Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/12/008 A

Address :
Mount Saint Columb Rostrevor Road Warrenpoint Newry Co Down BT34 3RT

Townland:
Clonallan Glebe

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:
01/05/1979 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:
26/03/2004 00:00:00

Current Use:
Residential Home

Former Use
Rectories/ Manses etc

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Demolished

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OS Map No:
277/10

IG Ref:
J1553 1863

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

This building has been demolished since this record was made. 18thC two storey (plus semi-basement) / three bay former rectory, much extended and set in a much eroded demesne. House is square in plan with a hipped artificial slate roof, which has four equal ridges and a central valley. The front and rear ridges have two cement rendered and coped chimneys, each with several pots. Overhanging timber eaves are supported on pairs of cantilevered timber brackets along its soffit. Half round metal rainwater goods. Walls wet dashed and painted are advanced and chamfered to basement. Ground level rises to front (SE) elevation obscuring the basement. At middle a flight of five post-WW2 terrazzo steps, enclosed by sweeping balustrades, rise up to a terrazzo threshold with cross inset. Door comprises twelve glazed panels and 1x6 paned sidelights and radial fanlight. All modern and of little interest. Set within a deeply recessed concave opening which has a rusticated stucco key-block. The ground floor left and right bays each have a 6/6 sash window with painted granite cill and smooth rendered architrave. The three first floor bays each have a 6/3 sash window, in line with those to ground floor but diminished in height. The left (SW) elevation has three 6/6 windows to ground and first floors. Window openings to semi- basement are blocked up. Rear (NW) elevation is abutted by a pair of lower two storey returns. It has a basement door at ground level and is blank above. The right return is modern and links to the nursing home (see below). The left return has a flat roof obscured by an embattled parapet and its NE cheek is flush with the NE (right) elevation of the main block and is similarly dashed. It has a pair of four panelled doors at ground floor right (true ground level) and a small window to their left. Its first floor has two small 2/2 sash windows. Rest of block not visible for inspection. Right (NE) elevation of main house has a two storey curved bay to middle bay detailed as main walls. Remaining wall to left and right has a single window to each floor. Those to ground floor are 6/6 sashes and those to first floor are 6/3 sashes. Bay has three windows on each floor. To ground floor is a 9/9 sash to front and a 6/6 to each side. At first floor it has three 6/3 sashes with modern obscured and coloured glass. Setting: Abutting the rear (NW) of the house and advancing in three directions is a large derelict post-WW2 nursing home complex which has no features of interest except for its chapel (HB16/12/008B) at NW end. The demesne is much developed with new housing which has encroached close to the house, but is set at a much lower level. The front driveway runs N from the Rostrevor Road and follows its original path although housing is being developed along its lower length. To front of the house, opposite main entrance, is a small formal garden enclosed to SE end by a bow-fronted balustrade. Balustrade tops a bow-fronted rubble stone retaining wall, which supports the mass of earth embanked up against the front basement of the house. Two flights of curving steps run down its front. At their base is a large modern concrete retaining wall below which is the modern housing development. To SW of house is a copse of mature trees within which are gravel paths and three grottoes. Each is concrete and a single small bay with an open front. Thin painted walls on three sides support concrete roofs (one has segmental pediment, the other gable pediments). All have cross finials (broken) and small cast iron skylights. Internally each has a tapering concrete pedestal, decorated with an embossed Celtic Cross but without its statue. The gravel paths lead uphill to the burial ground of the Alexian Brothers. It has a modern dashed boundary wall and modern concrete paving. Its gates are tall and wrought iron (early 20thC). To its left the wall reduces to permit entry by pedestrians. It is roughly square in plan and at opposite end to the gates there is a statue of the Crucifixion and a dressed granite memorial which states, ‘SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF/ MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION OF/ ALEXIAN BROTHERS/ WHOSE MORTAL REMAINS ARE HERE INTERRED/ WHO FOR MANY YEARS SERVED/ THE AGED AND INFIRM OF WARRENPOINT/ MAY THEY REST IN PEACE/ PRAY FOR THEM’. Along the side walls are ten similar gravestones marking individual burial plots. They range in date from 1941 to 1991.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

A house at this location known as ‘Marley’ is shown on the Harris Map of 1743. It has not yet been demonstrated however, that Marley and the present building are one and the same, most features suggest a later 18th C construction date. From the erection of Marley subsequent Clonallan rectors were: Rev Joshua Pullein, Rev James Hawkins (from 1767), William Evelyn (from 1775), George Rogers (from 1776), John Davis (from 1805), Edward Richards (from 1836), Robert E. Glenny (from 1883) and Edward S. Medcalf (from 1921). It is shown on the OS maps as Clonallan Glebe House. It is noted in the 1835 First Valuation as being occupied by Rev John Davis, and it measured 45ft6in x 43ft x 24ft, with a basement and 17ft x 8ft x 24ft return. Assorted stores stables, offices and a barn also noted. The property was vacated by Rev. Metcalf in 1924 and sold to Alexian Brothers in 1925. It was the Brothers who changed its name to Mount St. Columb. In the post WW2 years they built the nursing home extensions. They vacated the property in the 1990s and the whole demesne was subsequently sold to a property developer. The new owner has since erected houses on the substantial front lawns and demesne. The building was surveyed briefly by Consarc Design Group in 1997 and their photographs show most of the internal fixtures and fittings intact. These have since been lost. This building was demolished in 2000. The HMBB first survey card states: “[front] door is flanked by fluted timber pilasters rising to fluted archivolt containing an elliptical fanlight (decorative glazing bars) and full-length sidelights”. The HMBB first survey slide shows the basement to have been dashed with a plain smooth rendered border. The upper floors are lined rendered and painted. The Peacock-tail fanlight is in decorative lead-work. Primary Sources: 1. OS 6” map 1834, Co Down sheet 54 (PRONI: OS 6/3/54/1). 2. First Valuation book, 1835 (PRONI: VAL 1B/ 353, p. 165). 3. HMBB first survey card dated 1/12/1969. 4. HMBB first survey slide (undated). 5. Photographs (dated 1997) in possession of Consarc Design Group. 6. Plans c1997 in possession of Consarc Design Group. 7. Harris Map of 1743. Secondary Sources: 1. Historical information framed and hung in Clonallan Parish Church (HB16/12/015).

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

Historic Interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Although the derelict nursing home extension detracted from its appearance, this attractive two storey (plus basement) 18thC rectory retained much of its original character. Most of its demesne is now developed for housing. As a rectory it had historical links with Clonallan Church (HB16/12/015) The chapel, burial ground and former grottoes of the Alexion Brothers in grounds are of some historical and social interest. The asymmetrical character of the interior was in complete contrast with the exterior and fake windows were created to accommodate this.

General Comments

Date of Survey

01 November 1999