Holy Trinity Church (C of I)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Church of Ireland church, built c.1860, located to the east side of Beltany Road at corner of Rash Road. Church consists of rectangular nave with chancel to east abutted at north by single-storey vestry; single-storey gabled porch to south.

Roofs are pitched natural slate over sandstone corbels; blue/black clay ridge tiles; raised stone verges with cross finials on cavetto moulded kneelers; gabled bellcote with stepped weathering to west; chamfered gothic aperture containing bronze bell. Walls are roughly squared-and-snecked rubble over splayed plinth with sandstone quoins. Windows are gothic containing lattice lights in stepped sandstone surrounds with rubble voussoirs.

Principal gable faces west and contains group of three windows surmounted at centre by quatrefoil oculus.

North elevation is five windows wide.

East gable is abutted at centre by chancel; central plate tracery window flanked to either side by window; single window to south; abutted at right by vestry with cat-slide roof containing pair of windows with shared voussoirs; to north, square-headed vertically sheeted timber entrance door with decorative strap hinges in chamfered shouldered sandstone surround flanked at right by single window.

South elevation is five windows wide; second window abutted by gabled porch; gothic entrance opening containing double-leaf horizontally sheeted timber doors with decorative strap hinges; single window to east and west.

Setting

Set within churchyard on elevated site, bounded to all sides by rubble walling and hedging; access through pair of square pillars supporting pair of cast-iron gates at east and west. Modern hall to north-west, built c.2000, within car park bounded to road by timber fence.

Roof Natural slate
Walling rubble
Windows lattice lights
RWG cast-iron

Historical information

The church is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1905-6.

Valuation Revisions record the property as ‘church and land attached’. The building valuation is revised from £17 5s to £34 5s in 1865, and a note reads ‘Church cost £1,500’. The stylistic features of the church suggest a date of c.1860. A brass memorial plaque inside the church reads “In Memory of / her Beloved Son George Thomas Spiller / This Church / is Erected / by his / Affectionate Mother / A.D.1862”. Other memorials are of late nineteenth and early twentieth century date.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/25/1 -First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/25/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/25/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/25L -Valuation Revisions Map (1909-1925)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/32A-33G -Valuation Revisions (1860-1929)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A detached double-height Church of Ireland church, built c.1860. This modestly scaled church is plainly detailed, enriched by well constructed stonework and detailing. The church retains original features both externally and internally and is a good example of a small rural church in these parts..