Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB23/20/082

Address :
McCammon Memorial Masonic Hall 11 Sullivan Place Holywood Co Down BT18 9JF

Townland:
Holywood

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
20/08/2012 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hall

Former Use
Hall

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130/4SW

IG Ref:
J3969 7933

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Owner Category

Orange Order

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-storey two bay redbrick Edwardian freestyle Masonic hall, built c.1905 to designs by Godfrey Ferguson, extended to rear c.1915. Rectangular on plan with projecting stair tower to right; located on the east side of Sullivan Place, Holywood. Roof is pitched natural slate with roll-moulded terracotta ridge tiles and plain redbrick gable chimneystacks. uPVC rainwater goods over projecting masonry eaves; masonry verges. Dutch gable with sandstone volutes to left bay; stair tower has a castellated parapet with curly central crenel, topped by an octagonal timber cupola with copper pavilion roof; sandstone copings and string course. Walling is redbrick, laid in English garden wall bond over a projecting brick plinth; detailing is confined to the facade, comprising sandstone cill course to ground floor and string course between floors, broken by a panelled sandstone fascia over an ovolo brick base with carved lettering: MCCAMMON MEMORIAL MASONIC HALL. To extension, detailing is minimal: walling as before with yellow brick to first floor south and cement rendered rear elevation, with plaster strips between openings. Windows are uPVC replacements throughout; semi-circular windows have decorative brick surrounds and sandstone keyblocks; brick jack arches and chamfered brick reveals to remainder. Extension windows are horizontal to ground floor, set at high level, larger to first floor, all with concrete lintels. Principal elevation faces west; right bay projects and has three closely grouped windows to first floor; staggered windows to lower section. Left bay is dominated at ground floor by a large Art Nouveau window with replacement stained glass; three grouped windows to first floor; Diocletian window to Dutch gable. The entrance is set to centre, in the internal angle, and consists of a replacement timber panelled door with Masonic knocker (removed at time of survey) and plain fanlight, all set beneath a sandstone canopy on scrolled brackets and accessed by concrete steps. The left gable has a single window to first floor and is extended to east by a large hall extension of two storeys, four openings wide and abutted at ground floor by a plainly detailed single storey toilet extension. Steel fire escape and escape door to left side. Rear elevation is plainly detailed; it has two high-level window openings at ground floor and three cement rendered buttresses. The right gable has a window to each floor at right side, and four equally spaced windows to each floor to extension. SETTING: The hall occupies an urban
setting on Sullivan Place, set slightly back from the street front behind a brick boundary wall with steel pedestrian gate. Paved perimeter and steel fence to north. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Red brick Windows: uPVC RWG: uPVC

