St. Hildas Church of Ireland

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double height symmetrical geometric modern cruciform plan church dated 1969, built to designs of architects Anthony F. Lucy & Co. The overall form comprises geometrical series of symmetrical projecting brick facades, each element defined and separated by lateral narrow strip glazing, creating a single space. Located in the centre of Kilmakee Housing Estate, east of the main Belfast to Lisburn road; approximately 1mile south of Dunmurry.

Shallow pitched pyramidal copper clad roof with central spire over clerestorey glazing; flat-roofed cruciform bays and secondary accommodation. Red-brick walling; stretcher bond with zinc coping. uPVC rainwater goods; concealed gutters and elongated hopper heads and box section downpipes flanking each elevation. Rolled/stained and leaded timber casement framed windows. Timber doors with Georgian-wire glazed panels.

The principal elevation faces north, is symmetrically arranged comprising a bi-partite double-height flat-roofed projection with central glazing, abutted by a matching diminished single-storey porch. The front face of the porch incorporates the recessed entrance doors; left cheek has centrally located doors; the right cheek is blank.

The east elevation matches the front flat-roofed double height projection and is abutted by single storey flat-roofed side-chapel; parapet rises at the east facade; central projection surmounted by large concrete cap. Single storey foyer and office accommodation comprising elongated windows located at the re-entrant of the main body of the church and the north face of the service block.

The rear elevation matches the front elevation in detail; double height blank projection centrally positioned.

The west elevation matched the front elevation in detail; no central abutment; full height central glazed strip.

Setting:

The surrounding
setting is primarily a housing estate comprising two-storey terrace dwellings. Grass areas to the north and east; car park to the south with a primary school beyond. Adjoining the church to the north east is the former church erected c.1950; double height red-bricked barn-style; steel-framed windows; adjoining single-storey flat-roofed front entrance.

Roofing: Copper
Walling: Red-brick
Windows: Timber framed casement
RWG: uPVC

Historical information

In the post-war period, the Northern Ireland housing authorities began to build large numbers of flats and houses, partly as a slum clearance measure and partly in response to an expanding population. The housing estates in Seymour Hill and Conway were begun in the 1950’s and the Church of Ireland Diocesan Council obtained a central site for a church in the rapidly expanding area. In May 1958 a dual purpose church/hall was dedicated to St Hilda, who assisted St Colman at the Synod of Whitby in 664. St Hilda was chosen as a fitting dedication because of the dedication of Dunmurry parish church to St Colman. The architect of the hall was Denis O’Donoghue Hanna and it was built by contractors William Grace & Co for a cost of £17,000. O’Donoghue Hanna was responsible for a number of churches in the north and south of Ireland in the 1950s and 60s including the Church of the Pentecost in Mount Merrion Avenue, Belfast. (www.lisburn.com; www.dia.ie)
By August 1964, the area had expanded to such an extent that a new parish of Kilmakee was instituted. Plans were soon put in hand for a new church and the foundation stone was laid in November 1969. The church was consecrated in December 1970. The architect, Anthony F Lucy, had begun his practice in the 1920s largely as a designer of domestic dwellings but in the latter stages of his career in the 1950s and 60s became better known as a church architect. (www.lisburn.com; www.dia.ie)

The building puts the sanctuary at the centre, in a break with traditional forms. The organ was a gift from St. Andrew's, Belfast, which closed in 1970. The cross on the east wall is the cross that was used to mark the centre of the sanctuary on the occasion of the cutting of the first sod. (Kelly, p.59; www.lisburn.com)

References:
Secondary Sources
1. Kelly, J A “Lisburn’s Rich Church Heritage, Churches and Places of Worship in the Lisburn City Area” 2009
2. www.dia.ie – Dictionary of Irish Architects online
3. www.lisburn.com

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A double height symmetrical geometric modern cruciform plan church, located in Seymour Hill housing estate, dated 1969, built to designs of architects Anthony F. Lucy & Co. and adjacent to the former church and hall to the designs of Denis O’Donoghue Hanna. Designed in a contemporary idiom, this expressive building is well proportioned, typifying the design style of its period. The building addresses the materials of the adjacent former church/hall to create a unifying composition providing clarity between the two very different styles of building. Although of interest it is not considered of special interest and to meet the criteria for listing.

General comments

This record was completed without access to the primary source material held my PRONI
Previoulsy recorded as HB19/19/006