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Summary

Description

1938. 2-storey, substantial piend-roofed, L-plan Art Deco presbytery retaining much finer interior period woodwork. Red brick with contrasting banding at base, cill and lintel courses; overhanging eaves with stylized cornice on centre corbel. Pilastered and pedimented doorpiece.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: strong horizontal emphasis to symmetrical elevation with steps up to 2-leaf timber door below bipartite window at centre, further bipartites to each floor of flanking bays and full-height slightly advanced outer bays each with shallow-bow to centre incorporating quadripartite window at each floor and stylized blocking course breaking eaves.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: set-back bays to right with tall bowed stair tower and door to outer right; projecting wing to left with door on return to right.

Modern glazing to S, some timber casement windows retained at sides and rear. Grey slates. Banded brick ridge and end stacks with some cans.

INTERIOR: vestibule with good part-glazed screen door giving way to stair hall and long corridors with dark timber architraved openings, some with fluted detail. Dog-leg staircase leading to similarly-detailed 1st floor. Some downstairs sittingrooms with original timber fire surrounds and fitted cupboards.

Statement of Special Interest

St Joseph's Presbytery with its striking horizontal lines and flanking formal gardens faces Maybury Place with the imposing red sandstone St Joseph's Church to its SE. Exhibiting fine modern design in its elegant minimal decoration and interior woodwork, the Presbytery reflects the status of the Roman Catholic Church within Blantyre's strong mining community of the Thirties. The original plan was drawn-up with two rear wings flanking a central courtyard but the bishop was seemingly dismayed at the prospect of such a grand design and halted building at the L-plan stage. This resulted in an open verandah to the rear which has subsequently been enclosed with a flat roof. Owing to the scale of its design, dictated by the requirements of presbytery accommodation, this building appears more akin to commercial architecture of the Thirties than to the domestic designs of speculative development or the idiosyncrasies of private houses.

References

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