Aghyaran Methodist Church,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Methodist Church built c. 1870; located to the east side of Church Road, Castlederg. Rectangular-on-plan single-cell church with chancel to north; single-storey entrance porch and boiler-house at left of south elevation; single-storey outbuilding at east connected to nave by single-storey flat-roof extension.

Roofs are pitched natural slate; blue/black clay ridge tiles; flat stone verges supported on cavetto moulded kneelers; box profile cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are squared-and-snecked rubble with stugged finish quoins over projecting plinth. Windows contain lattice glazing and margin lights within chamfered pointed-arched-headed opening and stugged finish stepped surrounds and splayed flush cills, unless otherwise stated.

Principal elevation faces east and is abutted at centre by single-storey entrance porch; exposed section contains three windows at centre. Entrance porch has pitched natural slate roof and is detailed as nave. East gable contains pointed-arched-headed opening containing a timber-sheeted door with original ironmongery including decorative strap-hinges. Left cheek contains single window (diminished); right cheek is abutted by single-storey boiler-house detailed as nave with parapet concealing flat-roof; square-plan two-stage chimney to nave east wall at rear of boiler house; east elevation contains single window; north elevation contains square-headed timber-sheeted door.

South gable contains paired windows at centre; modern timber wall-plaque at right.

West elevation contains three windows at centre.

North gable is abutted by single-storey extension with flat roof; exposed section contains three centrally located pointed-arched-headed window openings (central taller); each containing leaded stained glass with margin lights. Extension has felted flat roof and smooth rendered walling; east elevation contains metal casement window; west elevation contains three metal casement windows; north elevation contains timber sheeted door at left and is abutted at right by (earlier) single-storey outbuilding with pitched natural slate roof; walls are roughcast rendered. Principal east elevation contains central timber door with window metal casement at right; window at north and west elevations.

The north outbuilding has a slightly lower ground level than the church or extension (linking block;) the entrance to both are separated by a roughcast rendered wall with saddleback coping.

Set within a rural landscape and bounded to Church Road at south by alcoved entrance; comprising roughcast rendered walls and square plan piers with pyramidal coping supporting original wrought-iron gates. Bound at north and west by hedging and at east by River Derg and Aghyaran Bridge (HB10/01/009) at south-east corner.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Squared-and-snecked rubble with picked finish quoins over projecting plinth
Windows Lattice glazing and margin lights within chamfered pointed-arched-headed opening and stugged finish stepped
surrounds and splayed flush cills
RWG Box profile cast-iron

Historical information

This church dates from c.1870 and is largely unchanged in plan. However, the interior is much altered following refurbishment c.1955.

The building first appears on the 1907 OS Map captioned ‘Methodist Church (Wesleyan)’.

Valuation Revisions show that the land belonged to the Guardians of the Earl of Caledon (a minor) in 1862. In 1872 the ‘Methodist Meeting House’ is written into the records and valued at £5. A marginal note shows the building as 13 yards long by 8 yards wide with a side projection measuring 3 yards by 2 yards. The latter would appear to correspond to the porch/boiler house.

Stylistically, the church appears to date from c.1870 and has remained largely unchanged with the porch and adjoining boiler-house also constructed at this date using similar construction and detailing. The interior is much altered following refurbishment c.1955, when the plan form and internal detailing were substantially altered, including the installation of chancel windows dated 1955. The building located north of the church, (no longer in use) appears to be older than the church itself; vernacular in style built with random rubble walling and pitched natural slate roof; this building may have been used by the Aghyaran congregation prior to the construction of the church, but is not captioned on OS maps.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/23/1 -First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/23/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/23/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/23 -Townland Valuation Map (1828-40)
5. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/23A -Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/35/10A -Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/166/1 -Annual Revision Records Town Plan (1904-9)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/27A-F -Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached double-height Methodist Church, built c. 1870, located to the east side of Church Road, Castlederg. A substantially altered interior detracts from the overall integrity of the building however the building is located on an attractive rural site and is beautifully detailed externally both in style and proportion; overall contributing positively to the architecture of the local area. The church is enhanced by the wrought iron entrance gates and masonry gate screen.