St. Paul's Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Freestanding symmetrical redbrick Roman Catholic church, built 1885 to designs by JJ McDonnell, extended 1906 by E&J Byrne, and renovated 1936 under the direction of PB Gregory. The church is located on the north side of Falls Road, oriented NE-SW; directions given below are liturgical. Wide rectangular footprint with outshots, canted north side chapel, sacristy to north-east and canted chancel.

Pitched natural slate roof with pierced ridge tiles, with stone cross-finials to all gables; ornate iron finial and leaded hips over chancel. Cast iron downpipes and hoppers; parapet and valley gutters to aisles, profiled cast-iron gutters on stone corbels to nave. Redbrick chimneystack to north. Orange brick walling with black brick and Portland stone polychrome detailing to original 1885 west front, chancel and side chapels; later side aisles are in orange brick with terracotta panels; Flemish bond throughout. Windows are generally lancets, those to 1885 section having simple stone tracery with quatrefoil; plain lancets to west end of side aisles; north and south aisles lit by tripartite groups comprising central stone plate-traceried window flanked by plain lancets, having continuous brick drip mould over; chamfered cills. Plain margined lattice glazing to all but east windows, which has nineteenth-century stained glass, and south aisle which has late twentieth-century stained glass.

West front is symmetrically arranged, comprising tall gabled nave of 1885, framed by offset buttresses, flanked by later aisle additions which sit flush and have parapets. Central section dominated by projecting gabled Portland stone portal with large stone cross finial, containing a pair of shoulder-headed entrances flanked by five engaged half-colonettes with foliate capitals carrying a Gothic arch with richly carved tympanum with central statue of St Paul. Doors are varnished diagonal timber sheeted with large iron strap hinges, accessed by three stone steps. Side aisles each have a centrally placed buttress and a single entrance, detailed as main entrance with projecting stone porch with carved tympanum, two half-colonettes and single door with overlight. Two lancets each to gallery level, truncated over entrances.

North aisle is comprised of three gables, that to centre abutted by a single storey side chapel detailed as church with cusped tracery windows in stone dressings, and having gabled Disabled access entrance in a Gothic opening to west. To extreme left is the sacristy wing, which is parapetted with separate steep pitched roof forming a fourth, narrower blind gable to north; it is abutted by a single storey sacristy lit by timber 1/1 sliding sash windows and having a four-panelled door in Gothic opening set in a central gabled projecting porch.

East end comprises the central 1885 canted chancel, lit by a traceried lancet to each facet, flanked by lower gabled side chapels each lit by a large rose window; to right is the double-height sacristy wing, which has recessed entrance set in a projecting gabled brick porch, and a tall twin lancet over; doors are varnished timber panelled with glazed top panels and overlight. To left, set back, the east end of the south aisle (former entrance block) is lit by twin lancets.

South aisle is comprised of three gables, detailed as north, each with a shallow outshot at ground floor; to right is a fourth narrower gabled proportion containing the former south entrance. It has a separate steep gabled roof inset with a trefoil window, enclosed by a stone parapet with Gothic arcading; The former entrance openings is retained (now infilled with a stained glass window), comprising recessed shouldered opening with carved tympanum and four half-colonettes; stone crests in roundels and single lancet over.

Setting: Urban
setting on a busy road. The site is located at the corner of Falls Road and Cavendish Street. The building is located within the grounds of St Paul’s Presbytery (listed under HB26.31.005 A) on a site including a modern two-storey Parish hall and enclosed by cast-iron gates and railings. The cast iron railings have square section vertical bars with pike heads, flat-bar section top rail and mid rail. Alternate vertical bars do not extend full height and are topped with flower heads. Standards with dog leg support and cross-shaped finials. The wide double SW gate opening onto Cavendish Street is of the same design as the railings. It is supported on square plan caged gate piers with cross-shaped finials. The single SE gate opening onto Cavendish Street is of the same design as the railings. It is supported on square plan caged gate piers with cross-shaped finials. The double gate to E fronting onto Falls Road has scrolled decorations and cross-finial to meeting rail. It is supported on rectangular section standards with scrolled finials. The double gate to NE opening onto Cavendish Square is of the same design as the railings and is supported on rectangular section standards with scrolled finials. The wide NW gate opening onto Cavendish Square is of the same design as the railings and it is supported on square plan caged gate piers with cross-shaped finials.

