Hamill Vault

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double height gabled vault in Gothic-revival style dating from 1905 to designs by architect Charles MacAlister. Rectangular plan having stone steps to E elevation and walled enclosure to N, both having decorative cast iron gates topped by a celtic cross. Located in the E end of the cemetery to St Joseph’s RC church ( HB26.20.004 A).

Stepped pitched cast stone roof with raised moulded stone verges and finials to apex. Walling laid to coursed rock-faced cast stone with corner pilasters having gablets with carved trefoils. Stepped plinth course. Lancet window openings with ashlar stone surround, splayed sills and leaded glazing.

The principal elevation is symmetrical and faces E. Lancet door opening with ashlar surround and moulded hood resting on head stops. A carved coat of arms and the name Hamill in relief above the entrance door. Small oval shaped opening at higher level to gable. Decorative cast iron gate to entrance door opening onto two stone steps leading to quarter pace landing and a short flight of stone steps. Painted cast iron gate to staircase with cross finial. Stone wall abutting to N side with decorative cast iron caged gate piers and tall gate, as before.

The S elevation has two bays separated by a pilaster, corresponding with a raised stone spine with gablet at roof level; moulded cast stone cornice to eaves and quatrefoil vents beneath each window at plinth level.

The rear gabled elevation is symmetrical and faces W. Large trefoil window opening with ashlar stone surround, splayed sill and moulded hood resting on head stops. Stained leaded glazing to window. Small oval shaped opening at higher level to gable.

The N elevation is similar in detail to S elevation. Walled enclosure to E side with decorative railings and caged corner posts which acts as a retaining structure and allows access to the lower level of the vault through a segmental arched opening on the N wall.

Setting:
The vault is located within the cemetery to the W of St Joseph’s RC church (HB26.20.004 A). Rubble Greywacke stone walling to cemetery, accessed through a timber entrance gate to N. The church grounds include a rectangular double storey pitched roof Hall to SE, a T-plan form two-storey gabled Hall to S and a large tarmaced car park to SW. The site is located to the E side of Hannahstown Hill.

Historical information

The Hamill Vault is a Gothic Revival-style mausoleum in the burial ground adjoining St Joseph’s Catholic Church (HB26/20/004A), Hannahstown (though located in Englishtown townland). According to O’Laverty (p. 353), a school-house was built by Fr O’Donnell in 1792 which was used as a church. A small portion of it remains in the present graveyard. In 1826 a new church was built by Rev. Charles Hendron and consecrated by Dr Crolly on 30 September 1827.

The only inscription on the mausoleum is the name ‘HAMILL’ which is carved in false relief. There is also a coat of arms. The mausoluem was built in 1905. It was designed by Charles MacAlister and executed by Purdy & Millard.

Charles MacAlister was active as an architect in Belfast from the beginning of the 1900s through to at least the end of the 1930s. In 1905 he had business address at 26 Chichester Street, Belfast, and later at Whitehall Buildings in Ann Street and later still in Sussex Place. His father Charles had been the architect overseeing the rebuilding of Trench House, the Hamill family home, in 1878-80.

The Hamills were one of the leading Catholic families in Belfast from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. They are reputed to have originated in the Newtownabbey area in a district known as the ‘Trench’ – hence the name of their house. The first to rise to prominence was John Hamill who was a successful businessman who owned extensive property in and around Belfast and also served as a Town Councillor. He died in 1876.

His son Arthur followed in his footsteps. He died in 1903 leaving an estate valued at over £7,000, most of which was left to his remaining six sisters. Several of his sisters died in quick succession – Margaret and Kate Davis in 1904, Jane in 1905 and Maria in 1906. Their deaths were attributed to cholera. Two other sisters, Hannah and Teresa, lived until 1918. At one time the Hamills had their own pew in St Joseph’s Church (HB26/20/004A).

The Hamills were well known as generous benefactors of the Catholic Church and also of schools and charities. After Teresa Hamill’s death, the family home was left to the Sisters of Mercy as a convent. They could not take it on and so for a time it became the home of the bishop of Down and Connor, later being used as St Joseph’s College where male primary school teachers were trained.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
First Valuation fieldbook, c. 1835 – VAL/1/B/128A
Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1832/3 – OS/6/1/60/1
Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1857 – OS/6/1/60/2
Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1901 – OS/6/1/60/3
Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1920-31 – OS/6/1/60/4

Northern Ireland Environment Agency
First Survey Record – HB/26/20/009
HB Records – HB/26/20/009

Published sources
Belfast Newsletter, 12 October 1876, 14 May 1903
James O’Laverty, An Historical account of the diocese of Down and Connor, vol. 2 (Dublin, 1880)
Eileen Fulton, History of St Joseph’s, Hannahstown, Co. Antrim, 1826-1993 (1993)
Ambrose Macaulay, Down and Connor: a short history (no date)

Online sources
Dictionary of Irish Architects: www.dia.ie (which
references the Irish Builder of 1905, but without providing a day or month)
Website of the Mausolea & Monuments Trust: http://www.mmtrust.org.uk/mausolea/view/414/Hamill_Mausoleum
Parish website: http://hannahstownparish.com/hannahstownhistory.html

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations
V. Authorship

Evaluation

A double height gabled vault in Gothic-revival style dating from 1905 to designs by architect Charles MacAlister. Rectangular plan with a small walled enclosure to N and elaborate cast iron gates. Located in the E end of the cemetery to St Joseph’s RC church (HB26.20.004A). Erected by the Hamill family, one of the leading Catholic families in Belfast from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century, the vault is the most impressive of the memorials in the graveyard and has a prominent position facing the church.