Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/31/001 B

Address :
Clonard Monastery Clonard Street Belfast County Antrim

Townland:
Edenderry

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
08/09/1986 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Religious House

Former Use
Religious House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-13 SW

IG Ref:
J3215 7430

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Owner Category

Church - RC

Exterior Description And Setting

Attached assymmetrical three-storey with attic red brick and stone Gothic Revival monastery, erected c.1900 to the designs of John J. McDonnell. L-shaped on plan facing south with a four-storey gabled projection to the east end. Set on an elevated site on the east side of Clonard Street abutting the east elevation of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (HB26/31/001A) with the church's gate screen (HB26/31/001C). Natural slate mansard roof with terracotta ridge tiles and lead trim. Steeply pitched dormer windows with single-pane timber sash windows and decoratively carved surrounds having iron finials and splayed lead sills. Replacement steel moulded guttering supported on sandstone corbels and box downpipes. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond with continuous flush sandstone sill and impost courses. Projecting brick plinth course and splayed sandstone ashlar trim. Square-headed and pointed-headed window openings formed in stop-chamfered flush sandstone surrounds with moulded sandstone sills and original multi-pane timber sash windows with ogee horns. Principal south elevation is eight windows wide with a four-storey gabled projection to the east end, advanced by a further five windows. Square-headed paired window openings to the second floor with horizontally-glazed 2/2 timber sash windows. Pointed-headed window openings to the first floor with 4/4 timber sash windows. Square-headed window openings to the ground floor with 4/4 timber sash windows, bowtel-moulded lintels and surmounted by decoratively carved limestone panels. The westernmost bay comprises a full-height three-sided canted bay window having a flat lead-lined roof set behind a crenellated parapet wall. Off-centre gabled shallow breakfront entrance bay surmounted by stone cross. The entrance bay has paired windows to first and second floors surmounted by decoratively carved limestone panels and a quatrefoil window to the apex. At first floor level is a hooded niche to the centre with a carved statue (Christ the Redeemer) resting on a cluster of squat polished granite columns with stiff-leaf capitals while the flanking windows have carved limestone shields below the sills. Pointed-headed door opening formed in a compound moulded sandstone surround comprising; pair of polished granite columns with stiff-leaf capitals rising from the plinth course supporting a voussoired head and hood moulding. Double-leaf timber doors are set within a recessed square-headed opening with a stone traceried overlight having a quatrefoil light with leaded coloured glazing. West side elevation abutted by Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (HB26/31/001A). Multi-bay red brick north rear elevation is ten windows wide and abutted by a square-plan four-storey crenellated tower to the centre. Red brick walling laid in Flemish bond and pointed-headed stop-chamfered brick window surrounds with sandstone sills and 4/4 timber sash windows. The tower has multi fixed-pane timber windows. To the west end is a single-storey rear entrance projection built in red brick with sandstone dressings (as per front elevation). Tudor-arched door opening formed in compound moulded sandstone surround with decoratively carved spandrel panels housing a double-leaf woodgrained door with Y-tracery timber fanlight. To the east end is a single-storey projection behind the boundary wall with a stepped hipped slate roof and glazed lantern. East side elevation is seven windows wide with dormers (as per front elevation) paired square-headed windows to the second floor and pointed-headed window openings to the ground and first floors. The walls are red brick with three two-stage stepped buttresses. To the north end is the stairhall with windows at half-landing levels including a lucarne window rising into the roof with a Venetian arch window and fixed multi-pane windows to remaining floors. The south elevation to the east wing forms a large four-storey gabled elevation with a double-height limestone tracery window to the centre of the upper two levels having leaded coloured glazing and decoratively carved limestone plaques between levels. At first floor level is a further pointed-headed window opening with limestone Y-tracery and leaded glazing. The west cheek to the advanced wing is detailed as per principal elevation with a diminutive lean-to timber glazed porch to the reentrant angle set on a slightly raised platform and sandstone steps fronting a secondary entrance with a timber door. Setting Located on the east side of Clonard Street on an elevated site abutting the east side of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer. Bitmac forecourt provides some parking with a walled garden to the southeast (HB26/31/001C) forming the east boundary to the site. Rear boundary is enclosed by tall red brick walls with blind recessed panels and terracotta coping. Roof Natural slate RWG Replacement iron Walling Red brick / sandstone Windows Timber sash