Roof: Slate
RWG: Cast iron
Walling: Brick
Windows: Stone tracery

Historical information

First shown on the third edition OS map (1901), St Paul’s is a High Victorian RC church built between 1884 and 1887 to the designs of Belfast architect JJ McDonnell. Built as a chapel of ease to St Peter’s Church, the establishment of St Paul’s was predominantly driven by Dr. Patrick Dorrian, who was the bishop of Down and Connor at that time, and chose to cover the cost of its construction himself, which amounted to approximately £4,000. In 1884 a plot of land behind Springfield Cottage was purchased from a Maurice L. Coates, on the 13th June of that same year the first sod was cut and the church was dedicated on 23rd October 1887. The contract was undertaken by Charles Boyd of Lonsdale Street and interior building work was by J. Fagan of Cosgrove Street. Work was halted following the death of Bishop Dorrian in November 1885 but resumed almost a year later, when a suitable source of funding was found. The high altar, along with two side-altars, were executed by the sculptural firm of Purdy & Millard, and a hammered brass tabernacle was designed and built by Riddel & Co (DIA). McDonnell was also responsible for the design of the adjacent presbytery (HB26/31/005A), which was completed in August 1889. St Paul’s National School, which was located a short distance to the north-west, opened a year later in 1890 but has since been replaced by the present pastoral care centre.

Noted as being in the process of construction in the Annual Revisions of 1886, an initial rateable value of £30 was given but this was reduced to £25 in 1890. By the Belfast Revaluations of 1900 the rateable value had significantly increased to £210 and was noted to include the Church, a garden, St Paul’s National School, a reading room, a billiard room and a yard. In 1906 the church was widened with aisle extensions and galleries added, increasing the seating capacity to 1,500. Executed to the designs of the Belfast architectural partnership of E&J Byrne (HB File), the additions are shown on the fourth edition OS map (1920-31), however no change in the rateable value was noted. During this work twelve existing circular stained glass windows were bricked up and replaced by the larger stained glass windows which formed part of the new extension.

Following the outbreak of a fire in the sacristy in 1936, extensive renovation work was carried out to the designs of PB Gregory, which included a new baptistery, baldacchino, mortuary chapel, marble communion rail, four new altars, and the installation of a new staircase and heating system. Additionally, the sanctuary, aisles, passageways and porches were relaid in terrazzo and a new entrance hall leading from Cavendish Square was opened, with that from the Falls Road being closed up permanently. These mid 20th century additions are shown on the fifth edition OS map (1920-38) and are reflected in the increased rateable value of £575, which was noted in the First General Revaluations (1936-56).

Renovation work took place in the mid 1980s and in 1987, to mark the centenary of the church, the external walls were cleaned and sandblasted. In recent decades further renovations have been carried out, including the uncovering of the twelve circular stained glass windows that were bricked over in 1906.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/60/3 Third edition OS map (1901)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/60/4 Fourth edition OS map (1920-31)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/60/5 Fifth edition OS map (1920-38)
4. PRONI OS/8/30/5/66 Town Plan OS map (1901-03)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/E/8 Annual Revisions (1882-96)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/E/8 Annual Revisions (1882-96)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/E/17 Annual Revisions (1897-1905)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/J/3 Annual Revisions (1906-15)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/J/6 Annual Revisions (1915-30)
10. PRONI VAL/12/F/3/6/2 Annual Revisions (1930-35)
11. PRONI VAL/7/B/6/10 Belfast Revaluations (1900)
12. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/14 Annual Revisions of First General Revaluation (1936-56)
13. HB File (HB26/31/005C)

Secondary Sources
1. Curran, Rev. Danny ‘The Story of St Paul’s Falls Road Belfast 1887-1997’ Howard Publications, 1987
2. Larmour, Paul ‘Belfast; An Illustrated Architectural Guide’ 1987

Online Sources
1. DIA (www.dia.ie/)
2. Beechmount Community Projects (http://beechmountareabelfast12.com/?page_id=118)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

St Paul's Roman Catholic church is a substantial urban church, built in two stages between 1885 and 1906, renovated in 1936, prominently located on the Falls Road, Belfast. At its core is the original single nave and chancel, built in a lively polychrome Early English revival style to designs by notable Belfast architect John Joseph McDonnell, who was responsible for the design of several Roman Catholic churches, many of which are listed. The addition of side aisles and galleries in 1906, is representative of the tendency to enlarge urban RC churches as residential areas developed and funds became available, enhancing both architectural and historic interest. Ornamentation is well-executed with notable examples of stone carving by Belfast architectural sculpture firm Purdy & Millard, examples of whose work can be seen on several prominent city centre buildings, including the Scottish Provident Institution. Although reordering has taken place, the sanctuary retains high quality decorative elements to good effect, including rich mosaic, marble reredos,and Victorian stained glass. Also of considerable note is the retention of the fine stone and marble baldacchino, installed as part of renovations in 1936 and a unusual survivor post Vatican II. The church retains its ornate iron gates and railings and is a key building within a wider precinct. It has group value with the adjacent listed St Paul's Presbytery (HB26/31/005A).

General comments

All directions given are liturgical. The church is oriented NE-SW.