Survey Data
Reg No
31215037
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
Presbytery/parochial/curate's house
In Use As
Presbytery/parochial/curate's house
Date
1890 - 1895
Coordinates
119228, 264212
Date Recorded
25/11/2010
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay (two-bay deep) two-storey parochial house, built 1891, on a rectangular plan originally three-bay single-storey. "Improved", 1908, producing present composition. Renovated, ----. Hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles, paired rendered central chimney stacks on rendered bases having corbelled stepped capping supporting terracotta pots, and replacement uPVC rainwater goods on box eaves retaining cast-iron octagonal or ogee hoppers and downpipes. Replacement cement rendered walls on rendered chamfered plinth with drag edged rusticated cut-limestone quoins to corners. Segmental-headed central door opening with timber mullions on drag edged tooled cut-limestone step threshold supporting timber transom, and yellow brick block-and-start surround centred on drag edged tooled cut-limestone keystone framing timber panelled door having sidelights on diagonal timber boarded panelled risers below fanlight. Square-headed window openings with drag edged dragged cut-limestone sills, and yellow brick block-and-start surrounds centred on drag edged tooled cut-limestone keystones framing replacement uPVC casement windows replacing two-over-two timber sash windows. Interior including (ground floor): central hall retaining timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors; and timber surrounds to door openings to remainder framing timber panelled doors with timber panelled splayed reveals or shutters to window openings. Set in landscaped grounds shared with Saint Mary's Catholic Church.
Appraisal
A parochial house erected on a site leased (1891) by Reverend James Ronayne PP (1831-1903) representing an important component of the late nineteenth-century built heritage of Ballinrobe with the architectural value of the composition confirmed by such attributes as the compact rectilinear plan form centred on a restrained doorcase; and the very slight diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a feint graduated visual impression: meanwhile, aspects of the composition clearly illustrate the continued development or "improvement" of the parochial house by Reverend James Stephens PP (1842-1911) with the results recalling the nearby Parkview House (see 31215055). Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with quantities of the original fabric: however, the introduction of replacement fittings to most of the openings has not had a beneficial impact on the external expression or integrity of a parochial house forming part of a self-contained group alongside the adjacent Saint Mary's Catholic Church (see 31215035) and nearby presbytery (see 31215036) with the resulting ecclesiastical ensemble making a pleasing visual statement in Main Street.