Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/09/004

Address :
Holywell Hospital 60 Steeple Road Antrim Co Antrim BT41 2RJ

Townland:
Holy Well

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
03/03/1997 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hospital Building

Former Use
Hospital Building

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
96/10

IG Ref:
J1540 8876

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Owner Category

Central Govt Health Board

Exterior Description And Setting

A complex of red brick hospital buildings comprising a 2-storey Administration Block with a 5-stage Italianate clock tower, facing north, linked by courtyards to a single storey Workshop Block to the east and a one-and-two storey Laundry Block to the west, flanked by a pair of detached chapels, and with a canted lateral single storey corridor to the rear giving access to four ward blocks. One courtyard is now open and one ward block is now used for other purposes. The main entrance to the Administration Block is in the base of the clock tower, facing north. Note: The Exterior Description is divided into a number of different sections for ease of reference, numbered as follows – 1. Administration Block 2. Workshop Block 3. Laundry Block 4. Main cross corridor 5. Former 'Female Chronic Block' 6. Former 'Female Hospital Block' 7. Former 'Male Hospital Block' 8. Former 'Male Chronic Block' 9. Protestant Church 10. Roman Catholic Chapel 11. Setting 1. ADMINISTRATION BLOCK Entrance elevation, facing north, is symmetrical, and comprises a 5-stage clock tower of square plan flanked by 2-storey wings to each side. Walls of red brick with projecting moulded brick plinth, string courses and dentil cornice. Roofs of green slates, look like Westmorland, in regular courses, with terracotta ridge tiles of serrated profile. Prominent chimneys of red brick with panelled faces, moulded brick cornices; original tall red terracotta pots. Moulded cast iron gutters with rectangular cast iron downpipes secured by foliated brackets; moulded cast iron hoppers; circular cast iron downpipes from lower projecting bays. Windows are elliptically headed timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns, set in elliptically arched openings surmounted by projecting brick drip mouldings. Projecting red sandstone cills continuous with stringcourse to each side. The recessed main wall area of each wing has a shallow single storey projecting rectangular bay, with hipped lead roof, in the same plane as the projecting end gables. End bays are gabled and include an attic storey lit by a small oval or elliptical plain window between raised brick pilaster strips. Red sandstone copings to gables with stepped brick corbel course; apex surmounted by a raised segmental pediment with ball finial. Central clock tower projects forward: ground floor contains main entrance. Main entrance recessed within an elliptical brick archway; square columns, smooth cement rendered, with moulded bases and floriated capitals, coupled to reveals; fluted and garlanded keystone to archway surmounted by a small balcony carried on large curved and fluted brackets. Circular perforations to front and sides of balcony parapet, linked by strapwork; ball finial to each front corner of balcony. To each side of balcony is a painted stone zoomorphic gargoyle. Buttress to each side of ground floor of tower, projecting to second stage level, and terminating in a scrolled stone weathering. Each side wall of ground floor of tower contains a deep set recessed elliptically arched window sashed as previous to main front. At first floor level in tower is an elliptically arched two-leaf French window giving access to the balcony. At second floor level in the tower is a pair of narrow coupled windows in the front face, sashed as previously. Each of the side faces at second floor level is abutted by a projecting semi-gable raking up to the belfry stage above, from the flanking two-storey wings of the building. At the third floor level in the tower there is a trifora in each of the four faces. Each trifora consists of a pair of coupled columns of polished granite shafts with foliated marble capitals, triple arcaded in brick, with moulded sandstone bases on projecting red sandstone cills carried on four brickwork brackets. Below each of the trifora in the two side faces of the tower is a large projecting sculptured lion's head in red sandstone. Above the trifora on each face are five projecting red sandstone shields each embellished with a crown in relief, and above the shields is a machicolated red sandstone cornice. At the fourth floor level of the tower there is a large clock face in each of the four faces, each clock face set in an elliptically arched recess with red sandstone colonnettes; clock faces of geometrical pattern without numbers; faces illuminated at night. This stage is surmounted by a red sandstone cornice and arcaded parapet with what looks like paired chimney pots or ventilation flues grouped at each corner. East elevation of Administration Block: 2-storey, of