Mountpottinger National Schools

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mountpottinger National Schools, built c.1860-61 (raised and redesigned in 1886 which is the date that currently appears above the entrance door) is located to north of First Ballymacarrett Presbyterian Church (HB26/08/023A). Tarmac car park to front, communal passageway to rear serving terrace properties of Templemore Avenue, enclosed yard to north (previously a single storey extension) and abutting church transept to south.

An attached two storey red brick building with natural slate roof, cast iron rainwater goods, timber casement windows with horizontal glazing bars, corbelled brick detailing to eaves and first floor string course and sandstone lintels, cills and plaques.

Principal elevation faces west and has a shallow full height gabled break front entrance bay slightly off-centred to right. The original entrance has been altered to a square headed opening with exposed concrete lintel and steel roller shutter. An alternating chamfered dentil corbel string course with projecting quarry tile separates ground from first floor. Centrally above string course is a rectangular, red sandstone plaque inscribed 'Mountpottinger National Schools 1886' with tripartite lancet windows above (Central window is one third taller than flanking windows) with flush chamfered red sandstone cills and stained timber windows. Gable has a stepped corbelled brick detail. Bay to left of entrance is five openings wide. Ground floor far left opening is square headed with an exposed steel lintel spanning onto a steel column in the boundary wall and supporting the first floor corner of the school. This opening is chamfered on plan and allows external access to the north of the site. Second, fourth and fifth openings from left at ground floor are tall square headed windows with red sandstone chamfered lintels with chamfered stop ends, projecting sandstone cills and stained timber casement windows with horizontal glazing bars. Third opening from left is a blocked up door opening with concave shouldered red sandstone chamfered lintel with chamfered stop ends with a red sandstone shield plaque inscribed 'Boys' above. First floor openings are all windows directly above those at ground floor except the third opening which is a square headed steel door within a segmental arch opening (modern red brickwork tympanum on exposed concrete lintel) with a steel bracketed landing (remains of fire escape stairs). Bay to right of entrance is four windows wide at ground floor level. The first and third windows from the left have windows above at first floor level, fourth window has a door opening above which has a square headed steel roller shutter door within a segmental arch opening (modern red brickwork tympanum on exposed concrete lintel) with a steel landing supported on steel cross braced cast iron columns leading to an escape stairs with steel tubular handrails top and mid bar and exiting to the right to a half landing then turning 90 degrees to ground level (steel top flight, brick with concrete treads at bottom flight).

North gable elevation was abutted at ground floor by a single storey building (now demolished); the first floor has two segmental arch windows symmetrical about the ridge. The gable has a stepped corbelled brick detail.

South gable elevation is abutted at ground and first floor by a flat roofed red brick building with raised parapet walls topped with flat projecting red sandstone copings. The remainder of the exposed gable is blank with stepped corbelled brick verge detail and red corbelled brick chimney at apex.

South elevation of flat roofed building is entirely abutted by the church transept; west elevation has a square headed door opening with exposed concrete lintel and steel roller shutter to bottom left, bottom right is abutted by first flight of external escape stairs, blocked up square headed window opening with red sandstone lintel and projecting cill to top right with top left partially obscured by top flight to external stairs; east elevation has a bricked up opening at bottom right, bricked up window opening at bottom left with stainless steel flue emerging from opening and extending beyond full height of wall (retains projecting sandstone cill) and a single blocked up and rendered window opening at top left (retains sandstone lintel and projecting cill).

Rear (east) elevation is seven openings wide on both ground and first floor level. Second opening from right at ground floor level is a blocked up doorway. The remaining ground floor openings are boarded up windows. All ground floor openings have red sandstone chamfered lintels with chamfered stop ends. All seven openings at first floor level are windows directly above ground floor openings. All first floor windows are timber casement with horizontal glazing bars and segmental arch formed in brick. Tall red brick boundary wall abuts rear elevation to right containing a single blocked up square headed doorway at junction with gable.

Setting

The Mountpottinger National Schools is located to the north of the First Ballymacarrett Presbyterian Church (HB26/08/023A) at the end of Paulett Avenue, Belfast with no frontage visible from Albertbridge Road. The school has a tarmac car park to front, communal passageway to rear serving the terrace properties of Templemore Avenue, enclosed yard to north (previously an extension) and abutting church to south. The school is part of a complex of buildings on a site partially enclosed by a tall red/orange brick wall and partially by adjacent buildings. The school is accessed through a modern steel gate but the remains of the original iron railings still survive.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Brickwork
Windows Timber
RWG Cast-iron

Historical information

Mountpottinger National Schools was built c. 1860-61 and replaced the church schoolrooms that had been erected shortly after the opening of the First Ballymacarrett Presbyterian Church (HB26/08/023A) in 1838. The school was then raised and redesigned in 1886 which is the date that currently appears above the entrance door.

