Drumquin Methodist Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached single-cell Methodist Church with simple gothic detailing, dated 1878, located to the east side of Omagh Road. Church consists of rectangular nave with single-storey gabled porch to north-west; single-storey brick extension to east, built c.1980.

Roof is pitched asbestos tiles with blue/black clay ridge tiles over timber boarded eaves; raised sandstone verges on cavetto moulded kneelers; gabled ashlar sandstone bellcote to west consisting of chamfered pointed-arched-headed aperture containing bronze bell. Walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with dressed sandstone quoins over splayed plinth. Windows are paired cusped round-arched-headed in stepped sandstone surround containing leaded lattice stained glass lights.

Principal elevation faces north and contains two windows at left. Elevation abutted on right by gabled porch containing pointed-arched-headed rebated chamfered entrance opening surmounted by hood mould with label-stops containing square-headed double-leaf vertically-sheeted timber entrance doors surmounted by tympanum inscribed ‘AD 1878’ accessed by two stone steps; small square-headed window to east and west elevations.

East gable is abutted at ground floor by gabled red brick extension (of no interest); exposed section at upper level is blank.

South elevation is three windows wide.

West gable contains pair of pointed-arched-headed windows in stepped sandstone surrounds with shared moulded sill surmounted by single small square-headed window to apex.

Set on elevated site within churchyard; bounded to road at west by rock-faced concrete walling with saddleback coping; bounded to other sides by hedging and planting; pedestrian access through recent iron gates to concrete steps at north-west.

Roof Asbestos tiles
Walling Ruled-and-lined render
Windows Cusped round-arched-headed containing leaded latticed stained glass
RWG Replacement uPVC half-round gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

The church bears a datestone of 1878. It was extensively restored, including re-roofing, following fire damage to the structure, c.1970. An extension was added to the east of the church following this work. Johnston dates this to 1979.

The church first appears on the third edition of the OS map (1905).

It is written into valuation revisions in 1889 as a Methodist Meeting House and land valued at £15 and 5s for the land.

According to Johnston, Methodism began in the area in 1767 when a travelling Preacher, John Smith, who was based in Armagh, was invited to a house in Newtownstewart. He also preached in the open air at Drumquin. John Wesley visited the area, including Drumquin, in 1771 and in 1778 a new circuit was established, based at Lisleen with over 600 members. In 1786 the Lisleen circuit was divided and Drumquin became part of the new Omagh circuit. Following a split between Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists (1816) there was a revival in 1823-6 which saw membership of the circuit increase dramatically. “Methodists operated what was called the Class System, in which members met in each others homes for prayer and instruction in the faith. Each class had about 10 members, and in this period there were classes in virtually every Townland around Omagh, extending as far as Sixmilecross, Gortin and Drumquin. Gradually these areas became strong enough to construct their own chapels…in 1858, the Methodists in Drumquin took over an old granary in the centre of the village, and converted it into a church. This building, which could seat 100, was replaced in 1878 by the present church, which was erected at a total cost of £674.2s.2d. It could seat 150” (p.3-7) It was built as a Wesleyan church, however, the year of its building saw the re-unification of the Wesleyan and Primitive branches.

The building is noted by Rowan in 1979 as the only church in Drumquin

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/33/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/33/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/33 – Annual Revisions Valuation Maps (1860-1929)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/18A-F – Annual Revisions Records (1860-1929)

Secondary Sources

1. Johnston, Norman and Desmond Preston. “Methodism in Omagh: An Historical Account of Methodism, Over Two Centuries, In the Omagh and Fintona Circuit.” Omagh: Self-published, 1982.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Detached single-cell Methodist Church with simple gothic detailing, dated 1878, located to the east side of Omagh Road. The church has been sympathetically restored following extensive fire damage, c.1970, when the roof was destroyed. Although this simple church retains much of its original character and displays some good stonework detailing, it is not among the best examples of the type.