same character as entrance front, with similar walling, roofing, rainwater goods and windows; one window to each floor to the right of the projecting yard wall, sashed as previous; one taller stair window to the left of the wall, a timber fixed light with top-hung bottom light, with projecting moulded sandstone cill, with a rectangular door and an arched sashed window to the ground floor below it; door is rectangular glazed flush timber with a sandstone lintel surmounted by an arched brick drip moulding; the cill to the window beside it is of projecting red sandstone. Rear elevation of eastern wing is of red brick of plainer character than entrance elevation, without moulded stringcourses but with a projecting brick eaves course. Plain segmental arched brick openings to segmental headed timber windows, sashed as previous to entrance front. Extending to the south is a rear return consisting of a single storey link corridor in plain red brick with rectangular metal windows set in arched openings, with projecting red sandstone cills, and a rectangular doorway leading into a small rear kitchen yard. Doorway into small kitchen yard has rounded purple brick jambs and a sliding ledged timber door with timber pelmet; hipped green slated roof over doorway with plain terracotta ridge tiles. Small kitchen yard is paved with purple bricks laid on side. North side of small kitchen yard, immediately behind the main front block of the administration building is a stores block with a large central elliptical brick archway now closed up with smooth cement render; archway flanked either side by rectangular doorways, with modern flush timber doors and a modern panelled door, and tall narrow segmental arched window openings with rectangular timber windows. South side of small rear yard has a hipped roofed block, with green slates, serrated terracotta ridge tiles and terracotta finials, incorporating a replacement rooflight over an open recess, and a small gabled original light box on the ridge; turned wooden finials to light box. Walls of block are red brick; windows rectangular timber with a black painted timber lintel, continuous with partly boxed-in steel girder over recess. PVC gutter and cast iron downpipes. Further south lies the main kitchen block with a tall gabled block in the centre: red brick gable with a glazed roof and glazed clerestorey, projecting from the large red brick gable of the dining block and recreation hall to the south. West end of Administration Block is similar to the east end except there is a single storey canted brick bay to the ground floor to the left of the projecting yard wall; one arched window in each face of bay, sashed as previous; hipped roof of slates as previous; moulded cast iron gutter with rectangular cast iron downpipe. Right-hand extremity of wall at first floor level has brickwork keys left where anticipated floor of return wing was not built. Extending to the south is a long single storey return wing, built in two blocks; first block is taller and has roof of green slates as previous, with serrated terracotta ridge tiles, and small circular metal ventilator on ridge; second block is lower, and has roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with plain red ridge tiles; third block is of similar ridge height but has green slates and serrated ridge tiles. Windows in return include rectangular metal fixed lights and casements with top-hung vents, with pink tinted concrete lintels and projecting red sandstone cills or grey concrete cills; aluminium and PVC windows in similar openings to previous; and rectangular PVC fixed lights with top-hung vents set in elliptically arched brick openings with projecting red sandstone cills. To the right of a modern single storey flat-roofed red brick and plywood panelled projecting block, are three canted bays with hipped roofs and terracotta finials; bay to extreme right contains a rectangular metal window, fixed light and casement, and a narrow rectangular glazed and panelled door with plain fanlight, also set in a brick arched opening. Return wing has cast iron gutter with cast iron downpipes and one PVC downpipe. RECREATION HALL This is a two-storey building to the rear of the Administration Block, on an axis with the clock tower and the main kitchen; it projects to the south beyond the line of the main cross corridor of the hospital. Recreation hall roofs are green slated with serrated terracotta ridge tiles, and two circular metal ogee domed ventilators on the ridge. Walls of red brick, with shallow brick buttresses between window openings to the side elevations which are of plain character to the north of the main cross corridor where visible mainly from enclosed courts or lightwells, but given stringcourses and drip mouldings over windows at the south end where clearly visible as part of the main south elevation of the complex. First floor windows in both east and west sides of recreation hall are modern PVC replacements; ground floor windows in both east and west sides to north of main cross corridor of hospital are metal framed with small panes; ground floor windows to south of main cross corridor are of metal on west side but PVC on east side; metal windows are small-paned fixed lights with central opening vents. Large steel fire escape stairway attached to south end of east side of recreation hall. South gable of recreation hall is brick pilastered, with stepped brick corbel courses; sandstone urn finials to apex of gable and to shoulders; large central 3-light window with small circular tracery lights, in red sandstone tracery, set in an arched recess. 