No buildings appear on the site on the First Edition OS map which shows a new road in progress (Albertbridge Road).
A simple rectangular structure first appears un-captioned to the north of the church on the Second Edition OS map, however the current building does not appear until the Third Edition OS map.

In 1901 the male principle was a Mr A. Black, while the female principle was Miss McBratney. By 1907 the male principle had changed to Mr Jos. McKee. Jos. McKee and Miss Margaret McBratney are still noted as principles in the 1910 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory. After the school closed the army occupied the building for a short period of time. The property is now vacant.

A booklet by Mr John Robinson, F.A.I. titled '1837-1937 Centenary Record of First Presbyterian Church Ballymacarrett, Belfast' (Belfast 1937) notes the following:-

"For the first quarter of the last century (19th century) there was no place of public worship in Ballymacarrett. The population was comparatively speaking small, and generally in very humble circumstances, the majority of 'the people being hand-loom weavers. ln the year 1831 the Presbytery of Belfast were instructed by the Synod of Ulster,..., to take charge of the congregation at Ballymacarrett,…. in the 31st August….'1835', at a meeting of Presbyterians residing in and near Ballymacarrett,…. it was resolved :- "That it appears to this meeting to be highly desirable that a place of Presbyterian Worship should be erected forthwith in Ballymacarrett - that the Rev. Dr. Cooke, Dr. Hanna, Mr. Morgan, and Mr. Bellis be requested to make application to Lord Templemore for a suitable site for the Church." When a site was obtained, a memorial, signed by 193 persons, was presented to the Presbytery asking that they should be organised into a congregation. The memorial was cordially received and its prayer granted.
During the closing months of 1835, Mr. Morrison, a Divinity student, held meetings in the district every Sabbath, and the people did everything in their power to raise money for the proposed Church, a suitable site for which had been secured. But being only able to raise the sum of £300, a memorial was presented to the Belfast Committee, which had just erected the Church of Townsend Street, praying for their co-operation. Immediate steps were in consequence taken by this Committee, and on the 6th of January, 1836, the following circular was distributed amongst the numerous friends of Presbyterianism in the town of Belfast:- Sir, - memorial, of which the following is a copy, has been presented to the Committee of the Townsend Street Meeting-house by the Presbyterians of Ballymacarrett, and we take the liberty of entreating your serious attention to it:- “We have heard with much gratification of your generous and successful efforts to erect a Place of Worship in connection with the Synod of Ulster in Townsend Street, and what we have heard encourages us to make an application to you, which, perhaps, may seem to be to you an unjustifiable freedom; but we excuse ourselves by saying we know not what other course we can take in our extremity. There are in Ballymacarrett not less that 400 Presbyterian families; of these there are 300 without any minister, that is, 1,500 persons without the superintendence of a Christian Pastor. We have applied to the Presbytery of Belfast, and been erected into a Congregation. Through the generosity of R. F. Gordon, Esq., we have obtained a most suitable site for a Place of Worship, and we have exerted ourselves to the utmost to raise funds for the contemplated building, Many very poor men among us have subscribed one and two pounds, and we have gone among our friends until we have obtained near £300, but our influence is at an end….We are therefore forced by our necessity,..., to make application to you. Will you take our building under your fostering care, or will you direct us how to proceed?.... But we will not urge our cause. We have taken the liberty of stating it to you, and leave it in your hands,....”
On the reading of this Memorial, the Committee felt themselves in a difficult situation.... Should you and others promise your aid we will proceed at once to the erection of a House in Ballymacarrett. Should these refuse their co-operation we fear we shall be obliged, most reluctantly, to abandon such a design….. We say to you,…., that this is not an ordinary case, - Fifteen hundred Presbyterians at our doors without a Christian Minister or the ordinance of the Gospel! We regard it as a most appalling fact, and we do hereby invite you to come and join us, until,….. Do not refuse our urgent request. Come and do what you can,….PS.-The Committee request your written reply, or your personal attendance at Dr. Hanna's Schoolroom on Monday next, the 11th instant, at Ten o'clock. Belfast, 6th January, 1836.
The meeting called by the above circular was held on the 11th January, and the following Committee was formed to carry out the work of raising money.
At this meeting the town was divided into thirteen districts, and a result of this effort £351 were raised, making, with the subscription from Ballymacarrett, a total of £650. Plans and specifications for a house 65 feet by 40 were submitted by Mr. Thompson, architect, and adopted. Advertisements for proposals for erecting the House were inserted in the " Ulster Times," Belfast News-Letter," and "Belfast Commercial Chronicle." Three estimates were received, and it was resolved that Matthew M’Kenzie`s estimate for erecting the Church for the sum of £1,225 be accepted, on condition that the House shall be finished on or before the First day of April, 1837, and that payments be made by instalments, according to agreement to be hereafter entered into."
The first stone was laid on Monday, the 6th June. 1836. The Rev. George Bellis commenced the religious services of the day….. The Rev. jams Morgan then addressed the meeting….. After alluding to the kindness and munificence of R. E. Gordon, Esq., the landlord, in granting so suitable a piece of ground for the site of the Church, he called upon R. E. Gordon, Esq., to proceed and lay the first stone. After the stone had been well and truly laid, Mr. Morgan proceeded with his address,... He next alluded to the particular state of Ballymacarrett. There were no less than 400 Presbyterian families in this district; of these only 100 are connected with any place of worship – therefore we have only one-fourth of the ascertained Presbyterian population of Ballymacarrett enjoying the benefit of ministerial instruction…..There were at least 600 persons present, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, the day being exceedingly showery and cold,... On the 17th October, 1836, the following persons were requested to act as Trustees: David Robinson, Dr. Bryson, Gustavus Heyn, Alexander Dickey, Charles Kelso. and William M’Comb; and on the 12th December the building was insured in the Scottish Union Office for the sum of £1,000.
The house was finished and opened for public worship on the 23rd day of April, 1837. by the Rev. Dr. Smith, of Glasgow,…..