Architects

Ferguson, Godfrey

Historical Information

The Hall is first shown on the fourth edition OS map of 1919-31. It enters valuation records in 1905 as a Masonic Hall and yard, occupied by the Society of Freemasons and leased from Henry Harrison. The valuation is £17. Valuer’s notes of 1905 give a plan and dimensions and state the cost of construction to have been £830. In 1916 part of the building to the rear was raised from one storey to two storeys with a consequent rise in the valuation to £18. Valuer’s notes identify the portion of the building concerned. The masons become immediate lessors in 1920. According to Auld, a Masonic lodge was in existence in Holywood from 1813 to 1856, meeting at various temporary locations across the town. (Auld, p.137) The Freemasons Magazine announced in 1868 that a new lodge had been constituted in Holywood, “the want having long been felt by a number of brethren resident in that neighbourhood”. A room at Mr Leister’s Hotel, Main Street was used for the purpose and a list of those present is given. The hope was expressed that, “a large number of the residents of Holywood will avail themselves of the opportunity which will now be afforded them of becoming members of the craft”. The masons were without a permanent home at first and met in a variety of locations including the Assembly Rooms, the Presbyterian Church and the former National School building. (Auld, p.137) The Masonic Hall was built in 1904 to designs by Godfrey W Ferguson of Avenue Chambers, Belfast who was also the architect for the Freemasons’ Hall in Lurgan, dedicated in 1900. Ferguson was well known as the architect to the Northern Bank. The contractor was Messrs J and R Thompson of Short Strand. The hall was named the McCammon Memorial Masonic Hall in memory of the late Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Down, A McCammon. (Irish Builder, 1904, 1905) The Irish Builder comments that, “the interior is admirably arranged for the working of Masonic ritual. The entrance hall and staircase form a pleasing feature, being well lighted. The floor, of white mosaic, enhances its bright and cheerful aspect. The staircase leads to the first floor, where is a large room which is intended to be fitted up and used for the working of the higher degrees. On the left of the hall is a room to be used as a cloakroom, and on occasions for refreshments. It communicates with the lodge room, and has off it lavatories and a strong room for the storage of Masonic requisites and secretaries’ boxes. The lodge room is quite unique in its style and character. It is an absolute square, with a wood ceiling. An octagon dome in the roof throws a soft subdued light over the whole room. The heating is successfully effected by Messrs Musgrave’s system and the ventilation is by cold air, admitted at intervals below the pipes and controlled by regulating valves. The extraction is by two of Boyle’s ventilators in the roof. The artificial lighting is by two arc incandescent lamps, each of one hundred candle power, fitted up by Mr John Clements, who had charge of all the plumbing and gas fitting. The fittings reflect creditably upon all responsible for its furnishing. Especial credit is due to Messrs Mayrs and Co for the manner in which they have carried out the architect’s designs to the minutest detail, under the superintendence of their foreman, Mr Gillespie, the workmanship being most creditable to the Belfast firm. Along two walls and part of a third are twenty-six stalls with shaped backs and armrests. At the east wall is the dais on each side of which is a handsome balustrade and in the centre a canopy over the chairs of the W.M. etc. The canopy is formed by a moulded pediment supported by square panelled pillars with carved capitals and embellished with the emblematic jewel of the W.M. On the west end is the S.W. dais and pediment of a similar character but less ornate. Masonic emblems mark the positions of other officers in the lodge. All the chairs have been specially made and have been specially presented. All the fittings and furniture are carried out in solid oak.” (Irish Builder, 1905) Twenty-three Lodges, Chapters, Councils and Templars meet in Holywood including John B Crozier Lodge 497 commemorating the former Rector of Holywood and Archbishop of Armagh, and TVP McCammon Memorial Lodge 540. This lodge commemorates Lt Col TVP McCammon who was Commanding Officer of the Royal Irish Rifles and died in action in France in 1917. (Auld, p.138) References: Primary Sources PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31 PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41 PRONI VAL/12/A/3/53 – Valuer’s Notebook (1900-06) PRONI VAL/12/A/3/55 – Valuer’s Notebook (1912-22) PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930) Irish Builder, Vol 46, 12 March, 1904, p.158 Irish Builder, Vol 47, 28 January, 1905, p.62 Freemasons’ Magazine and Masonic Mirror, Vol XIX, July to December 1868, p.236 Secondary Sources Auld, C. “Holywood Co Down, Then and Now” Holywood: Con Auld, 2002

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

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

McCammon Masonic hall is a two-storey two bay redbrick Edwardian freestyle Masonic hall, built c.1905 to designs by Godfrey Ferguson, extended to rear c.1915. The hall displays an early twentieth century aspect with detailing confined to the façade. Ornamentation is typical of the freestyles which were popular at the time of construction, exhibiting curled gables with suggestions of Art Nouveau and neo-Baroque styling to windows and door, all in sandstone. Although the original windows have been lost, most original detailing and the internal layout survive, reflecting the building’s unbroken use as a Masonic hall. This building represents the first permanent building of the local lodge. It is a good example of this type of minor civic building.

General Comments

Date of Survey

15 July 2010