1989), ‘Frontier town: an illustrated history of Newry’, p.88 (Belfast: Blackstaff Press).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Gothic Revival Memorial. This monument commemorates an architect of local and national renown.