Clonard Monastry, Belfast
Built in 1900, Clonard Monastery is noted for its majestic High Altar, floors of Sicilian marble and its rose window which is 22 ft in diameter and crowns the entrance doors. Our restoration work involved the removal, repair and refurbishment of the leaded lights and stained glass alongside the major stone restoration programme. Once completed, external protective glazing was fitted to the stained glass windows using clear toughened glass.
We have worked with Calderwood Glass Ltd on a number of restoration schemes, including St Malachy’s Church, Belfast City Hall Restoration Project and Church of the Most Holy Redeemer Falls Road Clonard.
On all the projects Calderwood Glass Ltd worked well with the main contractor in regards to meeting programme dates. We have found that they approach each project individually, are committed to quality and the standard of workmanship is very high.
Guildhall, Derry/Londonderry
Opened in 1890 as the administrative centre of the Londonderry Corporation, the Guildhall now houses the Mayor’s Office and council chamber. In 1972 the building was destroyed in bomb attacks and was carefully restored and re-opened in 1978. Jack Calderwood, Stephen and Lewis’s father, carried out that major repair work to the stained glass at that time. Recently we have completed further restoration of the very same windows, repainting glass to match the original, plus other repair work alongside the major refurbishment of the external fabric of this iconic building.
“I worked on the Guildhall for my father in the 1970’s and never really thought that I’d be back doing it again. There’s a sentimental aspect and bit of extra pride involved in working on glass that my father worked on nearly 40 years ago. We possess the original water colour window designs by Campbell Brothers from 1910-1912. My father worked in Campbell Brothers, as did I, and they were handed down through three of four generations of glass workers. I think now is a perfect time to use them again.”
Church House, Presbyterian Association, Belfast
Built in 1905 Church House is the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The 40m high clock tower dominates the busy junction of Gt Victoria St, Howard St, Grosvenor Road and Howard St. Today the ground floor is a shopping mall and the church offices and Assembly Hall are on upper floors. Our restoration work included the removal and refurbishment of leaded windows and restoration of the original metal casement windows. The valuable stained glass was fitted with outer protective toughened glass.
Belfast City Hall, Famine Window
We were invited to submit a design for the Famine Window, which was commissioned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Great Famine in 1848. We were successful in being awarded the commission for our design which depicts the horrors of the famine years and the impact of the disaster upon the citizens of Belfast.
The stained glass panel portrays the futile search for edible potatoes by a parent and child against a backdrop of fields and the city’s workhouse. Above them, skeletal figures wait near an empty cooking pot and the bent figure of a woman hunches beside gravestones. At the top of the window an emigrant ship sits on a blue sea, a blessed escape for those who could afford the cost of a steerage passenger ticket (£4) to the new world.
Saint Malachy's Church, Belfast
Award winning restoration project.
"St Malachy’s Catholic Church, in Alfred Street near the city centre, has been declared NI Project of the Year. The 19th century church beat several multi-million pound commercial and government schemes. The results of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors were announced on Monday. Following the major renovations, many of the church’s old features were brought back to life. These included the altarpieces, the sanctuary, the “inverted wedding cake” ceiling and stained glass.
The church was a favourite of the poet Sir John Betjeman and composer Sir Benjamin Britten. As well as winning overall Project of the Year Award, St Malachy’s took first prize in the Building Conservation category."
Dobbin Church, Portadown
The building of St Saviour’s Church near the bank of Dobbin Water (hence the name of Dobbin Church) commenced in 1856. It recently celebrated its 150 yr anniversary. We were commissioned to design and install new stained glass windows and over the last decade we have completed a total of six memorial windows.
"Workmanship was of a high quality, programme was established and adhered to, and the organization and execution of the works within an existing working school campus was attended to with necessary care and attention. The works were completed within the agreed costs. Both we as Architect and our client, the Trustees of Lumen Christi College, were pleased with the outcome.”