2. WORKSHOP BLOCK The Workshop Block stands to the east of the Administration Block; comprises four ranges or wings around a courtyard. Main entrance into courtyard faces east. East elevation single storey with a gabled attic over the main entrance archway. Walls of red brick with projecting moulded plinth, stringcourses and dentil cornice. Roof of green slates and serrated terracotta ridge tiles as previous to Administration Block. Two chimneys, red brick, as previous to Administration Block. Moulded cast iron gutters with rectangular cast iron downpipes secured by ornamented brackets. Windows include modern rectangular PVC, modern rectangular timber, fixed lights with opening vents, set in elliptical arched brick openings, with red sandstone cills, except for one later large rectangular metal framed window set in an enlarged opening with concrete lintel and cill. Main entrance opening into yard is elliptically arched in brick, with red sandstone springing blocks and moulded brick drip over. Above archway is a single window, brick arched, set in an attic gable with moulded red sandstone copings and stepped projecting brick panelling. North elevation comprises a low central single storey range flanked at each end by projecting gabled wings; wing to left single storey; wing to right two-storey. A chimney tower stands in the corner between central range and left-hand gable. Walling, roofs, rainwater goods, and arched window openings all as on east elevation. Windows in central range are later rectangular 8-paned timber fixed lights with opening vents, set in the arched openings. Left-hand gable has two windows in ground floor, of similar glazing to central range; with a small oval window set in a keystone and block brick surround in the apex of the gable, but window boarded up; red sandstone copings to gable, with ball finial. Right-hand gable has two windows to ground floor and two to first floor set in tall elliptically arched recesses; ground floor pair are later rectangular timber fixed lights and aluminium louvres set in segmental arched openings; first floor pair are modern PVC 6-pane fixed lights and top-hung vents set in the elliptical arches; red sandstone cills. Oval window in apex of gable, clear-glazed, and ball finial, as to previous gable. West elevation comprises two two-storey blocks joined to a single storey block. Roofs slated and ridges crested as previous; three modern flush rooflights in first block from north; original flush rooflight in single storey block. First block from north has moulded brick stringcourses and cornice; three elliptical windows to first floor; one wide segmental arched opening to ground floor leading into an open lobby; moulded cast iron downpipe to each extremity. Second block from north is of plain red brickwork; one chimney to right-hand gable. Windows are PVC rectangular fixed lights with top-hung vents, four windows to each floor, the three sets to the right contained within tall elliptically arched recesses with what appears to be blank rectangular PVC panels between storeys; projecting red sandstone cills. The set to the left are a similar PVC window in a shallow segmental brick arch to the ground floor, with small PVC panel to the head, and a projecting red sandstone cill; above is a similar PVC window in an elliptically arched brick opening with a recessed red sandstone cill, set within an oversailing gablet with timber bargeboards and timber struts carried on moulded brick corbels. Circular cast iron gutter with circular cast iron downpipes. Single storey block to south has PVC gutter and downpipe. Abutting the west elevation of the Workshop Block is a single storey wing consisting of a much altered pyramidal roofed outbuilding and a poor quality lean-to shed joined to the kitchens area of the Administration Block. Courtyard elevations of Workshop Block – north side: single storey block with a slightly projecting central bay with hipped roof; roofs slated and ridges crested as previous, with terracotta finials to hipped bay; plain ridge tiles to hips; chimney to each extremity. Walls of plain red brick. Central projecting bay has large rectangular timber windows, fixed lights, with timber cills; ledged timber doors to each extremity. Each end bay has two segmental arched windows, modern timber fixed lights, bay to left incorporating aluminium louvres; flush timber door with 3-pane fanlight in bay to left; ledged timber double doors in bay to right. PVC gutters and downpipes. East side of courtyard: single storey; plain red brick walls; roof slated