Cavandoragh Methodist Church, Cavandarragh Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached single-cell Methodist Church with simple Gothic detailing, built c.1850-1870, located to the south side of Cavandarragh Road. Rectangular-on-plan with gabled extension (added 2005) to south-east and single-storey gabled porch to north-east (rebuilt 2005).

Roof is pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles over corbelled eaves course; roughcast chimney to extension. Walls are roughcast over smooth plinth; hammered chamfered sandstone quoins (now painted, concealing original finish). Windows are lancet containing cast iron lattice lights in painted sandstone surrounds; painted masonry sills.

Principal elevation faces east; exposed section to centre contains single window; abutted at left by gabled extension containing two square-headed timber casement windows surmounted by blind oculus; single square-headed window and timber entrance door to north elevation; abutted at right by porch containing square-headed vertically-sheeted timber door in stepped chamfered surround; single window to north elevation.

South gable is blank.

West elevation is three windows wide.

North elevation contains large plate tracery window; quatrefoil window contains leaded stained glass.

Set within modern churchyard on rural site bounded by roughcast walling with concrete coping; surmounted by steel railings to north; access through square pillars supporting pair of steel gates.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Roughcast render with modern railings and gates
Windows Pointed-arched-headed containing cast iron lattice lights
RWG Replacement cast-iron half-round gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

This church dates from c.1860. A porch and extension have been added c2005 and the interior was extensively updated at the same time.

The church first appears on the 1905 OS map captioned ‘Methodist Church’. It is listed in Griffith’s Valuation of 1856-64 as a Methodist Meeting House leased from the Marquis of Abercorn and valued at £2.

Revisions record that in 1870 the value was raised to £5 and a margin note states, ‘17x8x1½A Hammered ashlar cut stone coins’. It appears that there was a substantial remodelling of the building in 1870 which may have amounted to a complete rebuild – it is not clear from the original records. Stylistically the building can be dated to 1855-70.

A porch on the east elevation which appears on the 1936 map was replaced in 2005. An extension was also added in 2005 and the interior doors, floor and wall finishes and timber ceiling were replaced.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/17/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/17/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/17/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/17/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1936)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/40A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/35/19A-F – Annual Revision Records (1862-1929)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached single-cell Methodist Church with simple Gothic detailing, built c.1860, located to the east side of Cavandarragh Road. This plainly detailed church has been extensively renovated c2005 and the changes to the exterior and interior has resulted in a building that has lost its special interest.