Willowfield Parish Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached gable-fronted redbrick parish hall, built c.1910, to the designs of W.J. Fennell, with gabled entrance porch and pair of gabled projections to the rear. Rectangular on plan facing east and located on the west side of Cregagh Road within the grounds of Harding Memorial School (HB26/04/001A).

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-moulded terracotta ridge tiles, ogee-moulded cast-iron guttering to shaped rafter feet and cast-iron downpipes. Plain timber barge board to all gables with a terracotta finial to the front gable and applied timber framing having a timber tie-beam having inscribed lettering stating; 'WILLOWFIELD PARISH HALL'. Redbrick walling laid in English garden wall bond with projecting redbrick plinth course. Square-headed window openings to side elevations with moulded redbrick reveals, stone lintels, flush splayed stone sills and 2/2 timber sash windows with top-hung overlights.

Front east gable abutted by smaller gabled entrance porch having natural slate roof and lateral redbrick buttresses with sandstone offsets. The porch is lit by a group of four pointed-arched window openings formed in moulded sandstone with leaded coloured glazing in the Art nouveau style. Pointed-arched door opening to the north cheek with sandstone head having double-leaf vertically-sheeted timber doors and overpanel opening onto three concrete steps.

South side elevation has five buttress-like piers with sandstone offsets below eaves level and a pair of square-headed window openings with multi-pane steel casement windows.

Rear elevation abutted by a lower gabled entrance porch in turn abutted by a lower gabled section. Each section has replacement timber doors.

North side elevation is four windows wide (now boarded up) each flanked by redbrick buttresses having sandstone offsets.

Setting:
Occupying a modest site on the west side of Cregagh Road with its south elevation fronting onto a small lane and its north elevation fronting onto Dromore Street, with bitmac playing areas to the rear and north. The site is enclosed to the street by iron railings on low plinth wall with matching pedestrian gates supported on octagonal-plan redbrick and sandstone piers, while the side elevations are enclosed by redbrick walling and modern fence.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Redbrick
Windows Timber sash

Historical information

Willowfield Parish Hall, to designs by William John Fennell, was the first structure to be built on the site later occupied by the neighbouring national school. Work began in 1910 and the building was opened by the Lord Primate on 25th February 1911, following which work began on the Willowfield National Schools, also to designs by Fennell. (Irish Builder) The hall had seating accommodation for over 200 and a vestry was also provided to the rear. The building was fitted with gas and central heating (by S M Gray). The building contractors were Messrs McIntyre Bros. (Irish Builder). The building is first shown on the fourth edition OS map of 1920-21.

The parish hall entered valuation records in 1912 at a valuation of £24, exempted on the guarantee of the incumbent of Willowfield Parish Church, Canon C W Harding, that no charge would be made for admission to events in the hall. A plan and dimensions are given for the hall as it was first built, showing the porch and extended rear. Willowfield No 1 school became a parochial hall in 1927 and in 1954 the Harding Memorial School and the church hall were taken over by the Belfast County Borough Education Committee, the hall becoming part of the school property. (Haines)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1902
2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-21
3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1931
4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/7 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/K – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
6. VAL/12/A/7/J/23 – Valuer’s Notebook (1912)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/17 – First General Revaluation (1936-57)
8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/24 – Second General Revaluation (1956-72)
9. Irish Builder, 4th March 1911, p.145

Secondary Sources

1. Haines, K “East Belfast, Paintings and Stories from Harbour to Hills” Donaghadee: Cottage Publications, 2001

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Detached gable-fronted redbrick parish hall, built c.1910, to the designs of W.J. Fennell, with gabled entrance porch and pair of gabled projections to the rear. Rectangular on plan facing east and located on the west side of Cregagh Road within the grounds of Harding Memorial School (HB26/04/001A) with which it has group value. This modestly scaled hall retains most original fabric and detailing with an impressive double-height interior. It adds to the setting of Harding Memorial School and has social importance for the local community.