Mr. John Meneely, who had been licensed by the Belfast Presbytery, in the November of 1837, was ordained as the First minister of the new congregation on the 20th day of March, 1838.
Shortly after the opening of the church new schoolrooms were erected at the east end of the building, in which day and Sabbath schools were organized, and carried on with marked success. In course of time libraries for both the Sabbath school and the congregation were established, and a Young Men’s Association formed, which had for many years a prosperous history. The congregation increased so steadily…. that when the Belfast Presbytery visited it in the year 1859 they recommended an enlargement of the church. The minister and members of the congregation approved of the recommendation, but as it involved the removal of the school building, in order to make room for the extension, and the erection of schools on a new site, as well as a large expenditure on the addition to be made to the church, the work was not undertaken until the question had been considered in all its aspects.... After examining various plans submitted, it was resolved - "That in the opinion of the committee the best method is to include the present schoolrooms with a transept at the east end about 30 feet wide, extending to the south as far as our ground goes, and carried out an equal distance on the north side, and that two schoolrooms of 40 feet by 26 feet each, with an entrance hall to shelter the inner doors, be erected in continuation, of the transept on the north side of the church." Mr. Matier, architect, submitted plans for the enlargement, which were approved of, and also drawings for the new schools to be built. An estimate for the enlargement of the church was received, amongst others, from Mr. M’Cracken, builder, who promised to complete the work for the sum of £650, and this amount being considered reasonable, his tender was accepted by the committee, and the work was proceeded with in the beginning of the month of August, 1860. The work was finished by the close of the month of January, and the church was re-opened for public worship on Sabbath, the 10th February, 1861….
The following extract from the Annual Report of 1861 gives a concise account of the work done during the year:-
"The Committee have the satisfaction of congratulating the Congregation on the successful completion of the various building operations which were undertaken during the past year. New and spacious Male and Female Schoolrooms have been erected, capable of accommodating 300 children, at a cost of about £500. This sum Mr. Meneely has undertaken to collect without applying to any member of this Congregation. A Session Room and 350 additional sittings have been added to the Church, at an expense of about £750. Of this sum a considerable proportion has been subscribed, and about £400 of the subscriptions have been paid. Until the remainder can be collected, £300 has been borrowed at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, to pay the Contractor."
The Committee must not conceal from the Congregation the fact that the entire labour of collecting the money required for affecting the improvements made during the year has been undertaken solely by Mr. Meneely,...."
In the enlarged building the Congregation continued to grow in numbers and influence…..
At the meeting of the Assembly, held in Dublin in 1881, Dr. Meneely asked leave to retire from the active duties of the Ministry, and permission for his Congregation to choose an assistant and successor, which was granted; and on the 8th December, 1881, the Rev. William M’Kean, formerly minister of Second Raphoe, was installed as his assistant and successor. Dr. Meneely continued Senior Minister of the Congregation until his death on the 23rd February, 1887, after completing a ministry of upwards of forty-eight years….
A memorial tablet has been erected by the congregation in the portico of the Church, testifying their appreciation of his character and labours,…

in the year 1882, a Manse was built at the cost of £1,200; of this sum £500 was borrowed from the Board of Works, to be paid back in 35 years by an annual payment of £25. in the year 1886, the Schools at the Church were re-built and enlarged at a cost of £860,....
After some time the members of the Congregation resolved to build a new church, but as a convenient site could not be secured they were compelled to enter upon the work of reconstructing the old church, so as to bring it more into harmony with modern requirements. This work was completed and the church re-opened for worship in October, 1898, and the opinion is generally expressed that it has been made one of the most beautiful and comfortable churches in the city. On the work done a sum of £3,800 has been expended.

