Holywood Parish Centre

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A multi-bay double- height former school, now church hall, built c.1880 to designs by William Batt. L-shaped on plan with full-height projecting gabled hall and two projecting porches to front; large U-shaped modern extension.

Pitched banded natural slate roof with terracotta pointed ridge tiles; raised sandstone verges on scrolled kneelers; decorative masonry vents with trefoil moulding to centre of pitch. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on sandstone eaves with corbelled brackets. Walling is rock-faced with sandstone detailing. Windows are equilateral arched leaded stained glass in sandstone blocked surround with chamfered sills.

The principal elevation faces north; symmetrical main block with projecting gabled porch flanked by paired windows. To right is projecting gabled hall; first floor with triple lancet window (middle window is taller); projecting gabled porch glazed to cheeks, flanked by single openings to ground floor. Sandstone scooped band to gable reading “Parochial National Schools 1877”. Doors are timber sheeted with ornamental cast-iron strap hinges in pointed arch sandstone surrounds. To gable of both porches is sandstone carved band; that to right reads “Girl”, that to left reads “Boys”.

The east elevation has two windows and a blind roundel.

The south (rear) elevation is abutted by a single-storey U-shaped modern extension, of no interest. To centre is full-height modern window.

The west elevation comprises the gabled hall and is five windows wide with gabled dormer containing blind roundel; projecting porch opening to north to far right.

Setting

The hall is situated in grounds shared by the parish church of St Philip and St James (HB23/20/039) south of Church Road near the centre of Holywood and opposite the mid-19th century terraces of church road. Opening onto Church road to north through tall iron gates and railings; tarmacadam driveway to front leads to a car-park to the rear of the building, enclosed with brick wall.

Roof: Natural Slate
Walling: stone
Windows: stained glass
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Successive articles in the Irish Builder show that the parochial hall was built as a National School between 1876 and 1877 to designs by William Batt, the contractor being William Nimick of Holywood. The material used was Scrabo stone. Two designs were supplied by William Batt, the first was found to be too expensive and abandoned. The Irish Builder of October 1876 announced plans for the school and carried an illustration of the original proposed design which was to have two storeys, the upper storey ‘a large lecture hall having a library or lecture-room off it’. In 1878 the same publication carried a picture of the design that was eventually built, as it neared completion. “There is a large girls’ school with infants’ school off same, and a commodious boys’ school, with a class room connected, and apartments are provided for caretaker. Proper arrangements are made for ventilation, and each school has a large play-ground.” (Irish Builder)

The previous school (HB23/20/041) was built in 1845 at the same time as the new parish church (HB23/20/39) and to the north of it. With the expansion of the town in the 1850’s and 60s it was soon found that the school was not large enough and an attempt was made to purchase the land behind the building. The owner being unwilling to sell, land was granted to the west of the church by ‘Captain Harrison’ on condition that two thirds of the purchase price was raised by subscription. (www.holywoodoldschool.com)

The current building first enters valuation records when it is written into the fieldbook dating from 1867 to 1879. No date or valuation is given but the building is a ‘National School’. The building is dated 1877 and was opened by Rev Dr G R Wynne, Vicar of Holywood. The Boys’ School was in the larger hall and the Girls and Infants’ occupied the rest of the building, modern blackboards and desks that could be converted into dining tables being installed. (Auld, p.64)

The Belfast and Ulster Street Directory for 1900 comments that, “The Parochial National Schools (male and female) situated adjacent to the Parish Church and built by the congregation are handsome and commodious structures with a large daily attendance”.
In 1911 a yard and playground are added and the valuation is given as £54 and £3 for the grounds. Valuer’s notes of this year give a plan and dimensions and show that the school has been considerably extended to the rear since the ordnance survey of 1900-02.

In 1954 the church school and the Sullivan National School (HB23/20/013) combined to form Holywood Primary School which is still operational and was constructed on a new plot adjacent to the present building. (Auld, p.64)

The former school remained in the hands of the parish church and in 1999 received a complete refurbishment as “The Parish Centre”. (Auld, p.64)

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/A/3/54 – Valuer’s Notebook (1906-12)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
6. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)
8. Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1900
9. Irish Builder, Vol 18, 1 October 1876, p.284, 291
10. Irish Builder, Vol 20, 15 January 1878, p.20

Secondary Sources

1. Auld, C. “Holywood Co Down, Then and Now” Holywood: Con Auld, 2002
2. www.holywoodoldschool.com

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A four-bay double- height former school, now church hall, built c.1880 to designs by William Batt. Refurbished and extended in recent years. The exterior displays fine architectural detailing, with good stonework and banded inscriptions. Overall, it retains its historic character and is an important example of the work of a prominent local architect. Situated in grounds shared with the parish church (HB2/20/039), the buildings form an important group.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered, it was previously recorded as HB23/20/038