and ridge crested as previous; PVC gutter and downpipe. Main entrance opening is segmental arched in plain brickwork, with lower portion of jambs of rounded brown brickwork. Two modern glazed flush timber doors. Window and door openings segmental arched except one later insertion or enlargement with concrete lintel and concrete cill. Windows are later rectangular timber, later rectangular metal, and later PVC replacements. West side of courtyard: comprises two two-storey blocks and a single storey block, with roofs slated and ridges crested as previous. PVC gutters and downpipes. Walls of plain brickwork; projecting red sandstone cills. Windows in two-storey blocks are PVC replacements as previous to other side. Windows in single storey block are PVC replacements or rectangular replacements. Doors are ledged timber and flush timber. South side of courtyard: comprises from right to left, a single storey brick screen wall with a later lean-to shelter in front; shelter is of corrugated asbestos on steel posts; a single storey red brick hipped block with ledged timber door and rectangular timber windows; a hipped roofed porch, set back, with ledged timber door; a modern single storey flat-roofed block, with rectangular door and window openings, and walls of rendered concrete blockwork, using dry dash of white limestone chippings. To the rear or south side of the south wing of the workshop courtyard lie two enclosed open courts either side of a short link corridor connecting with the main cross corridor of the hospital. The eastern court is a small Workshop Yard, concrete surfaced, used to store building maintenance equipment and machinery. The western court is a grassed garden laid out with lawns and gravel paths: enclosed on the south side by the main cross corridor, on the west by a single storey wing of the dining and recreation hall area of the administration block, and on the north side by a lean-to greenhouse which looks like a later addition; the part of the lawn to the west is raised in a ramped hump which looks like it may cover a raised basement services area. 3. LAUNDRY BLOCK The Laundry Block stands to the west of the Administration Block; consists of a number of conjoined single storey and two-storey hipped and gabled blocks arranged in an L shape. North elevation comprises a two-storey gabled office block at the east end with a long single storey boiler house wing extending to the west. Office block is two-storey, gabled, of red brick with moulded stringcourses and moulded dentil cornice similar to main Administration Block. North gable has red sandstone copings and ball finial; elliptical window in apex of gable with projecting brick drip moulding; two windows to each floor, later rectangular timber replacements, fixed lights incorporating aluminium louvres, set in elliptically arched moulded heads. Entrance is in east side contained in a projecting two-storey bay with hipped roof. All roofs of office block slated and ridges crested as previous. One chimney, red brick, panelled. Moulded cast iron gutters with cast iron downpipes; rectangular downpipe on east elevation to right of entrance bay is damaged with broken original brackets and is coming off the wall. Entrance is elliptically arched; elliptically headed original 4-panel timber door; open porch comprising a collar braced timber roof canopy supported on turned timber posts on a low plinth wall to the right and a brick screen wall to the left. Screen wall contains a small elliptically arched doorway, with ledged timber door, and moulded red sandstone coping, and a large elliptically arched doorway with ledged double doors; originally it enclosed the space between Laundry Block and Administration Block but now has a large opening. Later single storey red brick garage with flat roof is positioned behind double doors. Extending to the west is a long single storey boiler house with slated roof; later rustic brick walling to front, with large rectangular metal framed small-pane windows; concrete lintels and cills; cast iron downpipes from parapet gutter. Rectangular ledged timber sliding door to right-hand side. At west end is a projecting single storey gable of similar character brickwork to office block, including elliptical window opening in apex of gable, with moulded edge; window not glazed, but contains steel beams. Two windows in gable: rectangular timber fixed lights. Rectangular entrance containing double doors, ledged and glazed, set in west face of projecting single storey gabled block; glazed timber gabled light box on ridge of roof with turned wooden finials. At western extremity of north elevation is a setback single storey block with two arched windows containing modern rectangular PVC fixed lights and opening vents with small rectangular PVC panels to the heads; roof slated and ridge crested as previous, with swept lead covering to a ventilator base on ridge, but ventilator now removed. Extending to the west of that is a single storey block with moulded brick stringcourses and moulded cornice, but flat roof, containing a pair of double