Upper Façade, St. Anne's Cathedral. [Three-quarter view] Donegall Street, Belfast. Photograph and text by Philip V. Allingham 2006. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
St. Anne's occupies the site of an old parish church in the Georgian style. The architect Sir Thomas Drew chose to work in the Victorian Gothic manner, complete with Rose Window, square tower, and ribbed stone roof. After publication of his prospectus, he simplified the original plans, adopting a Romanesque style with wooden ceiling. The demolition of the former church in 1898 marked the beginning of construction, which continued past Drew's death in 1910; Lynn continued, but again his death in 1915 prevented him from seeing the project completed. In fact, it was not finished until 1948, owing to interruptions occasioned by two World Wars.
References
Brett, C. E. B. Buildings of Belfast, 1700-1914. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1967.
Last modified 5 September 2006