St Mary’s Church of Ireland Church,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A church in Neo-Norman style, of masonry construction, consisting of a nave, small chancel, entrance tower, and robing room. The church is aligned north to south with the main entrance facing west.

Entrance elevation comprises a three-bay gabled nave with a square three-stage tower set back to the right, containing the main entrance, and a short gabled chancel set back to the left.
Nave roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, between sandstone gable copings, with ashlar stone chimney on left-hand gable; walling is of basalt rubble with projecting plain pilaster end strips and pilasters between windows; projecting sandstone plinth; two projecting red sandstone corbel courses. PVC gutters and downpipes.
Three windows, stone mullioned and transomed, in sandstone, each with two round-headed lights coupled within a larger round sandstone head which contains a tracery light, set in semi-circular arched openings with roughly dressed basalt voussoirs; each light contains cusped metal tracery and thin metal glazing bars and is glazed with small panes; there is an inward-opening vent incorporated in each window; splayed cills.

Tower to right is of similar walling, basalt with a projecting sandstone plinth, with a moulded sandstone string course at the first stage, and a moulded sandstone cornice at the top, with a blocking course of what looks like rhyolite.
Ground floor stage of tower contains the main entrance which comprises a pair of rectangular timber panelled doors, with semi-circular arched panels, surmounted by a panelled semi-circular timber tympanum, all set in a raised and moulded semi-circular headed painted stone surround; a Victorian iron lamp bracket projects from the door surround.
The second stage of the tower contains a triplet of windows with raised semi-circular headed surrounds, set below an elliptical relieving arch. Similar triplets of windows occupy the south and east faces of the second stage of the tower.
The top stage of the tower contains a tall arched surround with coupled semi-circular arched timber louvres. A similar louvred opening occupies the other three faces of the top stage of the tower.

The chancel to the left of the nave has a blank elevation to the west; walling as previous to nave but without pilasters; PVC rainwater goods.

North elevation: nave gable of snecked basalt with sandstone kneelers to coping; ashlar sandstone chimney on apex, with moulded cornice. Small rectangular openings to each corner; small semi-circular arched opening in apex of gable below chimney, containing timber louvres.
Chancel gable is of similar walling and contains a large 3-light window, transomed and mullioned, with similar detailing to nave windows but glazed with stained glass. End wall of vestry to left is of limestone as previous, and contains a rectangular timber small paned fixed light with timber lintel and projecting stone cill, painted.

Rear elevation: nave is similar to entrance elevation but has only two windows as the third bay from left has been later built out as an organ chamber of coursed basalt rubble with squared white limestone quoins and upper part of walling of roughly coursed limestone; PVC gutter and downpipe.
Nave roof is slated as previous, swept down over organ projection; PVC gutter and cast iron downpipe.
In angle between main nave wall and later organ projection is a low later lean-to block in brickwork with asbestos slated roof; sheeted timber door.
To right of projecting organ bay is the blank basalt wall of the chancel, similar to entrance front. Lean-to vestry at ground floor; snecked limestone with projecting sandstone plinth. Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses. PVC gutter and cast iron downpipe; timber eaves board. Modern rectangular timber ledged door with modern brass draught excluder at base; timber lintel; two stone steps.

Tower to left has a blank ground storey; cast iron downpipe from parapet gutter at top stage. Later lean-to building at base of ground floor; brick walls and asbestos slated roof; PVC gutter and cast iron downpipe; concrete steps down to a sheeted timber door at basement level.

South elevation: comprises the main nave gable of blank walling with side elevation eaves courses returning across it to meet the tower projecting centrally. End elevation of tower similar to entrance face except ground storey contains a window: tall fixed light lancet, round headed as previous to nave, with traceried head and small panes; weephole in splayed cill.

SETTING: The church stands in a very rural area, facing the main road but set back from it within its own grounds, with distant views toward the sea. Front boundary wall of greystone rubble in rough courses, with rubble coping, containing a pair of original iron gates mounted on square piers with broad weathered sandstone caps; gates stamped 'Gardner, Armagh'; front wall of churchyard joins front walling of adjacent graveyard in same plane but the latter is of different toned stone, with modern strip pointing and is not set in courses, and has a set of plainer gates mounted on piers with concrete caps.
North boundary walling is of uncoursed basalt rubble, and does not run uniformly to the rear; it is ramped down at an intermediate position, and also changes direction alongside a stream; south boundary between churchyard and graveyard formed by a low white limestone revetment containing a small pedestrian opening without a gate; east boundary formed by a white limestone revetment, roughly squared at the south end but of rough rubble construction to the rest, all surmounted by a wooden post and wire fence. No memorials of special interest in the churchyard.

Historical information

Built in 1837 as Ardclinis parish church to the design of William Hagerty, architect of Londonderry; organ chamber added 1884; church re-seated 1885.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1857, Co Antrim 25.

Secondary Sources
1. L. Ewart, Handbook of the United Diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore (Belfast, 1886), p 60.
2. UAHS, Glens of Antrim (Belfast, 1971), pp 22 and 26 (but p 22 contains an erroneous attribution).
3. H. Dixon, Ulster Architecture 1800-1900 (UAHS, Belfast, 1972), p 17.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This is an early 19th century church in a Neo-Norman style which retains a number of its original features and enjoys an unspoiled rural setting.