Largy Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Largy Presbyterian Church sits close to the north east side of Drumrane Road mainly due to the mid 19th century extension whose gable is almost contiguous with the road verge. Adjacent to the church building is the graveyard extending to the north and west.

An L shaped building with a mixture of round headed and square headed openings, white rendered with plaster quoin stones, recently slated roof in asbestos with plain ridge tiles, overhang with wavy bargeboards (a recent work).

The original building was a hall of 19½ metres by 10½ built in or begun in 1831. In 1861 a transept was added. The older part of the edifice has tall square headed windows while the gable of the transept has semi-circular headed door and windows. Apart from the quoins there is little applied decoration. To the east a new wing has been added in similar utilitarian style containing minister’s room, Sunday School and toilets with additional entrances. Windows and doors facing the road have thin plaster architraves with diminutive keystone. PVC gutters and downpipes, haphazard overhead electricity supply cables.

Historical information

Ordnance Survey Memoirs state erection commenced 1831 and not completely finished in 1855 and to that date cost £300. The late Alexander Alexander, John Alexander, Sir Robert Bateson MP, Captain Theobald Jones MP contributed as well as congregation and some supplied labour. “The extreme length of the house is 64 and a half feet, the extreme breadth 34 and a half feet, thickness of walls 2 feet, height of the side walls 14 feet. The building is lighted by 8 rectangular windows and is of the plainest construction. No pews have yet been built; the pulpit only is put up and the interior of the wall is not plastered or dressed. The Irish Society contributed 100 pounds towards the finishing of it, but this sum will not be sufficient”. After the 1859 Revival the transept was added in 1861

In 1882 alterations and improvements were sought (advertisement Londonderry Standard 25 July 1882) to plans and specification by William Barber, London Street, Derry. Work was under way by October. Manse now demolished was erected in 1889 (see HB02/03/011). Improvements were carried out c1980s.

References:

Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol 25
Londnderry Standard 25 July 1882
J E Mullin, The Presbytery of Limavady

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial church building dating from 1831 which would have originally exhibited the simplicity and good proportion of many presbyterian halls. It now has an unusual L shaped plan arrangement, but this has been to the detriment of the interior space. The pulpit is no longer centred on the main aisle and the renovations have reduced the quality of the space further. External changes have also detracted from the historical character of the building. The church is no longer of a quality suitable for listing.