Protestant Hall, 19 Railway Street, Antrim, BT41 4AE

Protestant Hall

A tall double-storey gabled hall with a single-storey entrance block across its front and a two-storey block to one side, all built in black basalt with yellow brick dressings. The main entrance faces east.

The east elevation presents a symmetrical composition. The main gabled hall, set back, sits behind a projecting single-storey range at ground floor level. The walls are coursed basalt rubble with granite quoins at the extremities, though the precise stone used in each case is uncertain. The main gable features a yellow brick corbel course with shaped sandstone or granite kneelers and sandstone or granite coping. An ornamented ironwork finial tops the apex. Two yellow brick chimneys, one on each roof pitch, have moulded brick cornices and stub pots. A large ocular panel in the first floor of the gable is set in a moulded yellow brick surround with a large sandstone keystone inscribed '1868'.

The single-storey entrance block is three bays wide. A central elliptically arched entrance with chamfered reveals and brick block surrounds is flanked by coupled semi-circular arched windows in similar surrounds. The windows to the right of the entrance are arched timber sliding sashes, vertically hung 1 over 1 with horns. Those to the left are modern PVC fixed lights with top-hung opening lights. A moulded brick cornice runs across.

The two-storey block to the right-hand end stands in the same plane as the single-storey entrance block. It is two bays wide and gabled to the front in the same basalt and brick materials, with quoins to the extremities. A moulded stringcourse runs one course higher than the adjacent stringcourse. A small rectangular panel in the apex of the gable is set in chamfered brick reveals with a moulded brick drip above.

Two windows to the first floor of this block are segmental arched timber mullioned and transomed, set in brick block surrounds with brick drip moulding and sandstone keystones. Projecting sandstone cills sit on moulded brick corbel courses. One similar window to the ground floor sits to the left, with a steel sheeted doorway to the right.

The south side of the two-storey block has a roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, basalt rubble walling, and one modern rectangular PVC window.

The south elevation of the main gabled hall is abutted by a lower adjacent building. The roof is slated as before. The walling is basalt rubble.

The rear elevation of the main gabled hall is roughly coursed basalt with red brick block quoins and dressings to openings. Three ground floor openings are flat arched and boarded over with corrugated asbestos. One first floor opening contains a rectangular timber sash window 1 over 1. One smaller opening has a concrete lintel and what appears to be timber fixed lights. To the left is a lower flat-roofed block with smooth cement render, lined and blocked, and a lower concrete blockwork extension beyond.

The rear elevation of the two-storey block, within a yard, is of similar basalt and red brick materials. A ground floor window opening is partly blocked up and contains a later modern timber fixed light and top-hung vent. A first floor doorway contains a modern rectangular metal-framed doorway leading to a fire escape stair.

Projecting from the left-hand side of the ground floor of the two-storey block is a single-storey lean-to roofed block of crude basalt and brick construction.

The north elevation of the two-storey block has a roof of Bangor blue slates. The walling is roughly coursed basalt rubble with red brick dressings. To the right-hand end it has red brick quoins. To the left-hand end it has wet dash render with granite quoins at the top along with a panel of brickwork. Two ground floor windows are later fixed lights with top-hung vents. Two first floor windows are rectangular timber sliding sashes 2 over 2 without horns. A cast iron gutter with PVC downpipe runs along the eave.

The north elevation of the main gabled hall has a roof of Bangor blue slates. The walling is roughly coursed basalt rubble with a red brick eaves course and red brick block dressings to openings and quoins to the right-hand extremity. Windows are tall timber segmental arched sliding sashes 2 over 2 with horns. The second from the left has a later doorway below containing modern flush doors with a concrete lintel. A later single-storey flat-roofed extension with smooth cement rendered walls, lined and blocked, and modern metal-framed windows projects from the ground floor.

The building stands facing directly onto a main street with buildings of no special interest adjacent. To the north side is a small enclosed yard approached by a timber gate in a brick and concrete block wall. To the rear is a large service yard for a modern shopping mall, in separate ownership and not accessed by these premises.