Stormont Estate: Difference between revisions
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Added history of the estate, the main buildings, points of interest and facilities for members of the public. |
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The '''Stormont Estate''' is an [[Estate (land)|estate]] east of [[Belfast]] in [[County Down]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It is the site of Northern Ireland's main government buildings, which are surrounded by woods and parkland. |
The '''Stormont Estate''' is an [[Estate (land)|estate]] east of [[Belfast]] in [[County Down]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It is the site of Northern Ireland's main government buildings, which are surrounded by woods and parkland. |
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The Stormont Estate is within the [[townland]] of Ballymiscaw and was named after a district in [[Perthshire]] and comes from the [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] ''Stoirmhonadh'', "place for crossing the mountains".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=6791|title=Place Names NI - Home|website=www.placenamesni.org}}</ref> |
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==The Cleland family== |
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The Stormont Estate was established by the Reverend John Cleland in the early nineteenth century<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/topics/history-and-tour|title=History and tour|website=www.northernireland.gov.uk}}</ref>. He built Stormont Castle in 1830 which was described as a 'large plain house with very little planting about it'. In 1858 the exterior of the castle was redesigned in the Scottish Baronial style by the local architect Thomas Turner. Some ancillary buildings were added at this time including a lean-to glasshouse and stables. A terraced garden and a walled kitchen garden were also created. |
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The Cleland family moved out in 1893 to live abroad and the estate was let to a tenant. When the tenancy ended, initial efforts to sell the estate failed. |
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==Government ownership== |
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In 1921 the newly-formed Northern Ireland Parliament was looking for a site for it's Parliament Buildings. It purchased the 224 acre Stormont Estate for about £21,000, this included 100 acres of woodland. |
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Ralph Knott designed Stormont House in a Neo-Georgian style. The house was completed in 1926, and a two-storey administration block to its east was finished by 1939. A flat-roofed single-storey extension was added in about 1975. It was listed as a historic building in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=4644|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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The Stormont Parliament Buildings were designed by Sir Arnold Thornely in Greek classical style. They were opened by Edward Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://parliamentbuildings.org/tours/|title=Tours of Parliament Buildings|website=parliamentbuildings.org}}</ref> |
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The main approach to the parliament buildings is along Prince of Wales Avenue. On this road stands a bronze statue of the Unionist MP, Lord Edward Carson on stone plinth and base. This was erected in 1933 and designed by the sculptor Leonard Stanford Merrifield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=5401|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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Detached two-storey stone lodges and gate screens to Stormont Estate were built about 1932, on Upper Newtownards Road and on Massey Avenue. They were designed by Arnold Thornely. Both were listed as historic structures in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=9243|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=1120|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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A single-storey hipped roof Neo-Georgian style pavilion located on the north side of Massey Avenue just inside the entrance was built in 1936 by the Ministry of Finance, NI. It was designed by Arnold Thornley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=17680|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> Another single-storey hipped roof Neo-Georgian style pavilion on Massey Avenue was built to the east side of the Lord Carson Memorial at some point between 1938 and 1959. The architect is not known.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=17681|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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Dundonald House was designed in the early 1960s by Belfast-born architect Robert Hanna Gibson. It is in the international style.<ref>{{Citation|last=Madden|first=Andrew|title=Belfast’s Dundonald House set for listed status|newspaper=Belfast Live|location=Belfast|date=10 May 2018|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/belfasts-dundonald-house-set-listed-14641427}}</ref> |
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The tomb of Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister, James Viscount Craigavon of Stormont and his wife, Cecil is on the east side of the parliament buildings. It is a solid block of Portland limestone with stepped top and corners on a shallow plinth base, set on a stepped platform. The tomb was designed by Roland Ingleby Smit and completed in 1942.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=2066|title=Department for communities - Historic building details|website=communities-ni.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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==Public access== |
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The Stormont Estate grounds are open to the public. Facilities include a boardwalk, a fitness trail, an outdoor gym and a barbecue area. There is also a children's playpark named after former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [[Mo Mowlam]] MP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/about-stormont-estate|title=About Stormont Estate|website=www.nidirect.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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==Stormont regulations== |
==Stormont regulations== |
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The regulations governing the use of the Stormont |
The regulations governing the use of the Stormont Estate are displayed at its entrance. These were initially enacted on 31 October 1933, in an order by the [[Minister of Finance (Northern Ireland)|Ministry of Finance]]. These were eventually amended and the regulations currently in force are: |
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* The Stormont Estate Regulations, 1933 |
* The Stormont Estate Regulations, 1933 |
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Revision as of 21:31, 2 June 2020
The Stormont Estate is an estate east of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the site of Northern Ireland's main government buildings, which are surrounded by woods and parkland.