Architects

McDonnell J.J

Historical Information

Shortly after becoming Catholic bishop of Down and Connor in 1895, Dr Henry announced his intention to found a house for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (better known as the Redemptorists) in west Belfast. The bishop believed that the Redemptorists would be able to assist local clergy. Clonard House was acquired and the Redemptorists took formal possession of it on 31 October 1896. This provided only short-term accommodation for the Redemptorists for plans approved by Rome allowed for the building of a residence large enough to house a community of 18-20 and also provide a retreat for men. Built of red brick, this Gothic Revival monastery was designed by John Joseph McDonnell, one of the principal architects working in Belfast at this time. The authorities in Rome insisted that the cost of building the monastery should not exceed £11,000. The contract to build the church was won by W.J. Campbell & Son who submitted a tender for £10,500; the contract was signed on 27 May 1898. The first sod was dug by Fr Griffith on 9 June 1898 and the foundation stone was laid on 15 August by Bishop Henry. During the construction of the monastery, a dispute arose between the builder and architect over the quality of the of the facing brick. The architect felt it was not of sufficient quality, but in the end gave in and allowed what was already in place to remain. The monastery was completed a year and nine months later. The Redemptorists moved into it on 2 May 1900. The next day the Sisters of Mercy moved into Clonard House. The monastery was also used as a seminary for Redemptorist clerical students, 28 of whom moved in in August 1900. This came about following the separation of the Irish Redemptorist province from the English province in 1898. Redemptorist students had previously studied in England. The students left in 1905, transferring to the new monastery at Esker, County Galway. In 1907, McDonnell prepared plans to convert four rooms on the first floor into a library. Larmour (p. 64) described the style of architecture as Gothic Revival. Above the entrance to the In 1986 repairs to the tower required as a result of storm damage. In 1996 there was a proposal to replace the railings, gates, piers and walls which had become dilapidated with higher standard stone pillars and railings to match those around the church. During a programme of refurbishment, completed in 2001, repairs to the roof were carried out, along with repointing of brickwork, and the provision of disabled access. References Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1832/3 – OS/6/1/60/1 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1857 – OS/6/1/60/2 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1901 – OS/6/1/60/3 Valuation Revision Books – VAL/12/B/43/E/5 (1862-81) Valuation Revision Books – VAL/12/B/43/E/8 (1882-96) Valuation Revision Books – VAL/12/B/43/D/17 (1897-1905) Valuation Revision Books – VAL/12/B/43/J/3 (1906-15) Valuation Revision Books – VAL/12/B/43/J/5 (1915-30) Northern Ireland Environment Agency First Survey Record – HB26/31/001B HB Records – HB26/31/001B Published sources Patrick O’Donnell, Clonard Church and Monastery (1978) C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of Belfast (2nd ed., 1985) Paul Larmour, Belfast: an illustrated architectural guide (Belfast, 1987) James Grant, One hundred years with the Clonard Redemptorists (Blackrock, 1993) Online sources Natural Stone Database: www.stonedatabase.com Dictionary of Irish Architects: www.dia.ie

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A asymmetrical three-storey with attic red brick and stone Gothic Revival monastery, erected c.1900 to the designs of John J. McDonnell. Established by the Redemptorists, this imposing monastery displays an array of stylistic devices and good quality detailing typifying ecclesiastical architecture of the late nineteenth-century. The monastery forms part of an important group of structures on Clonard Street including the attached Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (HB26/31/001A), the gate screen (HB26/31/001C) and the former Clonard House across the road (HB26/31/002), and has social importance for the local community.

General Comments

Date of Survey

07 April 2014