doors, panelled, with 3-light fanlight, chamfered concrete lintel. West elevation: comprises two brick gables to the left with a long two-storey gabled block to the right, ending in a hipped single storey block to the extreme right; moulded brick stringcourses and dentil cornices; ball finials to gables. First gable from north has a low projecting block containing rectangular windows, look like timber, set in elliptically arched moulded openings. Second gable from north has an oval window in apex, containing a modern metal projecting duct or flue. Roof beyond gable is slated and ridge crested, as previous, with a gabled timber roof box. Two-storey block to right has roof slated as previous, with plain ridge tiles; original 14-pane flush rooflight; chimney to left-hand extremity is truncated and sprouting grass. Three windows in first floor, centre one a 6-pane rectangular timber in a later plain brick opening with flat arched head; flanking windows are similar timber 6-pane, set in elliptically arched moulded openings. Single storey gabled block to right has roof slated and ridge crested as previous, with terracotta finial; moulded stringcourses and dentil cornice damaged and incomplete due to later alterations; contains large rectangular timber window and rectangular ledged timber door. Moulded cast iron gutter broken, and rectangular cast iron downpipe fractured. Wall patched at extremity by new brick nib which incorporates mouldings to original form. Across the front of the second gable from north and the two-storey block is a later single storey flat-roofed projection in rustic brick with deep timber fascia and metal upstand to flat roof. Large rectangular timber windows, fixed lights with top-hung vents and blank panels, in poor condition. PVC gutter and downpipe. South elevation comprises a hipped roofed single storey block: roof slated and ridge crested as previous, with two gabled timber roof boxes; glazing of roof boxes mostly obscured by white paint. Plain red brick walling; cast iron gutter with rectangular cast iron downpipe and circular PVC downpipe. Two windows, rectangular timber fixed lights and opening vents set in plain elliptically arched openings; one large original doorway, elliptically arched in plain brickwork, but now blocked up with tongued and grooved panelling below a timber framed fanlight; doorway set in a shouldered gablet with moulded red sandstone copings. To right of arched doorway is a modern gabled single storey extension built of pre-formed metal panels and plain red brickwork on a smooth cement rendered plinth. 4. MAIN CROSS CORRIDOR The main cross corridor of the hospital runs in an east-west direction cutting through the south end of the Administration Block and then canting northwards to each side of it to run past the rear of the Workshop Block and the Laundry Block with the four original ward blocks branching off it to the south. North face of portion to west to rear of Laundry Block: single storey, of red brick with moulded brick stringcourses, dentil cornice, and projecting plinth. Roof slated and ridge crested as previous. Moulded cast iron guttering to left of doorway; moulded PVC replacement guttering to right of doorway; rectangular cast iron downpipes. Windows arranged in pairs, elliptically arched, those to the left of the north doorway having plain arches, those to the right having moulded arches. Windows are rectangular timber fixed lights some with bottom-hung top vents; projecting red sandstone cills in line with projecting brick stringcourse. Doorway in north face contains a pair of rectangular glazed and panelled double doors with a 2-light fanlight set in an elliptical brick arched opening with moulded reveals, surmounted by a shouldered gablet with moulded red sandstone copings. West gable of western portion of main corridor contains an entrance doorway, similar to doorway in north face but set in plain reveals with a later inset modern red brick flattened elliptical archway. South face of western portion of main corridor is similar to north face except for western extremity which is of plainer character, of plain red brickwork without mouldings. Main cross corridor to eastern side of complex is essentially similar to that on the western side, except that jambs to entrance in east gable are moulded. 5. FORMER 'FEMALE CHRONIC BLOCK' The former 'Female Chronic Block' (now used as a conference suite and offices) stands at the western extremity of the main cross corridor of the hospital, and is connected to it by a single storey link block; of three storeys, laid out on a T-plan comprising a long rectangular main block with a short central rear return. Main elevation faces south. South elevation: three-storey, symmetrical, comprising a projecting central block four windows wide, with recessed wings each two windows wide, linked to projecting end blocks, each three windows wide. Hipped roofs, slated, with ridges crested, as previous; central brick chimneys. Walling is of red brick with moulded brick stringcourses, plinth, and dentil cornice. Window openings are elliptically