First Presbyterian Church Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double-height multi-bay galleried church hall, built c.1930, located immediately SE of Broughshane First Presbyterian Church, on the north side of Main Street. Rectangular on plan.

Roof is pitched natural slate, with original ogee profile cast iron rainwater goods on overhanging boxed eaves having original trefoil fixings to downpipes. Towards the southern end of the ridge is an octagonal louvred copper-clad ventilation cupola. Modern velux lights to both pitches at northern end. Walling is textured cement render, painted white, with contrasting detailing including a smooth plinth and deep, narrow smooth corner quoins. Variety of windows including timber horned 4/4 sashes and uPVC casements to front elevation; side elevations are lit by a series of round-headed margined 3/1 sashes with fixed margined toplight over; modern timber casements wrap around north end, all over contrasting masonry cills, and in smooth rendered reveals.

Principal south gable is a symmetrical arrangement, comprising central replacement timber doors set in a slightly advanced smooth rendered porch flanked by a group of three uPVC windows to either side, also in a large smooth rendered reveal. Above the door a slate name plaque reads: ‘First Broughshane / Church Hall’. To upper floor is a Venetian arrangement comprising a timber door with six lights to upper portion. It opens onto a projecting concrete balcony with iron diamond lattice and rosette parapet with urn finials, and shares a tall opening with a nine-light timber margined overlight flanked by 4/4 timber sashes; the arrangement is set in a single smooth rendered panel, slightly advanced, with contrasting two-tier hood moulding and keystone.

East and west elevations are almost identical; each has a slightly projecting south end embraced by quoins, and lit by a margined roundel (the west elevation also has a small three-light fixed window close to ground level). The main hall is lit by a series of four tall round-headed windows; the north end appears to have been reconfigured; it contains ancillary rooms lit by three high level rectangular casements with horizontal emphasis at ground floor; there are replacement hardwood doors and first floor level is blank.

The rear (north) gable is lit by four aligned windows to each floor, those to ground floor are at high level with horizontal emphasis; those to first floor are much larger and of conventional vertical format.

Setting:
The hall is located within the grounds of First Broughshane Presbyterian Church (HB07/04/002), and associated session house, which also served as a national school. The group is prominently located on Broughshane Main Street, and while the church is set back behind a linear graveyard, the Hall sits forward, screening the church from east. The hall is set within a tarmac carpark, and is bounded to the road by a painted rendered wall, shared with the church; it is accessed by a pair of replacement iron gates with burning bush motif. The former session house is two-storey, with pitched slate roof, rendered walling and casement windows.

Materials
Roof; natural slate
RWG; cast-iron
Walling; painted cement rendered
Windows; 4/4 timber sashes, round-headed 3/1 timber sashes, uPVC & modern timber casements

Historical information

Built c.1929, the hall is not depicted on historic OS maps but it is shown on the map accompanying the Annual Revision records (1903-35). First added to the Annual Revision records (1920-29) in 1929, the hall replaced a previous house, shop and outbuildings but no value was given as the building was then in progress. Completed by the First General Revaluation (1935), a rateable value of £72 was noted and this remained unchanged until at least the latter-half of the 20th century (Annual Revisions 1935-54).

Magill Hall was gifted to the congregation of First Broughshane Presbyterian Church (HB07/04/002) by the brothers Magill, (David Hartley and George Neill) who emigrated to Australia from the local area in the late 19th century and had become successful sheep farmers. David (1865-1927) returned home to Kinbally in Broughshane in 1919 and with aid from his brother George (1861-1952), donated the money to build a new church hall for First Broughshane Presbyterian Church, in acknowledgement of their strong connections with the church. The brothers also financed the refurbishment of the church building and contributed toward the cost of a hospital wing at the Waveney Hospital in Ballymena (founded c.1912 and closed c.1994), in which the Magill Ward was named in memory of their father. David died suddenly in 1927, before work on the church hall began and is buried in the graveyard of First Broughshane.

The hall was extended to the north, c.1980, in conjunction with internal refurbishments.

The First Presbyterian Church Hall forms part of a group of buildings associated with First Broughshane Presbyterian Church (HB07/04/002), which include the church building, the session house, the White memorial (HB07/04/003B) and the Stewart memorial (HB07/04/003A). Originally known as the ‘Braid’ congregation, the church was founded in 1655 but the original building was enlarged and extensively reconstructed during the late 1920s, funded by the Magill brothers. The work was executed to the designs of the Belfast architectural firm Young & Mackenzie, who were the leading architects for the Presbyterian Church in the north-east (DIA). The session house is shown to the south-east of the church on the first edition OS map (1832-33) and Griffith’s Valuation (1862) shows that by the 1860s the building was in use as a National School house. Replaced by a new school, built c.1890 to the designs of Young & Mackenzie (DIA), the building was then utilsed as a hall in the early to mid 20th century and now as a session house. The session house is common among older Presbyterian churches, used as a place of meeting for the Session (a body of selected elders who governed the local parish).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/33/1 First edition OS map (1823-33)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/33/2 Second edition OS map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/33/4 Fourth edition OS map (1921)
4. PRONI VAL/12/E/16/1 Valuation Map (1903-35)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/3/7E Annual Revisions (1920-29)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/8 Annual Revisions (1935-54)
7. HB File (HB07/04/002B)

Secondary Sources

1. Girvan, W.D. Oram, R. Rowan, A. ‘Historic Buildings in Antrim & Ballymena’ UAHS, 1969
2. Jones, Hazel Parker ‘Descendants of James Boyd Magill 1799-1880’ Kershaw, S.C, 1963

Online Sources

1. Dictionary of Irish Architects (www.dia.ie)
2. (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Scotch-Irish/1998-12/0915001282)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest
S. Authenticity
R. Age

Evaluation

A double-height multi-bay galleried church hall, built c.1930. Broughshane First Presbyterian Church Hall is located within the grounds and immediately SE of Broughshane First Presbyterian Church (HB07/04/002), on the north side of Main Street. The church has seventeenth century origins, making it among one of Ulster’s earliest congregations. The hall dates from the late 1920s, and is characterised by a fine symmetrical principal elevation, with a Venetian window with iron diamond lattice railings to a small balcony located above the main entrance. Despite modern alterations and the loss of some internal and external historic detailing, the hall retains historic character. The original plan form largely is largely intact and it is of value in its group setting along with the church and The White Memorial (HB07/04/003B). It is of social significance in the local community and the Main Street setting is enhanced by this group of structures.

General comments

Also HB07/LQ059

Ballymena Development Plan not available, therefore it is unclear if building falls within Area of Townscape Character or a Local Landscape Policy Area.