The Rev. William M’Kean, the second minister of the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymacarrett, was born at Ballyrobin, in the Parish of Ballymoney, in the year 1846.... In the year 1881 he received a call from the First Presbyterian Church, Ballymacarrett, and on the 8th December of that year was installed as assistant to the Rev. John Meneely, D.D. Since his settlement in this church, a new manse has been erected. at a cost of £1,100;.... The Church, which was built in 1837, was completely renovated and in part reconstructed at a cost of £4,000, in 1898, and valuable property adjoining the Church was secured for further improvements….

The third minister was the Rev. Robert Caldwell, BA., formerly of Castledawson Presbyterian Church, Co. Derry, and now of the Waterside Presbyterian Church, Londonderry. Mr. Caldwell was installed on the 12th December, 1918. and for seven years ministered.... During his ministry the congregation grew rapidly…. During his ministry two Tablets were erected in the vestibule - one a memorial tablet to the late Dr. McKean, and the other a memorial tablet to the men who fell in the Great War. A Pipe Organ was also installed during Mr. Caldwell’s ministry. In November, 1925, Mr. Caldwell resigned, having received a call from the congregation of Whitehead.

The fourth... Minister.... Rev. W. J. McGeagh, BA., formerly of Brookside, Ahoghill and First and Second Moneymore. The one item of outstanding interest during…'his' pastorate….'was' the erection of a commodious Lecture Hall, at a cost of £7,000, together with a Sexton's residence also erected at the rear of Hall. The problems confronting the church in the city to-day are many and difficult, and one of the biggest is that of holding the young. Hitherto our old church has been terribly handicapped for lack of proper accommodation, but the building of a new Hall has given her a fresh lease of life, and opened up doors of opportunity for service amongst the young.
The foundation‚ stones of the New Hall were laid on Saturday, 5th May, 1928, by Alderman Mrs. McMordie, O.B.E., J.P., High Sheriff; Mrs. R. T. Martin, ].P. M.Sc.; Miss McBratney, for Robert McBratney, Esq., New York; Rev. W. McGeagh, B.A.; and on Saturday, 6th October. 1928, the Hall was opened by Her Grace the Duchess of Abercorn, the Moderator of Assembly (the Right Rev T. A. Smyth, MA., LLB.), presiding.
First Ballymacarrett is to be congratulated on shouldering such a heavy responsibility in these most difficult times, but such is the spirit of the old church that in the space of seven years a debt of £7,000 has been completely wiped out.
In 1937 we celebrate our Centenary, and in order to mark this great event in our Church's history, we have carried through a scheme for renewals to the church property involving an outlay of over £2,000."

References- Primary sources
1. First Edition OS Map (1834)
2. 'A Plan of the Town of Belfast Engraved by Permission from the Ordnance Survey' dated 1838
3. Second Edition OS Map (1858)
4. Third Edition OS Map (1901)

Secondary sources
1 Mr John Robinson, F.A.I, '1837-1937 Centenary Record of First Presbyterian Church Ballymacarrett, Belfast' (Belfast 1937)
2 Mr Keith Haines, 'Images of Ireland East Belfast' (Dublin 1997)

References- Primary sources
1. First Edition OS Map (1834)
2. 'A Plan of the Town of Belfast Engraved by Permission from the Ordnance Survey' dated 1838
3. Second Edition OS Map (1858)
4. Third Edition OS Map (1901)

Secondary sources
1. Mr John Robinson, F.A.I, '1837-1937 Centenary Record of First Presbyterian Church Ballymacarrett, Belfast' (Belfast 1937)
2. Mr Keith Haines, 'Images of Ireland East Belfast' (Dublin 1997)
3. www.lennonwylie.co.uk (Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An attached two storey red brick building, built c. 1860-61 replacing a previous school and later raised and redesigned in 1886, located off Paulett Avenue, Belfast to north of First Ballymacarrett Presbyterian Church (HB26/08/023A). While of local interest, it is not among the best examples of the type and has been compromised by various alterations.