Stephenson Mausoleum

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached Indian inspired three-bay mausoleum, built 1837, located within Kilbride cemetery to the west of Moyra Road. The mausoleum is rectangular on plan. The structure is of ashlar granite over a stepped plinth; cavetto-moulded string-course, entablature with pointed-arched machicolated motif and cornice. Surmounted by a bulbous stone dome to centre.

Principal elevation faces south. The central bay contains a pointed-arched entrance opening with a square-headed carved surround. Door is cast-iron six panelled with Y tracery pattern. Central bay is flanked to either side by colonnettes which rise to finials, each flanked by wings to string course height. Each wing has a single pointed-arched recess containing a polished granite inset, again with square-headed carved surround. The corners have engaged hexagonal colonnettes.

West elevation has a single recess to centre, as those to south elevation side bays. The granite inset reads ‘Here lieth the remains of George Alexander Stephenson, Surgeon 3rd Dragoon Guards, died at Brittas Co Antrim 18 November 1864, aged 76 years’.

North elevation has three recessed insets, as before. The inset to the right reads ‘In memory of Samuel Martin Stephenson, superintending surgeon Madras Presidency India, died July 1834, aged 50 years. & James A Stephenson who died at Killally, 9 May 1839, aged 57’. The other recesses are overgrown with ivy.

East elevation is as west. The granite inset reads ‘Here lieth the remains of Agnes Stephenson, relict of the late John Stephenson of Holywood, died 12th April , 1862, aged 72 years’.

Setting

The mausoleum is set within the elevated site of Kilbride Cemetery, to the north of Kilbride Presbyterian Church (HB21/02/025). The surrounding graveyard contains gravestones from the nineteenth and twentieth century. The mausoleum is immediately abutted to the north by a plot with a number of headstones to the Gault family.

Historical information

Erected in 1837 (according to the iron door) to commemorate four Ulster medical men and members of their family. Samuel Martin Stephenson, who died in 1834, was 'Superintending Surgeon' in the Madras Presidency. Right hand tombstone to the back of the mausoleum is that of William Gault, schoolmaster of Doagh, who was a United Irishman and is believed to have started one of the earliest Sunday schools in Ireland in 1770. Rowan (local nineteenth century engineer) made the doors of the mausoleum and they carry his name (memorial HB21/02/002).

Describing it as a 'miniature Taj Mahal in stone', Girvan believes it could have been the inspiration of one of the family who served in the Dragoons and saw the original on his travels (p 20).

Brett in 'Buildings of County Antrim', quotes the OS memoirs, saying that the mausoleum was built at the expense of Dr Stephenson, at a cost of £300, and is constructed of Tardree stone. (p290).

References:

Secondary Sources

1. Newtownabbey Information. [Internet Source]. Available from:
Accessed 27/10/08
2. Brett, C E B, Buildings of County Antrim, UAHS, 1996
3. Girvan, W. D. and Rowan, A. J. ‘Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in West Antrim’. Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1970

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Indian inspired tripartite mausoleum set within rural cemetery on an elevated site in Kilbride. The tomb is detailed and styled according to Indian influences, with bulbous dome, finials and faintly ogee arches. The robust features of the mausoleum are intact and impressive, although overgrown in part. It has a prominent setting in Kilbride cemetery as an exercise in naïve Moghul composition. This style is unusual and it is almost unique in Northern Ireland in this respect.