Hall to Belmont Presbyterian Church, 92 Sydenham Avenue, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT4 2DT

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double-height Gothic-revival style hall, dating from 1931 to designs by architect J. C. Stevenson. Rectangular plan set on north-south axis with projecting gabled entrance porch to south. Connected to Belmont Presbyterian church (listed under HB26.13.027 A) by a modern single-storey lobby. The hall is located within the church grounds on a site fronting onto Sydenham Avenue.

Pitched natural slate roof, roll-top black clay ridge tiles and metal finial. Chamfered brick corbels to eaves supporting cast-iron ogee moulded guttering discharging to rectangular section downpipes. Red brick walling laid to English garden wall-bond with buff brick dressings and quoins; stone coping to gables. Lancet windows have sandstone keystone and splayed sills, with stained glass leaded glazing and fixed secondary external glazing to windows (unless otherwise stated).

The principal elevation faces west and has five-bays, each separated by a single-stage buttress with double lancet windows to each bay. The projecting gabled entrance porch to south end has raised stone verges and carved trefoil to apex; single-stage buttresses with stone pinnacles to either end. Square-headed door with segmental arch hood and tympanum to entrance porch with vertical-sheeted double timber doors opening onto a concrete platform and eight steps. Dwarf red brick wall with buff brick detail and chamfered stone coping supporting a painted metal handrail to each side of steps which also have a painted metal handrail to the centre.

The south elevation is gabled with two three-stage buttresses, a three-part lancet window and a small lancet opening with louvres at high level. The projecting porch has three-bays. The west bay is gabled with a carved trefoil to apex and a lancet window; single-storey buttresses with stone pinnacles to either end. The middle bay has paired shouldered-arch windows. Three-sided canted bay to east with raised parapet and a shouldered-arch window to each face.

The rear elevation faces east and has five bays, each separated by single-stage buttresses. Double lancet windows to each bay. Small modern flat-roofed entrance porch to north end. Rear yard enclosed by red brick site-boundary wall and a metal gate.

The north elevation is abutted by the adjoining single-storey modern lobby (of little interest).

The church (HB26.12.027A) is located within its own grounds with the adjoining modern hall and extension to north and east of the site, the Hall (HB26.12.027B) and a Gate Lodge (HB26.12.027C) to the southeast, car parks to the west and north. The site is fronting onto Sydenham Avenue. Partly lawned and concrete paved, the site is enclosed to the south by a red brick wall with stone coping topped by cast-iron railings. Square red brick gate piers with buff brick quoins and single-stage buttresses topped by cast-iron finials are supporting cast-iron gates to main entrance. Cast-iron gate and hedge to the southwest pedestrian entrance.

Materials:
Roof Natural slate
RWG cast iron
Walling red brick with buff brick dressings and quoins
Windows leaded stained glass

Historical information

The hall to Belmont Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1931. The congregation was formed from local missions organised by Ballymacarrett. Sir Thomas McClure of Belmont House provided the current plot of land and personally financed the construction of the current church in 1860-61 (Haines, p. 48). In the century between 1860 and the 1960s, Belmont Presbyterian Church was extended a number of times. The now cruciform church was originally built as a much simpler rectangular-shaped hall but took its current appearance after the construction of its transepts, aisles and the square-shaped tower during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (see HB26/12/027A for full history).

The first church hall at the site was constructed in 1904 by John Fraser & Son. It was located on Belmont Avenue and appeared on the Ordnance Survey maps from the fourth edition (1920-21) as a ‘Lecture Hall’ (Builder). The current redbrick Gothic Revival hall was constructed to the south-east side of Belmont Presbyterian Church in 1931. The Irish Builder records that the hall was designed by James Corden Stevenson, a Belfast-based architect who was active from the 1920s until the 1950s. Prior to completing the work at Belmont Presbyterian Church, Stevenson had also designed the Cregagh Presbyterian Church and its hall in 1929 (Irish Builder, p. 95; p. 146; p. 958; DIA). The clock mounted on a section of timber panelling on the church hall’s south wall was also installed in 1931. A memorial plaque located beneath the clock records that the memorial was erected in memory of Frederick Archibald and Susan Ross Boucher (who were members of the congregation) by their son. The value of the refurbished Belmont Presbyterian Church and its hall was increased to £520 under the First Revaluation of 1935 and following the construction of the eastern hall in the 1960s the value was further increased to £1,684 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72). A second church hall was added to the east side of Belmont Presbyterian Church in the 1960s (Irish Builder, p. 95; p. 146; 958; DIA).

The church was connected to the hall in 2001 when the modern extension and single-storey connecting corridor was erected between them. The church continues to be used as a house of worship and currently possesses a membership of over 700 families (Kirkpatrick, p. 165).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1902)
2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1920-21)
3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/6 – Sixth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1938)
5. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/20 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935)
6. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/48 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
7. Builder (12 Nov 1904)
8. Irish Builder (31 Jan; 14 Feb; 7 Nov 1931)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1901-1943)
10. First Survey Record – HB26/12/027 (1975)
11. First Survey Image – HB26/12/027 (No Date)
12. NIEA HB Records – HB26/12/027

Secondary Sources
1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of Belfast, 1700-1914’ Belfast: Friars Bush Press, 1985.
2. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1987.
3. Haines, K., ‘East Belfast: Paintings and stories from harbour to hills’ Donaghadee: Cottage Publications, 2001.
4. Kirkpatrick, L. ‘Presbyterians in Ireland: An illustrated history’ Dublin: Booklink, 2006.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects – http://www.dia.ie/

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A good example of an early twentieth century church hall, built to complement the character of the adjacent Gothic-revival style Belmont Presbyterian church (listed under HB26.12.027A). Externally, the building has retained its historic character, style and proportions; internally, the layout is largely unchanged although some original detail has been lost. It has group value with the listed Belmont Presbyterian church (HB26.12.027A) and former Gate Lodge (HB26.12.027C).