Historic

PHOTOGRAPHED PUBLISHED 4 SEPTEMBER 2022

This photograph dates from May 2017 but it was published in September 2022.

When I first photographed this building about ten years ago a waiter in a nearby restaurant told me that it was to be converted into a hotel but this proved to be untrue. It would appear that it has been incorporated into a larger 17-storey office complex. The historic building and the new build structure will be linked at first and second floor, grouped around a central courtyard.

The same waiter also told me that the Ewart building was originally a box factory but further investigation leads me to believe that the business in question was located at 35 Bedford street which is now the Bridge House JD Wetherspoon [a superpub].

Because of its size and location it is/was not easy to photograph this four-storey sandstone building, which as lain empty for about twenty years. It was designed by James Hamilton, also the architect of the Waring Street Ulster Bank, now the Merchant Hotel.

CHURCH ROAD SWORDS

The parish of St Colmcille’s Swords, has an interesting history extending right back to the 6th century. It was St Colmcille who brought Christianity to the area circa 560 AD.
The current Church building on Church Road was constructed in 1827 at a cost of £ 1,820.

The Round Tower dates from the 9th century and marks the site of an old monastery founded by St. Colmcille in the year 560 A.D. St. Colmcille blessed the local well of clear water, thus giving the town it’s name ‘Sord’ meaning clear or pure. The Tower is reputed to have held the remains of Brian Boru after the battle of Clontarf (1014 A.D.) before he was taken to Armagh to be buried.The tower is 73 feet high, 52 feet in circumference, with walls four feet thick. It originally contained five floors. The current entrance at ground level, is of more modern construction, as well as the roof and upper story. The original doorway is/was twenty feet from the ground, and but four feet high. The cross at the top of the tower was placed there in the late 17th century to let people know that it was a Christian Tower [as if they would be unaware].

The square clock tower dates back to the 14th century and added to the ancient abbey. There’s an engraving which dates from 1791 which shows the belfry tower and the remains of the medieval church walls. These walls were taken down in 1830 when St. Columba’s Church was being rebuilt.

St. Columba’s Church Lodge was build in 1870 costing £140.

Back in 2016 when I took these photographs I was told, by a local visiting the graveyard, that although previously in good condition the church building required repairs. There were signs of increasing conservation problems. There was no immediate danger of collapse but condition is such that unless urgent remedial works were carried out the building would quickly deteriorate. The community had vacated the structure following loose plaster which fell into area over font. Complex remedial works was required required.

Now in July 2022 I am unaware of the status of the building but to the best of my knowledge the church is now operational on Sundays. I hope to visit Swords again within the next few weeks.

EWART’S WAREHOUSE BEDFORD STREET BELFAST AS IT WAS IN MAY 2017

ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH AND ROUND TOWER