Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB23/05/031

Address :
former Good Templar Hall 1A Hamilton Road Bangor Co Down BT20 4JP

Townland:
Corporation

---

Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hall

Former Use
Hall

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
115/12

IG Ref:
J4620 4274

---

Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Partially attached three-bay single-storey gable-fronted hall and meeting rooms of former temperance society, dated 1872 and abutted by a single-bay proportion to west, which is contemporary with the main building. Rectangular on plan, the principal south elevation lines the north side of Hamilton Road in central Bangor, with the rear elevation addressing Bingham Lane. A single-storey flat-roofed extension abuts to the west elevation, concealed behind the western bay of the main elevation. Pitched roof with fibre-cement tiles and decorative finial to southern apex; painted stone coping to north and south verges; uPVC rainwater goods mounted to brick eaves course (east and west), which is pierced by iron patress plates. Ruled-and-lined rendered masonry walling, painted to principal south elevation over contrasting plinth. Pointed-arched window openings to south elevation, with chamfered reveals and heads, painted hood-moulds, projecting painted stone sills and historic 2/2 pointed-arched sliding timber sashes with profiled horns and rolled glass. Principal elevation faces south comprising symmetrical three-bay gable-fronted hall with a single-bay single-storey proportion to the left-side (contemporary in style and date with the main building), having a single window opening and a parapet, which conceals the flat-roof mid 20th century extension abutting to the west elevation. Semi-circular date panel to apex of gable, inscribed; ‘ GOOD TEMPLAR HALL A.D 1872.’ Single window openings flank pointed-arched door opening to central bay of main hall elevation, having hood-moulding, chamfered head and reveals and timber-sheeted double-leaf doors with a bipartitie timber overlight. West elevation abutted by a mid 20th century flat-roofed extension, which is abutted by the adjoining bank building (HB23/05/001) to the west. Rear (north) elevation walling is of roughly coursed rubblestone construction, with red brick to centre marking previous chimneybreast. Modern metal vent inserted to left-of centre; square-headed door opening to left-side with raised cement-rendered surrounds and modern steel-sheeted double-leaf doors. Blank smooth rendered wall of modern extension projects to right-side, having concrete coping over. East elevation contains four square-headed window openings with chamfered heads and reveals, painted masonry sills and historic 2/2 timber sliding sash windows with plain glass and profiled horns. Setting Street-fronted on the north-western side of Hamilton Road, located within the urban
setting of central Bangor. Abutted to the west by single-storey extensions of the present bank (HB23/05/001) and the eastern elevation is in close proximity to the Orange Hall (HB23/05/002), which is contemporary with the Good Templar Hall. The principal elevation overlooks the grounds of St Comgall’s Church (HB23/07/007A), while the rear (north) elevation addresses Bingham Lane. Materials Roof; Cement-fibre tiles RWG; uPVC Walls; Painted ruled-and-lined render Windows; 2/2 sliding timber sash

