Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/14/012 A

Address :
Strandtown Primary School North Road Sydenham Belfast County Antrim BT4 3DJ

Townland:
STRANDTOWN

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
02/03/1994 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
School

Former Use
School

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-15SW

IG Ref:
J3743 7412

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Owner Category

Education Board

Exterior Description And Setting

A single storey hipped-roof red brick neo-Georgian school complex dating from 1928 by the Belfast Education architect R. S. Wilshere. The school is laid out around a quadrangle with a double-height and a single-storey building in the centre of the quadrangle. Modern single storey flat-roofed extensions to southeast and southwest corners and a T-shaped single storey flat-roofed extension to northeast end. The site has a main entrance via North road and a secondary entrance via Earlswood road to rear. Hipped red-clay tile roof with swept valleys, half-round red-clay ridge tiles and raised parapets. Painted cupola to west wing roof. Cast-iron ogee guttering and circular downpipes. Dark toned rustic red brick walling laid to stretcher-bond with artificial stone and lighter red brick dressings and quoins. The multiple-bay principal elevation is symmetrical and faces west with a central shallow three-bay breakfront and a projecting single-bay hipped-roof wing to each end. The central breakfront has artificial stone coping, moulded plinth course and brick pilasters topped by artificial stone coping and urns at each corner. The square-headed pedimented door opening to the centre has moulded artificial stone architrave and cartouche. The timber door with fanlight opens onto a paved artificial stone platform. Square-headed window openings to each side with red brick dressings, gauged brick flat arch above and artificial stone keystone, artificial stone sills and panelled apron; original double-hung timber sash windows. Nine bays to extend north and south with artificial stone plinth course. Square-headed window openings with artificial stone sills and flush banding at impost levels with gauged brick flat arch openings having original double-hung timber sash windows. The projecting wings to north and south ends have pilasters to corners topped by artificial stone coping and urns, flush banding, moulded plinth course and contain a single square-headed window opening facing west with moulded artificial stone architrave and pediment having original timber double-hung sash window. A single window to elevations facing inwards with a square-headed window opening, moulded artificial stone sills, flush banding and gauged brick flat arch above having original double-hung timber sash window. The north elevation of the north wing has four bays and is symmetrical with pilasters to corners topped by artificial stone coping and urns, flush lintel course and moulded plinth course. Square-headed door opening to centre with painted timber architrave and hood mould. The painted flush timber door opens onto two nosed steps. Small oval window above with moulded artificial stone architrave and swag hood. Square-headed window openings to the other four bays with moulded artificial stone sills, flush continuous lintel-course and gauged brick flat arch above having original double-hung timber sash windows. The five-bay south elevation of the south wing has pilasters to corners topped by artificial stone coping and urns, flush lintel and moulded plinth course. Square-headed window openings to each bay with moulded artificial stone sills, flush continuous lintel-course and gauged brick flat arch above having original double-hung timber sash windows. Abutting modern single storey flat-roofed extension to south wing (of little interest). The north elevation consists of a symmetrical seven-bay rectangular plan form building. The nine-bay building has continuous flush artificial stone lintel, sill and plinth course with projecting eaves. The three central bays are recessed with artificial stone coping and moulded plinth course; pilasters to corners topped by artificial stone coping and urns. Round-arch door opening to centre with moulded artificial stone architrave and replacement metal double door with fanlight. The door opens onto a single artificial stone nosed step. A pilaster and a square-shaped window opening to each side with red brick dressings, gauged brick flat arch above with artificial stone keystone, artificial stone sills and panelled apron having original double-hung timber sash windows. Three-part square-headed windows to the other six bays with square-headed window openings and original timber casement windows. The east elevation consists of a symmetrical nine-bay building abutted by modern single storey flat roofed extensions to north and south end (of little interest). The main building has projecting eaves, continuous flush artificial stone lintel, sill and plinth course. Round arched door opening to middle bay with moulded artificial stone architrave and double panelled timber door with decorative fanlight opening onto a concrete ramp. Three-part square-headed window openings to the remaining bays with original timber casement windows. The south elevation has nine-bays with a door opening located off-centre to the east and modern single storey flat-roofed extensions to east and west. Square-headed pediment to door opening with moulded artificial stone architrave. Door opens onto two artificial stone nosed steps. Single window adjacent to the door opening; three-part square-headed windows to the remaining bays with original timber casement windows. Double-height hipped rectangular plan form building to quadrangle with four-bays to north and south elevations. Projecting eaves with moulded artificial stone course to impost level and plinth. Large round arched french window openings with original timber casements and fanlight to each bay. Attached single storey building facing east on to quadrangle has three modern hipped roof extensions to east and small square-headed windows to west elevation. The quadrangle is divided into three parts, all lawned. Single storey flat roofed corridors to all four sides of the quadrangle with metal framed curtain glazing. The site includes the school complex, modern single-storey pitched roof extensions to east and north and a two-storey red brick pavilion (listed under HB26.14.012 B) to the west. It is enclosed by gates and railings to west (also listed under HB26.14.012 B), a hedge to the north and tall fencing to east and south. Large playing field to northwest, lawned area to west and concrete paved playing areas to north and south. Materials Roof red-clay tiles Walling rustic red brick RWG cast iron Windows timber

