Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB03/08/002

Address :
St Mary's Star of the Sea 4 The Crescent Portstewart Co. Londonderry BT55 7AB

Townland:
East Tullaghmurry

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
22/06/1977 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
5-16SW

IG Ref:
C8166 3806

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

A large free-standing rock-faced blackstone Roman Catholic church in the Lombardic Romanesque style, with four-stage square tower; built 1913 and situated to the east side of The Crescent in Portstewart town centre. Rectangular plan with central breakfront; square tower to northwest, sanctuary and baptistery to east, and side-chapel to south. Pitched natural slate roof with cross finials to gables; leaded copper roof to tower surmounted by cross finial. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on cavetto-moulded sandstone eaves. Walling is uncoursed rock-faced blackstone with ashlar sandstone dressings; sandstone string course to northwest elevation; sandstone plat-band to sill level at nave. Windows are round-headed leaded-and-stained glass casements with secondary glazing in block sandstone surrounds with chamfered sills and hood moulds with stops (continuous moulded sandstone sills to front elevation. The principal elevation faces ecclesiastical West; and is squared with parapet over plain frieze; dominated by soaring gabled breakfront with double-height semi-circular arched recess framed by semi-engaged columns embracing large rose window and principal entrance, all in ashlar sandstone with central carved frieze (celtic ornamentation) between stages; carved detail to spandrel base of window and tympanum; staged blind arcade to apex. Breakfront flanked by paired window to ground floor and arcaded first floor opening, having five arches alternately glazed and blind. Tower has open belfry with round-headed paired openings flanked by pilasters; second and third stage is divided into two panels, artriculated by sandstone ashlar lesenes, panels with loop openings at each face; ground floor has round-headed window to northeast and southeast face; opening to northwest with a deeply recessed original round-headed twelve-panel timber door with cast-iron strap hinges, in a chamfered sandstone surround with hood mould and stops; accessed via two stone steps. The North elevation has five evenly spaced windows divided by a gabled buttress. To centre is a projecting confessional with lean-to three diminutive windows. The East elevation has sanctuary abutting the gabled bay which has three round-headed windows with hood moulds. The South elevation has three evenly spaced windows divided by buttresses; abutted at right by the gabled side-chapel. West elevation of side-chapel projects at ground floor; blind oculus over large rose window above. Central round-headed sandstone ashlar doorcase flanked by semi-engaged columns and surmounted by a gabled parapet with moulded cornice. Original twelve-panelled timber door with cast-iron strap hinge, accessed via a modern ramp with metal handrail. Doorcase flanked by two oculi to either side. South elevation is abutted by the flat-roof sacristy which connects to the adjoining manse; modern entrance porch to rear. East (rear) elevation has canted bay with slate roof and four round-headed windows. Setting: Situated on a rectangular plot overlooking the Portstewart Harbour, northeast of the Dominican Convent (HB03/08/003). Also situated on the site is a two-storey parochial house (much altered). To northeast is Portstewart Town Hall (HB03/08/007). Lawned and shrubbed to front with tarmacadamed parking area accessed via square blackstone and sandstone piers with gablet caps. Site bounded by rock-faced blackstone wall with sandstone saddleback coping topped by iron railings. Church is slightly elevated with grassy bank to front having a central set of six sandstone steps enclosed by parapet wall and iron hand railings. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Uncoursed rock-faced blackstone Windows: Leaded-and-stained glass casements RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Moore, W J

Historical Information

St Mary’s Star of the Sea was built between 1913 and 1916 to designs by William J Moore. This church was one of three known ecclesiastical commissions by Moore, the other two also in coastal locations at Glenariff and Cushendall. (www.dia.ie) The church is first shown on the fourth edition OS map dating from 1922-39. The first Roman Catholic chapel in Portstewart was erected in Heathmount in 1895 on a site now occupied by a modern apartment development. This early church was built of corrugated iron and was known locally as the ‘Tin Chapel’. It was later used as the Catholic school and by the local Protestant school as an extension building for cookery classes. A parochial house stood next door to the church (now gone). (McDonald and Anderson) The congregation eventually outgrew this building and a new church was commissioned to designs by W J Moore, with tenders invited in 1913. The cost was £6,000, £3,000 of which was bequeathed by John Glenn of Coleraine. (Irish Builder; McDonald and Anderson) A photograph has survived which shows the church in course of construction in 1915 and some of the tradesmen and labourers employed by the contractors, Thornbury Brothers of Belfast. Two of the men working on the site were sadly drowned while bathing off nearby rocks. (McDonald and Anderson) The site chosen for the church faced the sea and was a large plot on which stood a dwelling a portion of which was altered to contain the sacristy, with a communicating corridor leading to the church. The church was completed in 1916. (Coleraine Chronicle) The building was of local black basalt with white sandstone dressings with interior woodwork of pitch pine and a ceiling of fibrous plaster divided into panels with wood mouldings. The church was constructed with a view to the widely disparate numbers likely to be worshipping in summer and winter. The side transept (side chapel) was intended for use during the winter months and could be used independently of the main church, having a separate entrance, confessional and sanctuary. Special attention was given to the planning of the entrance of the side chapel owing to the exposed position of the site. The church could accommodate 600 people and was considered ‘a decided acquisition to the town’. (Irish Builder) Two holy water stoups used in the church were recovered from the grounds of an old monastery in Coleraine and from Killowen churchyard. (McDonald and Anderson) The building first enters valuation records in 1916 as a Roman Catholic chapel and yard valued at £140. Valuation notes record that the pre-existing dwelling on the site was rebuilt as the parochial house in 1918. The church was listed in 1977 and in the early 1990s a gate pier was repositioned in order to accommodate vehicular access. Stone cleaning and pointing was also carried out at this time. In 2000 a new rear porch and disabled toilets were added to the church and an office block was replaced. (HB file) References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/5/3/1 First Edition OS Map 1830 2. PRONI OS/6/5/3/2 Second Edition OS map 1856 3. PRONI OS/6/5/3/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904 4. PRONI OS/6/5/3/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1922-39 5. PRONI OS/6/5/3/5 Fifth Edition OS Map 1939-50 6. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/28 Valuer’s Notes 1918 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929) 8. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/18 First General Revaluation 1933-57 9. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/8/A/22 First General Revaluation 1933-57 10. Irish Builder Vol 55 15th February 1913 p116 11. Irish Builder Vol 55 1st March 1913 p148 12. Irish Builder Vol 55 29th March 1913 p196 13. Coleraine Chronicle 16th July 1916 14. HB file – 03/08/002 Secondary Sources 1. McDonald, T and Anderson, R “Memories in Focus: NE Ulster from old photographs 1850-1950 Volumes 1 to 4” 1981-83

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A large free-standing rock-faced blackstone Roman Catholic church in the Lombardic Romanesque style, with three-stage square tower; built c.1913 and situated to the east side of The Crescent in Portstewart town centre. Architectural detailing is largely intact and of particular quality and character, with some fine examples of carved stonework. St Mary's Star of the Sea is a significant building on the Portstewart sea front and is of social interest to the local community.

General Comments

Listing Criteria R - Age and S - Authenticity also apply.

Date of Survey

08 June 2012