Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland)
History
History
-------

### Original plans

[thumb\|The scene at Stormont in Belfast, for the opening of the new Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings by [H.R.H.](/wiki/His_Royal_Highness "His Royal Highness") [The Prince of Wales](/wiki/Edward_VIII "Edward VIII") 16 November 1932\.](/wiki/File:Opening_of_the_new_Northern_Ireland_Parliament_Buildings.jpg "Opening of the new Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings.jpg")
The need for a separate parliament building for [Northern Ireland](/wiki/Northern_Ireland "Northern Ireland") emerged with the creation of the Northern Ireland [Home Rule](/wiki/Home_Rule "Home Rule") region within [Ulster](/wiki/Ulster "Ulster") in the [Government of Ireland Act 1920](/wiki/Government_of_Ireland_Act_1920 "Government of Ireland Act 1920"). Pending the construction of the new building, the new [Parliament of Northern Ireland](/wiki/Parliament_of_Northern_Ireland "Parliament of Northern Ireland") met in two locations; one in [Belfast City Hall](/wiki/Belfast_City_Hall "Belfast City Hall"), where the state opening of the first Parliament by King [George V](/wiki/George_V "George V") took place on 22 June 1921, and the other in the nearby [Presbyterian Church in Ireland](/wiki/Presbyterian_Church_in_Ireland "Presbyterian Church in Ireland")'s [Assembly's College](/wiki/Union_Theological_College "Union Theological College").

In 1922, a design by Sir [Arnold Thornely](/wiki/Arnold_Thornely "Arnold Thornely") of Liverpool was chosen and preparatory work on the chosen site, east of Belfast, began. These plans were for a large domed building with two subsidiary side buildings, housing all three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial, giving rise to the plural in the official title still used today.

These plans were found to be too costly, and it was decided to build only the Parliament Building, without the dome. The foundation stone was laid on 19 May 1928\. It was 
designed in the [neoclassical style](/wiki/Neoclassical_architecture "Neoclassical architecture"), built by Stewart \& Partners in [ashlar](/wiki/Ashlar "Ashlar") stone and opened by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King [Edward VIII](/wiki/Edward_VIII "Edward VIII")), on 16 November 1932\.[Hansard](https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1932/nov/15/parliament-buildings-cost-british)  15 November 1932

### Finished building

[thumb\|upright\|left\|Steps up to Parliament Buildings.](/wiki/File:StormontCloseUp.jpg "StormontCloseUp.jpg")

After the shelving of plans to build a "Ministerial Building", the headquarters of government was in effect [Stormont Castle](/wiki/Stormont_Castle "Stormont Castle"), a baronial castellated house in the grounds and which was originally meant to have been demolished to make way for the "Ministerial Building". Stormont Castle served as the official residence of the [Prime Minister of Northern Ireland](/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Northern_Ireland "Prime Minister of Northern Ireland") and was the meeting place for the Northern Ireland [Cabinet](/wiki/Executive_Committee_of_the_Privy_Council_of_Northern_Ireland "Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland"). Another building, [Stormont House](/wiki/Stormont_House "Stormont House"), served as the official residence of the [Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland](/wiki/Speaker_of_the_House_of_Commons_of_Northern_Ireland "Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland"). The reduced plans saw the [High Court](/wiki/High_Court_of_Northern_Ireland "High Court of Northern Ireland") eventually located in the newly built [Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast](/wiki/Royal_Courts_of_Justice%2C_Belfast "Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast") in the city centre.

[thumb\|right\|The Great Hall, originally called the Central Hall. A statue of [James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon](/wiki/James_Craig%2C_1st_Viscount_Craigavon "James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon") stands on the landing on the Imperial Staircase.](/wiki/File:Entrance_Hall%2C_Stormont_Parliament_-_geograph.org.uk_-_871593.jpg "Entrance Hall, Stormont Parliament - geograph.org.uk - 871593.jpg")

Two separate [chambers](/wiki/Debate_chamber "Debate chamber") were provided in the finished parliamentary complex, the blue\-benched rectangular [House of Commons of Northern Ireland](/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_Northern_Ireland "House of Commons of Northern Ireland") (green benches as at Westminster being considered inappropriate) and the red\-benched smaller rectangular [Senate of Northern Ireland](/wiki/Senate_of_Northern_Ireland "Senate of Northern Ireland"). In the main hall, originally called the *Central Hall* but now known as the *Great Hall*, a large gold\-plated chandelier was hung. It was a gift from King George V and had originally hung in [Windsor Castle](/wiki/Windsor_Castle "Windsor Castle"), where it had been a gift from [German Emperor](/wiki/German_Emperor "German Emperor") [Wilhelm II](/wiki/Wilhelm_II "Wilhelm II"). The Kaiser's chandelier had been removed from Windsor Castle and placed in storage during [World War I](/wiki/World_War_I "World War I"). It was never hung in Windsor Castle again.

