2nd Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Free-standing gable-fronted double-height rendered church, dated 1858. Rectangular on plan facing north, set within its own grounds on the south side of William Street. Two-storey extension to rear, built c.1950, connecting gable-fronted double-height hall to east, built c.1930.

Pitched natural slate roof, roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles, replacement steel rainwater goods to corbelled eaves and lead-lined verges to both gables. Cut stone bell-cote to front gable with round-headed arch supporting pinnacle, flanked by stepped piers. Painted pebbledash rendered walling with date plaque to front gable stating.. 'Scots, Church, 1858'. Painted stone ashlar diagonal buttresses to four outer corners rising above eaves level surmounted by a pinnacle. Pointed-headed window openings with painted chamfered stone surrounds, stone sills and leaded coloured glazing.

Front gable is three windows wide with a pair of buttresses to the central bay. Pointed-arched window openings flank the central pointed-arched door opening with a further pointed-arched window opening above the entrance. Painted chamfered stone surround to central window opening with hood moulding and resting on painted stone sill with corbels and spanning the space between both central buttresses. Painted stop-chamfered stone surround to front entrance with hood moulding extending to the off-sets of the buttresses to either side. Replacement double-leaf hardwood doors with leaded coloured glazing to the pointed-arched fanlight.

East side elevation is four windows wide and abutted to the rear by a flat-roofed corridor.

Rear elevation has a pair of lancet window openings and is abutted by a two-storey flat-roofed extension.

West side elevation is four windows wide.

Bitmac finish to entire site, enclosed to sides and rear by pebbledash rendered wall, enclosed to the street by a low pebbledash rendered wall with stone coping and decorative cast-iron railing with pair of matching cast-iron gates on octagonal cast-iron posts.

To the east is a detached double-height gable-fronted hall, built c.1930. Rectangular on plan with a flat-roofed canted entrance porch and connected to the church by a flat-roofed corridor to its west elevation.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Pebbledash render
Windows Pointed-arched leaded coloured glass
Rainwater goods Replacement steel

Historical information

The church is dated 1858 and first appears on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1905 captioned ‘Presb[yterian] Church’.

Griffiths valuation lists a ‘Presbyterian Meeting House’ valued at £30. The lessor is Sir Robert A Ferguson Bt. In Revisions this is amended to John G Smyly (undated change) and the value is now £20. By 1934 the Trustees of 2nd Castlederg Presbyterian Church lease the church from Cecil F Smyly. The church has a 40 foot frontage and seating for about 400. The average congregation in the mornings is 100 and in the evenings, 25. A plan and dimensions are given for the church and its porch.

According to a congregational history the congregation was founded in around 1791. The decision was made to build a new church in 1858 after the previous one, which had been built 50 years before, fell into disrepair. The architect and contractor was Mr William Carlisle of Spamount, a former employee of Spamount Spinning Mill. In the Autumn of 1958, while building work was in progress, a gable wall fell during a storm, but the damage was quickly made good and the church opened on 25th September 1859. The cost was £800; £150 was supplied by the Church and Manse Fund of the General Assembly, £100 was subscribed by non-members of the congregation and £250 was raised by members of the congregation. Due to rising numbers, a gallery was constructed in 1870.

In 1911 a new ceiling of pitch pine was installed and various other repairs were carried out including the removal of part of the front of the gallery. Mr John Crosbie was the architect. In 1951 and 1952, further alterations, repairs and renovations were carried out. One of the staircases to the gallery was removed and the layout of the church was altered. New pews, choir stalls, panelling and platform were installed. Thomas T Houston was the architect. In 1953 Messrs W. F. Clokey & Co supplied two leaded light windows for the front of the church which were placed in new window openings. (pp.18-43)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/16/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/16/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1939)
3. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/16 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
4. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation, Union of Castlederg (1859)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/35/6A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1924)
6. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/1D/4 – Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)

Secondary Sources

1. Thompson, Rev. S. W. “A Short History of Second Castlederg Presbyterian Church.” Tyrone Constitution Ltd, 1953

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial but simple mid-Victorian Presbyterian church executed in a restrained Gothic style retaining its overall compostion. While the windows, doors, ceiling and much of the interior has been replaced over the last century, these elements are of interest in their own right and together form an eclectic mix of architectural detailing that contribute to the interest of this church. Whilst it contributes to the social history of Castlederg, architecturally in is of insufficient interest to warrant listing.