Methodist Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Methodist church, built c.1900, located at the south side of Railway Street, Strabane. The church is rectangular-on-plan with gabled entrance porch at east and attached double-height church hall at south built, c. 1930.

Pitched natural slate roof, blue/black clay ridge tiles, raised stone verges, replacement uPVC rainwater goods. Walling is ruled-and-lined rendered, exposed squared-and-snecked stone on principal north elevation only. Windows are pointed-arched-headed multi-pane metal with leaded stained glass; masonry rendered cills.

Road-facing elevation at north comprises of paired buttress with off-
setting flanking a central wide gothic arched window with complicated tracery and original leaded stained glass. The outer (corner) buttress are capped by stone cross finials.

Left (east) elevation is abutted at right by single-storey gabled entrance porch; roof detailed as main church; walls are smooth rendered, north elevation detailed as north elevation of church. Entrance at north through double-leaf pointed-arched-headed timber sheeted doors contained within stepped stone surround accessed by three stone steps. Single window at south. Exposed section contains three windows at left.

South gable is abutted by double-height (slightly lower) church hall built c.1930.

Right (west) elevation is five windows wide each divided by buttresses with off-setting.

The attached church hall built c.1930 is rectangular-on-plan with single-storey flat-roof extension at west. Roof is natural slate, red terracotta ridge tiles, timber eaves board and u-profile uPVC rainwater goods. Walls are roughcast rendered, windows are round-arched-headed timber framed with frosted glass.

West elevation is abutted by single-storey extension. Exposed section at left contains single window. South gable contains plainly detailed venetian style window. East elevation is five windows wide.

Extension is accessed at north via double-leaf pointed-arched-headed timber sheeted door located at re-entrant angle with main church. West elevation of extension contains seven replacement square-headed timber casement windows. Right cheek contains replacement timber fire escape door acced by four masonry steps and mild-steel handrail.

The church is set in a churchyard within a small urban site set back from the general building line in Railway Street, with small rubble stone wall at front of site on East. Access to the north forecourt is via a pair of decorative cast iron gates. Forecourt enclosed by similarly detailed cast iron railings on rendered plinth walling.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Squared-and-snecked stone / render
Windows Pointed-arched, multi-pane metal, leaded stained glass
Rainwater goods uPVC

Historical information

The church first appears on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1905.

The Irish Builder of 1 January 1901 announces, “A Methodist new church has been built and is about to be opened at Strabane. The old Methodist church in that town had long been condemned and the new erection will prove a great boon to the congregation.”

In 1869 the Church of Ireland was disestablished and Methodists no longer felt it patriotic to keep the link with the Church of Ireland. Previously many Methodists would have received sacraments in the Church of Ireland and attended supplementary services in their own church. Furthermore, in 1878 the Primitive and Wesleyan sects of Methodism were reunited. The Primitive congregation of Strabane had a chapel in Barrack Street, which they sold in 1880. The Wesleyan church in Patrick Street was used until the building of the new church in 1900 at a cost of £1200 (Kennedy, p.43, Bradley et al., p.295-6).

“It was opened on Friday 7 December 1900, on a site on the Railway Road rented from the Duke of Abercorn. Buttresses were added in 1920. The Church halls were built in 1932 at a cost of £420…The highest official honour ever done to a minister serving in the Strabane circuit came in 1953 when the Rev. R.L.M. Waugh was elected president of the Methodist Church in Ireland.” (Bradley et al, p.296)

More recently, some changes have been made to the church, “Strabane town centre was flooded on the night of 21 October 1987. The Methodist Church was flooded to a depth of over 6 feet (nearly 2m). In restoration some changes and improvements were made. The major decision was to put a screen at the back of the church to give a larger reception area.” (p.296)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/5/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1905)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/5/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1951)
3. The Irish Builder, 43, 1 January 1901, p.586

Secondary Sources

1. Bradley, J, et al. “The Fair River Valley – Strabane Through the Ages.” Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000.
2. Kennedy, Michael G. “By the Banks of the Mourne: A History of Strabane.” Strabane, Co. Tyrone: Strabane Historical
Society, 1996.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This methodist church dating from 1900 is located on an urban site to the south of Railway Street, Strabane and is designed in a simple Gothic revival style. This church has a neatly detailed and proportioned stone front elevation and cast iron gates and railings and is a builiding of some architectural and social interest in Strabane.