arched with moulded edges. Windows are modern rectangular PVC fixed lights and opening vents, with blank PVC panels to the heads. Four original gabled dormer windows constructed of timber, with a 3-light window in the gable, and terracotta finials. Projecting above the end bays are tall polygonal brick ventilator turrets with timber louvres in elliptical arched moulded openings, and ogee copper domes containing original copper dressed roof vents; turret of eastern ventilator still retains its original finials displaying the date '1898', though finial now damaged. Moulded guttering, material uncertain, with rectangular PVC downpipes; circular cast iron soil pipes. The central block has two canted bays to the ground floor; hipped roofs, slated as previous; circular cast iron downpipes; looks like moulded PVC gutters. The projecting end bays have clasping brick buttresses to the corners, surmounted by moulded terracotta weatherings. Inner corner of each end bay contains a recessed porch entered by a tall elliptically arched opening on two sides. Concrete steps and concrete ramp to porches; entrance doorway within each porch recess is an original panelled door below an original 4-pane arched fanlight. West end elevation: three-storey of similar character to south elevation with a taller four-storey canted end bay tower, in the same plane, surmounted by the ventilator turret. Moulded brick stringcourses step down to lower storey levels in tower bay. Windows are PVC replacements except in tower bay, which contains some rectangular timber windows in arched openings. Doorway in ground floor of tower bay contains a modern rectangular flush timber door and original 4-pane fanlight recessed in a two stage elliptical archway. East elevation similar to west except for addition of an open porch to the entrance: flat concrete canopy carried on plain brick nib walls. Rear or north elevation: three-storey with four-storey end bay towers carrying ventilator turrets, and a central three-storey projecting return. Similar character and details as to other elevations. Windows are of PVC and of timber. North east angle between main block and rear return now occupied by a very large steel fire escape stairway. Original gabled 3-light dormer to rear return, similar to main block; later flat-roofed rustic brick lift shaft projects from roof on east side of rear return. Single storey link with main cross corridor of hospital is comprised of a corridor with a hipped roof projection on the west side. Roofs slated and ridges crested as previous; gabled timber roof box on ridge of corridor, with all glazing intact; roof of western projection is surmounted by a swept lead covered ventilator base now with ventilator removed. Moulded cast iron gutters, damaged at north west corner of western projection where it is replaced by leadwork, now itself dented. Walling of plain brickwork. Hipped projection has three plain elliptically arched windows in north side, glazed as previous to main corridor. West wall of corridor contains later rectangular metal framed windows with concrete lintels and projecting concrete cills. 6. FORMER 'FEMALE HOSPITAL BLOCK' This consists of a number of conjoined hipped and gabled one and two-storey blocks, in red brick with green slated roofs, in the same architectural style as the other buildings in the complex. Ventilators missing from some leaded ventilator bases on roofs, but gabled roof boxes still remain. Cast iron gutters and downpipes to north side. Windows are rectangular timber fixed lights with top-hung bottom vents. West end has a later lean-to shelter added, with brick side walls and corrugated asbestos roof. South side, from west to east: projecting single storey flat-roofed additions in plain red brick with timber fascia and large rectangular timber windows; original canted bays of brickwork each side of a twin-arched verandah. PVC windows and timber windows to double pile twin gabled projecting block to south. Two-storey blocks, at east end, have polygonal brick towers which are surmounted by polygonal brick turrets; timber louvres in arched openings on main faces; ogee copper domes with date-inscribed finials. This block stands to the south of the main cross corridor, connected to it by three linking corridors which have two enclosed gardens or courts contained by them: western court has a lawn with a concrete path through it; eastern court has a lawn with a later modern flat-roofed enclosed corridor link running through it. 7. FORMER 'MALE HOSPITAL BLOCK' This is of identical layout to the former 'Female Hospital Block', in the same architectural style and with the same architectural features, except that it is of handed plan. This block stands to the south of the main cross corridor, connected to it by three link corridors which have two enclosed gardens or courts contained by them: eastern court has a tarmac surface with flower beds and green houses; western court has a lawn with a concrete path through it. 8. FORMER 'MALE CHRONIC BLOCK' The former 'Male Chronic Block' stands at the eastern extremity of