1 EAN HILL

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A one-and-a-half-storey three-bay former parochial house, built c.1870 located to the south of Ean Hill in Holywood town centre. Rectangular on plan with projecting porch and two-storey return to rear; second storey tower rises from centre.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles pierced with trefoil detail and finials to gables; decorative fascia and bargeboards; rectangular smooth render chimneystacks with plinth chamfered to suggest individual flues, having three tall clay terracotta pots. Modern sky-lights to roof of main block and glass cupola to rear return. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on drive-in brackets. Walling is ruled-and-lined smooth render. Windows are replacement 4/4 timber sliding sash (double glazed) with horns in camber-headed arch surrounds with projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces east and is four windows wide with central gabled porch having replacement timber-sheeted door.

The south gable contains square-headed tripartite window with mullions (central window taller).

The west elevation is abutted by return which is flush with north gable; west gable has square-headed tripartite window with mullions (central window is taller). Left cheek has two diminutive windows to first floor and modern timber door to ground floor; right cheek has single window opening.

The north elevation comprises 2/2 camber windows to both floors.

Castellated tower with Irish crenellations, bracketed frieze and paired 1/1 round-headed, timber windows to all sides.

Setting

Situated in a largely residential area to the south of Holywood High Street; St Comcille’s church and Tower (HB23/19/009) directly to south; 19th century red-brick terrace housing to north. Tarmacadam car-park to south accessed via modern rubble-stone gate piers with castellated tops; bounded to road by rubble-stone wall. Paved pathway and hedgerow to front; modern timber fence to south and west.

Roof: natural slate
Walling: render
Windows: timber
RWG: cast metal (part)

Historical information

Built in 1873-4 by Rev James O’Laverty, then parish priest of Holywood, as a catholic school called St Laiseran’s Academy. O’Laverty wrote in 1904, “During 1873 and 1874, I erected under the superintendence of Mr McMullen, Clerk of Works for the Church, St Laiseran’s Academy for the education of boys and girls whose parents did not wish them to commingle at the National School with children of a humbler class. The introduction of tramcars into Belfast induced many of the Belfast merchants, who hitherto resided in Holywood, to select other suburbs of the city for their places of residence. The average attendance became consequently much reduced, and after considerable monetary loss I had to close the Academy. The building remained, for a short time, vacant, but in 1877 I changed it into a parochial residence. The total cost of that building was borne by myself.” (quoted in Auld, p.64-5)

The house enters the records in 1877, shortly after the church had reached its first stage of completion in 1874. The occupier is Rev. James O’Laverty who holds the house from the Trustees of the Roman Catholic chapel and it is valued at £20. The first valuation map to show the house does not show a porch and it is possible that this was part of the remodelling that converted the building for residential use.

James O’Laverty was born in Lecale and educated at St Malachy’s College, Belfast and Maynooth. He was ordained in 1851 and was parish priest in Holywood for over thirty years, having been the driving force behind the building of St Columcille’s church. He was also a historian of great repute, contributing many articles to the Ulster Journal of Archaeology and producing a history of the Diocese of Down and Connor in five volumes. He helped to initiate the making of harps in Belfast and advocated their introduction in National Schools. Father O’Laverty used the tower of the current building to pursue his hobby of astronomy. (Newmann, p.206, Fox, p.59, Auld, p.65)

The house was vacated when a new presbytery was built in the church grounds. It was completely renovated in 2002 and is now in use as offices.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
5. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)

Secondary Sources

1. Auld, C. “Holywood Co Down, Then and Now” Holywood: Con Auld, 2002
2. Fox, C.M. “Annals of the Irish Harpers” John Murray, 1911
3. Newmann, K “Dictionary of Ulster Biography” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, 1993

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

One-and-a-half-storey three-bay structure, built c.1870 as a school, converted to a parochial house 1877 and now offices. Distinctive castellated three storey square tower gives this otherwise simple building a certain quirky jauntiness. Modernisation (largely the comprehensive remodelling of the interior) and a new use in 2002 saved the building from dereliction. Nicely proportioned front facade (at 90 degrees to the road and facing onto a small garden) with overscaled 'school house' windows (albeit that the fenestration should be Georgian six over six sashes) and energetic bargeboards. The northern, more domestic elevation, sits well up against the pavement forming a confident edge to the street. The tripartite window to the south gable, enlarged in 2002, adds additional interest.