Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/46/003 B

Address :
Chapel at Dominican College 38 Fortwilliam Park Belfast Co. Antrim BT15 4AQ

Townland:
Skegoneill

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
24/03/2016 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-5

IG Ref:
J3361 7768

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

A double height modernist church with a curvilinear roof dating from 1964 to designs by architect William Bready and constructed by P.F. Kerr of Belfast. Wedge-shaped plan form with curved walls and two single storey flat-roofed curving corridors connecting the chapel to the school building to N. The building is located within the grounds of the Dominican College to the N side of Fortwilliam Park on a site including Walton House (listed under HB26.46.003 A). Swept curvilinear roof with asphalt roof covering. Rough cast rendered walling to chapel. Raised parapet to apex with a metal cross. The corridors are arranged to form a small courtyard between the N side of the chapel and S wall of the school; both have painted timber sheeting to the outer walls and are fully glazed to inside face. Leaded stained glass windows with concrete cills and shallow recessed painted concrete panels below. The SW elevation is a shallow convex curve on plan and has eleven full-height vertical strip windows of varying width. The SE elevation is concave curve on plan with ten full-height vertical strip windows of varying width. The concrete roof overhangs deeply and meets the raised parapet to S end. Marble plaque carved with the date of construction at low level. Full height stained glass window facing E where SW elevation sweeps round to meet SE wall. The E elevation consists of the blank E elevation of the chapel to S end and the E single storey curved corridor to N. The W elevation consists of the W elevation of the chapel to S end and the W single storey corridor to N. Single storey projecting outshot to chapel with a square-headed double-leaf sheeted timber door. Stained glass full height vertical strip window to N. Square-headed door opening to corridor with metal door. Three small rectangular shaped windows at high level to corridor. Setting: The chapel has an internal wedge-shaped courtyard formed by the the curving corridors and the School building having a paved surface finish. Tarmaced pathway around the building and lawns to S. The building is located within the grounds of the Dominican College to the N side of Fortwilliam Park on a site including Walton House (listed under HB26.46.003 A). Materials: Roof: asphalt roof covering RWG: not visible Walling: rough cast render Windows: leaded stained glass

Architects

McCormick, James

Historical Information

The chapel at Dominican College, a modern church located to the south side of Walton House (HB26/46/003A - with which it is connected by two corridors) was constructed in 1964-66. Dominican College, an Italianate sandstone former house (now forming part of a secondary school) located on Fortwilliam Park, was originally constructed in c. 1865. The two-storey building is now known as Walton House and throughout its history was occupied by a number of Belfast’s most prominent businessmen. Walton House was acquired by the Irish Dominican Sisters in 1930 and was subsequently converted into a convent school. The Dominican College website states that the decision by the Sisters to found a school ‘arose from their reading the signs of the times. Belfast had developed rapidly as a commercial city in the 1920s and the need for secretarial training for young women was seen by the Sisters as an apostolic challenge to provide such in a religious and cultural atmosphere.’ Following the conversion of the building, Walton House reopened in 1930 as a grammar school, preparatory school and secretarial college administered by the Irish Dominican Sisters. The fifth edition Ordnance Survey map (1938) records that the school occupied the main body of Walton House and that no additional school buildings had been constructed at that time. Dominican College was increased in value to £290 under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936). The college website states that the attendance of the school plummeted during the Second World War as many children in North Belfast were evacuated from the city, but following the cessation of the conflict and the passing of the 1947 Education Act providing free Secondary Education for all, the school witnessed a massive increase in applications (Dominican College website). To accommodate the influx of new pupils, a number of extensions to the college were added in the mid-20th century. School blocks to the north side of Walton House were erected in 1950 and 1953 and in 1964-66 the modern chapel was added to the school. The chapel, as well as the extensions to the college, were designed by Kilpatrick & Bready, a local architectural partnership formed between Edward Joseph Kilpatrick and William D. Bready in 1937. The firm operated until the 1970s and predominantly designed houses and schools in the suburbs which developed in Belfast following the end of the Second World War. A history of the chapel located within the building suggests that the design of the building was by William Bready and not Kilpatrick (DIA; Larmour, p. 31). The foundation stone of the chapel was laid by the Bishop of Down and Connor on 9th September 1964. Construction of the chapel was undertaken by P. F. Kerr of Belfast whilst the stained glass windows and Stations of the Cross were designed by Daniel Braniff, a local glazier who also provided the stained glass windows to the nearby Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (HB26/46/016). The church was specifically sited so that the large window in the apse would face the east. The stained glass windows portray the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. The windows depicting the Glorious Mysteries were carried out in a variety of warm and bright coloured glass (located on the east side of the church facing the rising sun) whilst the Sorrowful Mysteries were designed in mournful blues and purples (located on the west side of the church and the setting of the sun). The printed history in the church explains that ‘an overall device in the stained glass is continuous bands of strong colours (reds and purples) calculated to make the eye travel along the windows to their most lightsome point – the Sanctuary. The furnishings of the church include the altar which weighs over two tonnes and was carved of Carrara marble imported from Tuscany. The cross located above the altar bearing a figure of the victorious Christ, with the four Evangelists are illustrated on panels on the arms of the cross, was also designed by Daniel Braniff. The ambo, which is also Carrara marble, possesses a metal stand decorated with a beaten bronze image of the eagle, the symbol of St. John. The chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and was opened in May 1966. The Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) did not individually value the chapel but jointly valued it with the adjoining school at £3,640. Dominican College was listed in 1987 and underwent a £13 million redevelopment in c. 2003 aimed at providing modern facilities for the college. Despite the extensive modifications undertaken at Dominican College, field inspection of the site has found that no major changes have been made to the chapel since its construction in 1964-66 (NIEA HB Records; Dominican College website). Resources Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1858) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931) 4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1938) 5. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/21C – Griffith’s Valuation (1859) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/5/8A-F – Annual Revisions (1862-1897) 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/H/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930) 8. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/11- First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72) 9. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/16 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 10. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943) 11. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911) 12. First Survey Record – HB26/46/003 (1985) 13. NIEA HB Records – HB26/46/003 Secondary Sources 1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987. Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie 2. Natural Stone Database - http://www.stonedatabase.com 3. Dominican College Website - http://www.dominicancollege.org.uk/

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A very good example of a modernist chapel dating from 1964 to designs by architect William Bready and constructed by P.F. Kerr of Belfast. Situated at Dominican College, Fortwilliam it features an unusual wedge-shaped plan form, accommodating school oratory to east and main chapel to west with curved walls and two single storey flat-roofed curving corridors connecting the chapel to the school building to N. The imposing swept curvilinear roof references the work of Le Corbusier in Ronchamps and the prominent Irish architect Liam McCormick. The interior of the chapel has remained intact since its construction and boasts a series of impressive vertical floor to ceiling stained glass windows by Daniel Braniff and furnishings that compliment the clarity and elegance of the architect’s design. The building is located within the large grounds of the Dominican College to the N side of Fortwilliam Park on a site including Walton House (listed under HB26.46.003 A).

General Comments

Date of Survey

16 June 2014