the main cross corridor of the hospital, and is connected to it by a single storey link block; of three storeys, laid out on a T-plan comprising a long rectangular main block with a short central rear return. Main elevation faces south. This block is of identical original layout to the corresponding former 'Female Chronic Block' at the western extremity of the main cross corridor, but its plan is handed; in general the elevations are similar except for the following differences due to alterations – corner bays to south elevation have recessed porches now bricked up and glazed; dormers in the central bay of the south elevation are missing finials; the brick ventilator turrets have been removed from the end bays; the rear return has a larger later brick extension, hipped, and with no original dormer remaining on it; rear return has one window in each floor bricked up in the east wall. Single storey link with main cross corridor of hospital comprises a corridor with a hipped roofed projection on the east side, similar to corresponding link with the former 'Female Chronic Block' except plan handed: some differences due to alterations as follows – corridor has small PVC windows in rectangular openings; projection has PVC windows in arched openings on all three faces. Gabled roof box on corridor is intact, but ventilator cupola is missing from projection, as on corresponding link at western end of site. 9. PROTESTANT CHURCH A small red brick church located within the main hospital complex and built in the same architectural style. It stands detached to the east of the Workshop Block and is mirrored on the overall layout of the complex by a similarly designed Roman Catholic chapel standing in a corresponding position on the west side of the complex. It is laid out as a simple hall-type gabled nave ending in a canted three-sided chancel with a small gabled transept on one side next to the chancel and a small gabled vestry on the other side, with a gabled twin porch in each side of the nave. The liturgical west end actually faces north. Built of red brick with projecting brick plinth, moulded brick stringcourse, with brick dentil cornice to sides of nave, and stepped brick corbel courses to gables. Moulded red sandstone copings to gables each gable surmounted by a ball finial. Two stage brick buttresses between windows of nave, with similar buttresses to chancel; single stage diagonal buttresses to transept and nave porches. Windows are elliptically arched lancets, arranged in coupled pairs in the nave, with single lancets in the chancel and porches, and a triplet in the transept: leaded lights with small square panes of tinted glass, with an opening vent at the bottom; moulded edges to reveals; red sandstone cills; and projecting brick drip mouldings. The nave gable also contains an oval rose window with geometrical tracery in red sandstone, now painted white and storm-glazed. Roofs of green slates in regular courses with serrated terracotta ridges; nave roof crowned by a small octagonal ogee copper dome on a timber louvred ventilator with arched openings, supported on a lead covered battered base; chancel roof carries a scrolling metal cresting between two copper finials. Moulded cast iron gutters, with rectangular cast iron downpipes. Nave porches have rectangular timber double doors, 4-panel with diagonal tongued and grooved boarding; surmounted by similarly boarded arched tympanum panel, all set within an elliptically arched brick opening similar to windows. Vestry door, facing to the rear, is an original arched ledged timber door set in a deep elliptically arched reveal. Note that only the vestry door opens from the outside; the nave porch doors open only from the inside. The building is bordered by a tarmac path and is surrounded by lawns; modern concrete ramp approach to nave porch on east side, with modern tubular steel railings. Note: original elements missing from the building are the uppermost portion of the finial to the ventilator dome, and the stone ball finial from the nave porch on the west side. 10. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL A small red brick church located within the main hospital complex and built in the same architectural style. It stands detached to west of the Laundry Block and is mirrored on the overall layout of the complex by a similarly designed Protestant Church standing in a corresponding position on the east of the complex. Its layout and form is similar to the Protestant Church except that the plan is handed, and the modern concrete ramp approach to a nave porch, with modern steel railings, is on the west side. Note: one original element missing from the building is the stone ball finial from the nave gable. 11. SETTING The building stands in a rural area in the midst of fields and trees, bordered by tarmac paths and drives with lawns immediately surrounding it. There is a distant view of countryside to the south. The main approach is by a long east-west driveway, with some mid-to-late 20th century buildings, of no special interest, fringing the drive at the east end.