[thumb\|right\|A grand chandelier, with the elaborate ceiling of the Great Hall](/wiki/File:Parliament_Buildings%2C_Stormont_-_interior_-_geograph.org.uk_-_871601.jpg "Parliament Buildings, Stormont - interior - geograph.org.uk - 871601.jpg")

The painting *The Entry of King [William](/wiki/William_III_of_England "William III of England") into Ireland*, a gift from the [Dutch Government](/wiki/Dutch_Government "Dutch Government") to its Northern Ireland counterpart, was hung in the House of Commons when it opened. However, it was removed after concerns that the painting also showed the Pope, who had blessed William's enterprise.

The building itself changed little over the years, even as the parliaments meeting inside it did. To camouflage it during [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II "World War II"), the building's Portland stone was painted with supposedly removable "paint" made of [bitumen](/wiki/Bitumen "Bitumen") and cow [manure](/wiki/Manure "Manure"). However, after the war, removing the paint proved an enormous difficulty, with the paint having scarred the stonework. It took seven years to remove the "paint", and the exterior façade has never regained its original white colour. While most traces of it were removed from the façades (though having done damage that can be seen up close), some of the remains of the paint survive in the inner courtyards and unseen parts of the building.

### Statues

Additional changes to the building and its environs include the erection of a statue to [Edward, Lord Carson](/wiki/Edward_Carson "Edward Carson"), in dramatic pose (on the drive leading up to the building) in 1932, a rare example of a statue to a person being erected before death, and the erection of a statue to [Lord Craigavon](/wiki/James_Craig%2C_1st_Viscount_Craigavon "James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon") in the Great Hall, halfway up the Imperial Staircase. Craigavon and his wife [Viscountess Craigavon](/wiki/Cecil_Mary_Nowell_Dering_Craig "Cecil Mary Nowell Dering Craig") are buried in the estate grounds.

### Architectural fittings

Throughout the building, Robert Adams "Crown Victor" and "Sceptre Victor" floor springs were used to control the doors.

### Uses for the building

[thumb\|Prince of Wales Avenue heading towards the Parliament Buildings. Twenty pairs of cast\-iron lamp standards form part of the Grade A listing](/wiki/File:Stormont_%28415743806%29.jpg "Stormont (415743806).jpg")

The building was used for the [Parliament of Northern Ireland](/wiki/Parliament_of_Northern_Ireland "Parliament of Northern Ireland") until it was prorogued in 1972\. The Senate chamber was used by the [Royal Air Force](/wiki/Royal_Air_Force "Royal Air Force") (R.A.F.) as an operations room during [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II "World War II"). The building was used for the short\-lived [Sunningdale](/wiki/Sunningdale_Agreement "Sunningdale Agreement") power\-sharing executive in 1974\. Between 1973 and 1998, it served as the headquarters of the [Northern Ireland Civil Service](/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Civil_Service "Northern Ireland Civil Service") (N.I.C.S.). Between 1982 and 1986, it served as the seat of the [rolling\-devolution assembly](/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Assembly_%281982%29 "Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)").

In the 1990s, [Sinn Féin](/wiki/Sinn_F%C3%A9in "Sinn Féin") suggested that a new parliament building for Northern Ireland should be erected, saying that the building at Stormont was too controversial and too associated with [unionist](/wiki/Unionists_%28Ireland%29 "Unionists (Ireland)") rule to be used by a power\-sharing assembly. However, no one else supported the demand and the new [Northern Ireland Assembly](/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Assembly "Northern Ireland Assembly") and executive was installed there as its permanent home.

On 3 December 2005, the Great Hall was used for the funeral service of former [Northern Ireland](/wiki/Northern_Ireland_national_football_team "Northern Ireland national football team") and [Manchester United](/wiki/Manchester_United_F.C. "Manchester United F.C.") footballer [George Best](/wiki/George_Best "George Best"). The building was selected for the funeral as it is in the only grounds in Belfast suitable to accommodate the large number of members of the public who wished to attend the funeral. Approximately 25,000 people gathered in the grounds, with thousands more lining the cortege route.

On 29 September 2012, the grounds were used for an [Orange Order](/wiki/Orange_Order "Orange Order") parade in memory of the signing of the [Ulster Covenant](/wiki/Ulster_Covenant "Ulster Covenant"). 60,000 people thronged the grounds after a parade through the streets of Belfast.

### Security breach

On 24 November 2006, [Michael Stone](/wiki/Michael_Stone_%28loyalist_paramilitary%29 "Michael Stone (loyalist paramilitary)") (a loyalist paramilitary member) was arrested for breaking into Stormont with an imitation handgun and a knife, and scrawling graffiti on Parliament Buildings itself. Initial news reports indicated that he may have been carrying a "suspect device". Later, between six and eight pipe bombs were defused by the [Army](/wiki/British_Army "British Army").


Was there a power-sharing executive at Stormont in 1974?