Former Admiral Leslie Hall, 2 Millisle Road, Donaghadee, Co Down

The Former Admiral Leslie Hall is a small rectangular Gothic style building completed in 1872, built in basalt rubble with sandstone detailing. Originally constructed as a school for children of all denominations, it is now used as a church and is situated on a slight rise to the east side of Millisle Road near the junction of Manor Street, south of Donaghadee town centre.

The building's dominant feature is its west-facing gable, which is architecturally complicated and richly ornamented. High in the gable is a stained glass rose window with a carved sandstone figure of an angel at the gable apex. Below the rose window are two sets of twinned tall, narrow pointed arch windows with sandstone dressings and diamond leaded panes, each with sandstone label moulding. This central window grouping is flanked by double buttresses with a lower central base buttress beneath. Single lower buttresses are positioned at each gable edge, all featuring sandstone coping. Above each double buttress is a carved sandstone shield with motto ribbons below. The entire gable rests on a chamfered base with a sandstone course to ground level. The gable is topped with a moulded verge and a crocketed pinnacle above the angel figure.

To the left on the south facade is a large two-level gabled projection which was greatly enlarged in recent times. This projection has a small entrance gable projecting approximately 0.3 metres from its front (west) face. The entrance gable contains a pointed arch doorway with sandstone architrave column jambs on square bases, label moulding with carved stops, and a timber sheeted door. This gable has a battered base with sandstone courses and is topped with a moulded verge and a carved cross pinnacle. A diamond-shaped sandstone plaque near the gable apex bears the date 1872. The south face of the larger projecting gable is blank. The east face has a small sash window with an arch head and yellow brick dressings.

The south and east facades each have tall windows with curved heads featuring yellow brick 'in and out' dressings and sash frames with margin panes. Within the margins are late Victorian style collared and patterned glass. These frames appear to be recent replicas of the original designs. The north facade similarly features four tall windows of comparable style, together with wall edge buttresses. The curved arch heads to all these windows, though appearing segmental, follow an irregular curve that almost reaches a point.

The rear gable is topped with a large, recent flat-roofed extension at lower level. To the upper half of the gable is a grouping of three tall narrow windows in the same style as those on the south and north facades, but with stained glass. The central window is considerably taller than the outer two.

The main roof is gabled with Bangor blue slates and sandstone parapets. The roof of the large projection also features similar materials and has been dramatically raised in fairly recent times (approximately 1992), during which a former tall octagonal chimney was removed. Two small cast iron skylights are located to the rear of the projection roof. Cast iron rainwater goods are present. A rubble wall extends to the north and west of the building, with wrought iron gates to the front which are included in the listing.

The Admiral Leslie Hall was commissioned by the widow of Admiral Martin Leslie, believed to have lived nearby at Rosebank House, and was completed in 1872. It housed a school serving children of all denominations until its closure in 1954. It subsequently served as a Church of Ireland Youth Centre. Around 1990, the hall was sold to Donaghadee Baptist Church with the stipulation that the name 'Admiral Leslie Hall' would no longer be used, as it had been adopted by a new Church of Ireland hall. Following the sale, the building underwent complete renovation during which the side projection was greatly enlarged. Extensions to the rear appear to have been added in the 1950s or early 1960s.