Architects

Lanyon, John

Historical Information

Built in 1894-9 as the County Antrim Lunatic Asylum; architect John Lanyon of Belfast; builders, H & J Martin of Belfast. Site for a new asylum for the county was selected in 1891; Board of Governors met for first time in 1893; tenders invited in 1894; building originally scheduled to open in 1896 but due to contractual difficulties completion delayed until 1899; all county patients transferred from the Belfast Asylum and the first direct admissions accepted at Holywell in 1900. The original layout consisted of the main hospital administration and wards complex, along with detached Protestant Church and a detached Roman Catholic Chapel, as well as a detached mortuary, a gatelodge to the west entrance to the site, and a detached residence for the Medical Superintendent called Holywell House. Initially, in 1898, the nearby Holy Well standing to the north, was used to provide the water supply to the hospital but it proved to be inadequate and a reservoir was built on a nearby hill. Other later alterations and additions include a detached Villa built to provide extra accommodation in 1906-7; recreation hall, dining hall and parts of the kitchen and laundry store badly damaged by fire in 1930, including roofs destroyed, and rebuilt in 1931; conventional radiators installed throughout the complex in 1934 to replace the original Plenum System of heating by blowing hot air through ducts; hospital extensions built in 1936-8 including extension blocks on the original Male and Female sides of the hospital blocks built in 1937 and new walled airing blocks built in 1938 to the south side of the hospital wards. An earlier house called Holy Well House, dating from the early 19th century at least, appears to have been demolished to make way for the hospital. Name changes include 'Antrim Mental Hospital' from c 1934, and 'Holywell Hospital' from c 1949. References – Primary Sources 1. OS Map 1832, Co Antrim 50 (shows original Holy Well House on site). 2. OS Map 1902, Co Antrim 50 (shows original complex complete, labelled County Lunatic Asylum). 3. Irish Builder, Vol 36, 1 Feb 1894, p 28. 4. Date inscribed on finials of ventilation turrets. 5. Photographs in possession of Holywell Hospital. Secondary Sources 1. S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (London, 1837), Vol I, p 38 (reference to the original Holy Well House on the site). 2. UAHS, Antrim and Ballymena (Belfast, 1969), p 12. 3. M. Mulholland, To Comfort Always: A History of Holywell Hospital 1898-1998 (Ballymena, 1998).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

V. Authorship Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This is a late Victorian complex designed in a 'Queen Anne' style with a central Italianate clock tower, displaying the proportions and ornamental features characteristic of the style. The complex consists of a number of closely associated buildings, each of distinct plan form, arranged in a formally organised layout with clearly defined parts. Although there have been some inappropriate alterations and additions, the complex retains its overall original character and appearance and still largely enjoys its original pastoral setting. Designed by a prominent Irish architect, it forms a group of buildings of national architectural interest as a substantially intact example of an uncommon building type as well as being of considerable local interest as a well-known and long-established institution which still fulfils its original function.

General Comments

Date of Survey

05 November 1999