The Stormont Estate is within the townland of Ballymiscaw and was named after a district in Perthshire and comes from the Gaelic Stoirmhonadh, "place for crossing the mountains".[1]
The Cleland family
The Stormont Estate was established by the Reverend John Cleland in the early nineteenth century[2]. He built Stormont Castle in 1830 which was described as a 'large plain house with very little planting about it'. In 1858 the exterior of the castle was redesigned in the Scottish Baronial style by the local architect Thomas Turner. Some ancillary buildings were added at this time including a lean-to glasshouse and stables. A terraced garden and a walled kitchen garden were also created.
The Cleland family moved out in 1893 to live abroad and the estate was let to a tenant. When the tenancy ended, initial efforts to sell the estate failed.
Government ownership
In 1921 the newly-formed Northern Ireland Parliament was looking for a site for it's Parliament Buildings. It purchased the 224 acre Stormont Estate for about £21,000, this included 100 acres of woodland.
Ralph Knott designed Stormont House in a Neo-Georgian style. The house was completed in 1926, and a two-storey administration block to its east was finished by 1939. A flat-roofed single-storey extension was added in about 1975. It was listed as a historic building in 1987.[3]
The Stormont Parliament Buildings were designed by Sir Arnold Thornely in Greek classical style. They were opened by Edward Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1932.[4]
The main approach to the parliament buildings is along Prince of Wales Avenue. On this road stands a bronze statue of the Unionist MP, Lord Edward Carson on stone plinth and base. This was erected in 1933 and designed by the sculptor Leonard Stanford Merrifield.[5]
Detached two-storey stone lodges and gate screens to Stormont Estate were built about 1932, on Upper Newtownards Road and on Massey Avenue. They were designed by Arnold Thornely. Both were listed as historic structures in 1987.[6][7]
A single-storey hipped roof Neo-Georgian style pavilion located on the north side of Massey Avenue just inside the entrance was built in 1936 by the Ministry of Finance, NI. It was designed by Arnold Thornley.[8] Another single-storey hipped roof Neo-Georgian style pavilion on Massey Avenue was built to the east side of the Lord Carson Memorial at some point between 1938 and 1959. The architect is not known.[9]
Dundonald House was designed in the early 1960s by Belfast-born architect Robert Hanna Gibson. It is in the international style.[10]
The tomb of Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister, James Viscount Craigavon of Stormont and his wife, Cecil is on the east side of the parliament buildings. It is a solid block of Portland limestone with stepped top and corners on a shallow plinth base, set on a stepped platform. The tomb was designed by Roland Ingleby Smit and completed in 1942.[11]
| Building | Image | Über uns |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Buildings |  |
Headquarters of the Executive Office, Department of Health and Department of Justice. The complex is notable for its use as the location of the negotiations surrounding the Belfast Agreement. |
| Dundonald House |  |
Headquarters of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Northern Ireland Prison Service. |
| Craigantlet Buildings | Headquarters of the Department of Finance. | |
| Maynard Sinclair Pavilion | .jpg) |
Home to the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports and Social Club. |
| Parliament Buildings |  |
Seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly. (Usually referred to as Stormont.) |
| Stormont Castle |  |
Seat of the Northern Ireland Executive. |
| Stormont House |  |
Headquarters of the Northern Ireland Office. (Also known as Speakers House.) |
Public access
The Stormont Estate grounds are open to the public. Facilities include a boardwalk, a fitness trail, an outdoor gym and a barbecue area. There is also a children's playpark named after former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam MP.[12]
Stormont Estate is now home to the Stormont Parkrun, a free, weekly, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) timed run.[13]
Stormont regulations
The regulations governing the use of the Stormont Estate are displayed at its entrance. These were initially enacted on 31 October 1933, in an order by the Ministry of Finance. These were eventually amended and the regulations currently in force are:
- The Stormont Estate Regulations, 1933
- The Stormont Estate Amendment Regulations (Northern Ireland), 1951
- The Stormont Estate Amendment Regulations (Northern Ireland), 1958
References
- ^ "Place Names NI - Home". www.placenamesni.org.
- ^ "History and tour". www.northernireland.gov.uk.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "Tours of Parliament Buildings". parliamentbuildings.org.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ Madden, Andrew (10 May 2018), "Belfast's Dundonald House set for listed status", Belfast Live, Belfast
- ^ "Department for communities - Historic building details". communities-ni.gov.uk.
- ^ "About Stormont Estate". www.nidirect.gov.uk.
- ^ "Stormont parkrun | Stormont parkrun". www.parkrun.org.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
External links
- NI Direct - The Stormont Estate
Media related to Stormont Estate at Wikimedia Commons- Stormont Parkrun
