Donaghedy 2nd Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached single-cell Presbyterian Church with Gothic styling, dated 1855 (built on the site of earlier meeting house), located to the west side of Altrest Road. Rectangular-on-plan.

Roof is pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles; raised sandstone verges on casement moulded kneelers; 2 metal ventilation stacks on ridge line. Walls are squared coursed sandstone to principal elevation (roughly coursed elsewhere) over stepped plinth; ashlar banded quoins. Windows are pointed-arched-headed containing replacement uPVC Y-tracery with lattice lights in chamfered stepped sandstone surround surmounted by hood mould with stop-ends; sandstone sills.

Principal gable faces east and consists of central pointed-arched-headed entrance containing replacement double-leaf timber panelled doors with panelled tympanum (surround as windows) surmounted by large window containing three lights and cusped-headed grilled opening with plain surround to apex; window to left and right each surmounted by cusped-headed marble datestone inscribed 'AD 1855' in plain surround.

South elevation is six windows wide; ventilation grilles at low level.

West gable contains two windows surmounted by ogee-headed louvred opening with plain surround to apex.

North elevation is detailed as south.

Set within rural churchyard with hall, built c.1960, to west; community hall, built c.2000 to south-east. Site bounded to road at east by roughcast walling with saddleback coping; access through pair of square piers supporting pair of cast-iron gates; bounded to north and south by wire fencing.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Coursed sandstone rubble
Windows Pointed-arched-headed replacement uPVC with Y-tracery and lattice lights in sandstone surround
RWG Cast-iron half-round gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

There has been a meeting house on this site since at least the second half of the eighteenth century. The old meeting house was replaced in 1855. A “Meeting Ho.” is captioned on the first edition of the OS map (1832-3). On the second edition (1853), it is captioned “Presbyterian Meeting House” and on the third (1905) “Donaghedy Presb. Ch. (2nd)”. On the third edition of the OS map the old meeting house has disappeared to be replaced by a building rectangular in plan. “Sandville Congregational School.” is captioned on the 1854 map but this has also disappeared by the 1907 map and a new building is captioned as the school.

The dimensions of the old meeting house are given in the Townland Valuation Records (1828-40), which values the Meeting house (74x28x13) and addition (24x50x15.6), together at £9 12s 9¾d. In Griffith’s Valuation, the Rev. J. G. Porter holds the new meeting house from the Marquis of Abercorn. The new meeting house has dimensions 75x50x27 and a school house, a sessions house and a stable are also mentioned. The whole is valued at £24. The only notable change in the Annual Revisions in 1889 is an increase in the value of the building to £32, suggesting possible improvements.

Bradley, et al. states: “The congregation of Donagheady also experienced a serious rupture in 1736-41, which culminated in the congregation splitting into two separate divisions. In 1736, the Rev. Thomas Winsley, minister of Donagheady Presbyterian Church for the previous thirty-seven years, died. The basis of the ensuing dispute was the inability of the congregation to come to any agreement over the choice of their next minister…The situation gradually deteriorated, reaching its lowest point in a riot in the church during a Sunday service…By 1741, with still no resolution in sight, the Synod of Ulster sanctioned the separation of the congregation into two different parts. The congregation which continued to meet in the old church became known as First Donagheady…The new congregation was called Second Donagheady, and in August 1741 their first minister, the Rev Robert Wirling, was installed. Second Donagheady meeting-house [was constructed] barely 200 yards from the old church” (p.306). The congregations were reunited on 1 January 1933, with the united congregation using the Second Donagheady church building. (Bready ancestry website)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/2/1– First Edition OS Map (1832-3)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/2/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/2 – Townland Valuation Map(1828-40)
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/639A&B – Townland Valuation Records (1828-40)
6. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/2A-B – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/42C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/18A-G – Annual Revision Records (1860-1925)

Secondary Sources:

1. Bradley, J, etc. “The Fair River Valley – Strabane Through the Ages.” Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000.
2. “Donagheady Presbyterian Church.” Chap. In “Bready Ancestry: Bready and District Ulster-Scots Development Association. http://www/breadyancestry.com/index.ph?id=35. Accessed 17 March 2009.

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Barn type Presbyterian Church in the Gothic Revival style, dated 1855 (built on the site of an earlier meeting house), located to the west side of Altrest Road. The church has been well-conceived and displays beautifully detailed local sandstone while retaining simplicity in design. Despite replacement uPVC windows, the building retains much of its original character. This large church is located on a prominent elevated site with views over the surrounding countryside, reinforcing its significance to the local rural community. It is enhanced by the fine cast iron entrance gates, gate pillarsa dn walling.