Church of Ireland Rectory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large two storey ‘Free Style’ hipped roof rectory of 1899, with round, tower-like corner bay and balcony. The property is set on the NW side of King Street, close to the junction of South Promenade.

The front (S) façade has outer bays, with a balcony with ornate cast-iron work. The balcony forms a central open porch (or veranda) within which is set the main entrance with timber panelled door, sidelights and fanlight. To the right of the doorway is a tall sash window with segmental head. To the left of the entrance is a two storey hipped roof square bay with two ground floor windows as before and a smaller first floor window with flat head. Above the balcony are two similar, but slightly taller windows. To the right side of this façade is a two storey tower-like round corner bay with a conical roof. This bay has three windows to the ground floor (as ground floor previous) and three to the first floor (as first floor previous).

The W façade has a square bay to the left which projects only slightly. To the ground floor are two windows (as before) and a single first floor window (much as first floor previous). To the centre of the ground floor is a partly glazed door with small flanking sidelight-like windows. To the first floor directly above is a large Palladian window with moulded piers and window head. To the right of the façade is a single storey canted bay with hipped roof and a window (as ground floor front) to each face. To the first floor right is a narrow sash window.

To the left on the E façade is the round corner bay (see above). To the right is two storey square bay (as front, only slightly narrower). There is a balcony between these bays as front. This forms a ground floor veranda within which are two windows, much as ground floor front, but which extend down to ground level. Timber panels beneath the frame appear to open, suggesting that these windows can also be fully opened to act as doors. To the first floor, that is to the balcony, there are two windows much as first floor front. The window to the right is detailed as those to the ground floor and can also operate as a door.

The N façade is abutted by a gabled outbuilding, now converted to a garage, to the right. To the left, the façade is abutted by a tall rendered wall. There appears to be a large ground floor kitchen window to the left of this façade. To the first floor centre there are two sash windows. The eaves level to the centre of the façade is lower, that is the hipped roof is cut away and the roof itself appears to be flat at this point. There appears to be a small attic window on the E face of the taller façade overlooking this flat portion of the roof.

The facade is finished in plain cement render with a cill course to each floor and another string course between floors (to all facades except the N). Eaves course. The roof is covered in natural slate with red clay ridge tiles and finials to larger bay roofs. The conical roof to the tower-like bay has some shaped tiles. Four rendered chimney stacks. Cast iron rw goods. Granite gate posts without gates to S.

Historical information

This rectory was built in 1899 at a cost of c.£1,200, on land granted by Lord Annesley in perpetuity to the parish, for a rent of £10 per year. The house was finally completed and occupied in 1901.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.1503 Annesley papers.

Secondary sources
1 J.G. Jackson ‘St John’s Church, Newcastle- A brief history 1832-1982’ (Mourne Observer Press, Newcastle, 1982), p.4.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large two storey ‘Free Style’ hipped roof rectory of 1899, with round, tower-like corner bay and balcony. Still used as a rectory retaining its original external detailing, the house merits recording but is not of sufficent rarity to be listed.