Architects

Historical Information

Built in 1872, to the designs of Belfast-based architect Francis Stirrat, for a temperance society known as ‘The Good Templars’, the hall was the first of its kind to be erected in Ireland. This particular temperance order had quickly gathered support in Bangor during 1871 and by the following year it had founded two lodges comprising 200 members, with an additional juvenile lodge of 60 members. These brethren had taken the pledge of total abstinence and also undertook the ‘…promotion of temperance as part of their religion.’ (Belfast News Letter). The hall was intended to provide an alternative place of amusement, away from the drunkenness of the public houses; Stirrat’s design comprised a reading room, coffee room and caretakers’ apartments on the ground floor, with separate stair access (located to the west), leading a large hall on the upper floor for public meetings. The Belfast News Letter (2nd April 1872) noted that the cost of the hall was not expected to exceed £450, as the carpentry work was to be carried out by the Bangor brethren after hours. The foundation stone was laid by the Countess Dufferin on the 1st April 1872 (Belfast News Letter) and a concert was held on 9th August 1873 for the opening of the Hall (Newtownards Chronicle). The neighbouring Orange Hall (HB23/05/002) to the east was also designed by Stirrat and was completed soon after, in April 1874. First shown on the third edition OS map (1899-1904), the Good Templar’s Society Hall was noted in the Annual Revisions of 1872, listed under their trustee Henry Montgomery and having a rateable value of £17. Throughout the 20th century, the hall was utilised for a variety of purposes, which subsequently increased the rateable value; the Bangor Harmonic Society rehearsed here during the 1900s (Patton), and the Annual Revisions (1918-38) show that it acted as both a Petty Sessions court house and a meeting place of the Bangor Christian Workers Society, until it was taken over by the Ministry of Food in 1939, who utilised the building as offices and stores (Spectator 24th September 1955). Like much of the town, the site was originally part of the Ward (later Clanmorris) estate, but by 1941 ownership had passed to the Trustees of the Good Templar Hall (Annual Revisions of the First General Revaluation; 1936-57). Although it is likely that Stirrat’s intended design over two levels (outlined above) was that which was built, no evidence of this arrangement now remains. The roof was replaced during the latter-half of the 20th century and therefore there is no trace of any previous rooflights, which, due to an absence of high-level windows, would have been needed to light the upper level. Additionally, the former western block, which was thought to have contained stairs leading to the upper floor, was entirely replaced by a flat-roofed extension in the mid 20th century. Ownership of the Good Templar Hall passed to the local council and, as is keeping with the original principles on which it was founded, the ban on alcohol was maintained (NMNI). Used as a community hall until recent years, the hall has recently come under new ownership (Feb 2016). A number of temperance or total abstinence societies were set up during the mid 19th century, as alcohol was seen to be eroding the fabric of society and as detrimental to the growth of industry (IOOGT). In Ireland, the first temperance societies were based in Dublin and Belfast; largely organised by the Protestant clergy and upper classes who sought to set a good moral example. The Protestant-led total abstinence movement became increasingly popular in Ireland during the 19th century, appealing to the working class population, they campaigned for more restrictive licensing laws and opening times (Blocker et all). The International Order of Good Templars (now The International Organisation of Good Templars) was established in 1851 in the USA; with a lodge established in Birmingham, England in 1868, the movement rapidly spread in the following years to countries including Ireland, Wales, New Zealand, France and South Africa. Taking its name from the Knights Templar, a religious order of knights founded in 1109, the structure of the group was based on Freemasonry, employing similar rituals and symbols. However, this order was unusual for the period as it made no distinction on basis of race or gender, with all members being treated equally (IOGT). Many temperance orders set up Tea Rooms, which sought to provide good and wholesome food at very reasonable prices, thus appealing to a broad spectrum of people who may otherwise have used the public house and fallen victim to the ‘evils’ of alcohol (NMNI). The Bangor hall was the first Good Templar Hall to be built in Ireland, and other examples survive in Annalong and the Carrickfergus Hall has been relocated to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 - Third Edition OS Map 1901 2. PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 - Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26 3. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 - Fifth Edition OS Map 1939 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K - Annual Revisions (1866-99) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/9A-S - Annual Revisions (1900-1930) 6. PRONI VAL/12/E/129/1 - Annual Revisions Town Plans (c.1864-1899) 7. PRONI VAL/12/E/129/2 - Annual Revisions Town Plans (1898-c.1916) 8. PRONI VAL/3/B/4/3 - First General Revaluations (1935) 9. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/6 - First General Revaluation Annual Revisions (1936-57) Secondary Sources 1. Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999 2. Belfast Newsletter April 2nd 1872 3. Newtownards Chronicle 9th August 1873 4. Blocker, Jack. Fahey, David. Tyrell, Ian “ Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History - An International Encyclopedia; Volume 1” ABC Clio, Oxford (2003) Online Sources 1. IOGT History (http://www.iogt.us/iogt.php?p=35) 2. National Museums Northern Ireland (https://nmni.com/uftm/Collections/buildings/Town-Area-(1)/Temperance-Hall)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A small-scale single-storey gable-fronted former Good Templar Hall, dated 1872 and built to the designs of Francis Stirrat. Although the interior layout and fabric have been substantially altered, the historic principal elevation which fronts Hamilton Road were, until recently, well-retained, displaying a municipal style embellished with simplified neo-Gothic devices. In conjunction with the contemporary Orange Hall to the immediate east, the pair constitute an important feature within the streetscape. The building is of further significance as it was the first of this kind to be built within Ireland and is one of the few examples of a Good Templar Hall now remaining. However, the building has been stripped of its original external decoration and re-configured internally since the time of the surve. Therefore insufficient original historic fabric remains to merit listing, due to the removal of the majority of its special architectural interest.

General Comments

Also HB23/LQ085

Date of Survey

23 February 2016