Architects

Wilshere, R S

Historical Information

Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, responsibility for the administration of education in Northern Ireland was passed to Local Authorities (by means of the 1923 Education Act). The Belfast Education Committee was established to administer existing schools, but also to implement the construction of new schools in Belfast. The Northern Ireland Ministry of Education files record that in 1924 the committee wished to build a large school to replace the unsuitable former Jubilee, Lomond Avenue, and Strandtown national schools. Prior to the 1930s, Strandtown National School was located at the corner of Belmont Road and Dundela Street. The schoolhouse was originally built as St. Mark’s Parish Church, but when the congregation moved to the new church on the Holywood Road (see HB26/12/017) the former building was converted into a schoolhouse (Haines, p. 81). Strandtown Primary School superseded the unsuitable national schools in the area. The original Strandtown National School could hold approximately 250 pupils, but the new schoolhouse was designed to accommodate over 1,000 pupils. The Ministry of Education Files also note that larger schoolhouses were required to cope with an increase in the local population, resulting from increased house building activity in the area. The new school along the North Road was constructed between 1928 and 1930. Strandtown Primary School was designed by Reginald Sharman Wilshere (1888-1961), a Belfast-based English architect who had been appointed by the Belfast Education Committee as its chief designer in 1926 and designed 26 schools before the outbreak of the Second World War. The Irish Builder recorded that ‘Wilshere’s own idea ... is that if the children of a district have no beauty in their daily surroundings, they need beauty all the more in their schools.’ Wilshere’s technique was to construct large schools along quadrangles with corridors opened to fresh air. Strandtown is one of the finest of Wilshere’s schools with the design of the building closely following the architect’s standardised technique. Each of Wilshere’s schools incorporates unique aesthetic features. Larmour states that ‘they range from the neo-Georgian to the outright modernistic … there are also hints of modern German, Scandinavian and Dutch work. Most are built in brick with dressings of artificial stone, and roofs covered with Roman tiles, whilst classrooms were frequently finished in varying shades of colour.’ Strandtown’s most visually striking feature is it’s setting, with a large playing field located in front of the school although Larmour suggests that ‘the subtle use of lighter brick for dressings in the otherwise dark toned rustic brick’ helped the building to win the RIBA Ulster Architecture Medal in 1930 (Larmour, p. 84). The neo-Georgian pavilion, located to the west of the school, was also designed by Wilshere and was erected in 1930 (see HB26/14/012B). Strandtown Primary School was opened in 1930. The school was valued at £1,000 under the First Revaluation of 1935, and in the after math of the Second World War this was further increased to £2,160 under the Second Revaluation (1956-72). Strandtown Primary School was listed in 1994 and in 2006 the school was renovated by Todd Architects. References Primary Sources 1. PRONI ED/13/1/1058 – Ministry of Education Files: New public elementary school (1924-1934) 2. PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1902) 3. PRONI OS/6/3/4/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1920-21) 4. PRONI OS/6/3/4/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1931) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/N/9 – Annual Revisions (1916-1930) 6. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/20 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935) 7. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/48 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 8. Ulster Town Directories (1918-1943) 9. First Survey Record – HB26/14/012 (1991) 10. First Survey Image – HB26/14/012 (No Date) 11. NIEA HB Records – HB26/14/012 (Missing) Secondary Sources 1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1987. 2. Haines, K., ‘East Belfast: Paintings and stories from harbour to hills’ Donaghadee: Cottage Publications, 2001. Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects – http://www.dia.ie/ 2. Todd’s Architects website - http://www.toddarch.com/projects/education/nurseryprimary/strandtown-primary-school-belfast.php

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form G. Innovatory Qualities H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A very interesting example of one of leading architect R S Wilshere's schools in neo-Georgian style with an impressive surviving hall. Single storey hipped-roof red brick school complex dating from 1928 laid out around a quadrangle. Despite the modern flat-roofed extensions which slightly undermine the school's architectural character, the school remains a fine example of Wilshere's design demonstrating his ingenious layout planning around a central courtyard and unique architectural style. The school has group value with the Caretakers house/pavilion HB26.14.012 B and the other listed Wilshere schools in Belfast.

General Comments

This record was previously HB26/14/012.

Date of Survey

30 January 2014