Catholic Church of the Holy Cross

Detached three-bay two-storey double-pile parochial house, c.1900, possibly over basement with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting porch to centre ground floor having single-bay single-storey flanking canted bay windows, two-bay two-storey side elevations, and two-bay two-storey lower return to north-west. Renovated, c.1975. Refenestrated, c.2000. Hipped double-pile (M-profile) slate roofs (hipped to return) with red clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Pitched (gable-fronted) roof to porch with replacement artificial slate, c.1975, and cast-iron rainwater goods on timber eaves. Unpainted rendered walls with moulded rendered stringcourses to canted bay windows having blocking courses over forming parapets. Shallow triangular-headed window openings (some paired) with stone sills, and replacement uPVC casement windows, c.2000. Square-headed openings to porch with replacement glazed timber panelled double doors, c.1975, and fixed-pane timber lights on tongue-and-groove timber panels. Interior with decorative clay tile to porch. Set back from road in grounds shared with Catholic Church of the Holy Cross having tarmacadam forecourt.

An attractive, well-proportioned substantial house retaining most of its original form, and some of the original fabric. While the porch has been renovated in keeping with the original integrity of the design, the inappropriate replacement fittings to the window openings have compromised much of the historic character of the site. The parochial house remains an important element of the architectural heritage of Tramore, and forms a neat group with the associated presbyteries of similar appearance to south (22816032 – 3/WD-26-16-32 – 3), together with the Catholic Church of the Holy Cross (22816038/WD-26-16-38).