Ballykelly Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A powerful architectural statement, set on gently rising ground on the east edge of Main Street Ballykelly, and forming an architectural foil to the model farm on the other side of the road. It is a galleried, cut stone built and pedimented edifice with 2 rows of windows on 3 facades, the lower row lighting the ground floor of the nave and the tall upper row lighting the galleries. To the rear there is a single storey protuberance containing the minister’s room and rear porch. The entrance facade is symmetrically composed with pedimented central tall doorway set in a shallow recessed semicircular headed panel of ashlar stonework, on either side a ground floor square window and above a segmental headed tall window of 2 square proportions i.e. double the lower window. The door centrepiece is slightly recessed to form a panel and these are trimmed with ashlar stonework. Unifying the façade there is a a well modelled pediment with plain stone tympanium in centre of which there is a date stone of 1827. Two colours of sandstone are used, a biscuit colour to pick out the entrance feature, quoins and string course in well worked ashlar masonry while the infill walling built in a coursed pinkish sandstone of varying course heights. The windows are picked out in wide plain stone architraves with the cills supported on pairs of coved corbels. The building sits on a plinth of rubble whinstone. The 30º pitched roof, perhaps a bit too great, has a good overhang with a moulded soffit giving the building crisp shadow lines.

The area all around the church is filled with graves and the perimeter of the site lined with trees except at the front where a stone wall marks the boundary.

Historical information

This building replaced a former T-plan Presbyterian churche situated at Tullyhoe and many of the parishioners were not happy with the siting of Suitor’s design. They felt that the church at Tullyhoe was much more convenient for the people. Sutor's design was favoured however over those of another architect, Hugh Wright.

The building was designed by Richard Suitor, the Fishmonger’s London architect. He had already prepared plans for Banagher Presbyterian. The work commenced in 1826 and the builder James Turnball completed it in 1827 at a cost of £4,000.00 This sum was met entirely by the Fishmongers’ Company. Thackery was impressed with the building as in the 20th century was Sir John Betjeman. The building was erected during the ministry of the Reverend Richard Dill who is interred in the S W corner of the Episcopalian graveyard across the road. In 1887 the Fishmongers conveyed the church and the manse to the trustees of the congregation for ever in fee simple. In 1939 renovations were carried out to the church and again in 1976. Renovations carried out in 1894. Possibly under supervision of M A Robinson who designed the adjoining lecture hall.

References
RA 1827 No.923
O S Memoirs of Ireland Vol 25
J E Mullin, The Presbytery of Limavady
J S Curl, The Londonderry Plantation 1609 - 1914
D Girvan, Buildings of North Derry - UAHS

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A fine example of Neo-classical architecture in temple form well sited, with excellent use of materials, well proportioned and detailed, good quality interior with gallery round three sides creating theatrical effect.