Trinity Presbyterian Church Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached double-height Gothic church hall, built c.1895, located on south of John Street. Rectangular on plan, facing west; gable to street, two-storey four-opening-wide block, dated 1957, to east.

Pitched natural slate roof, perforated crested blue/black clay ridge tiles, chamfered stone verges, ogee cast-iron gutters on chamfered stone corbels. Walling is squared and snecked basalt with dressed sandstone quoins. Windows are gothic stained glass casements with flush chamfered sandstone surrounds.

Principal (north) gable is symmetrical; central depressed pointed arch-headed varnished timber double-leaf door with wrought-iron strap hinges surmounted by triple lancet window flanked to each side by depressed pointed arch-headed window. Apex has cusped blind oculus surmounted by timber louvred trefoil, wrought-iron finial.

East elevation is abutted to right end by former sexton’s house (HB11/11/007C). Exposed section is four windows wide; roughcast walling.

Rear (south) gable is entirely abutted by later two-storey addition.

West elevation is five windows wide, detailed as principal gable.

Addition is rectangular on plan, facing west; two-storey flat-roofed addition to east elevation (of no interest), modern single-storey flat-roofed extension to south and east elevations (of no interest). Pitched slate roof, angled blue/black clay ridge tiles with stone verges; roughcast walling; square-headed uPVC casements, slightly projecting cement-rendered reveals and concrete sills.

Principal (west) elevation is four openings wide; detailed as west elevation of hall but with depressed gothic stained glass casement windows; off-centre entrance flanked to left by single window to each floor, flanked to right by two windows to each floor. Door is depressed gothic varnished timber panel door with stained glass tympanum; concrete date plaque over.

South gable is abutted by modern extension; exposed section is blank.

Rear (east) elevation is abutted by modern extension and addition (both of no interest); exposed section is blank.

North gable is abutted by hall; exposed section is blank.

Setting:-
The church hall is situated at base of elevated church grounds with paved channel to west accessed by stone stairs flanked by splayed stone railings; set back from John Street by pavement to north, paved rear patio of former sexton’s house (HB11/11/007C) to east and paved parking lot of church (HB11/11/007A) to south.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Basalt
Windows: Stained glass
Rainwater Goods: Cast-iron

Historical information

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

Valuation Revisions add the ‘lecture hall’ in 1895. The occupier is the Committee of the second Presbyterian Meeting House and the building valuation is £23.

According to McCandless & McElhinney, the church hall was opened on 3rd April 1894 with a grand concert (pg 30)... [and] in the ensuing years, this hall was to be used extensively by the Church organisations...[it was also]...used for drama rehearsals...[and] during World War II the hall was taken over by the Army and used for various administrative purposes. (2004, pg 31).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/1-First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/35/2-Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/35/3-Third Edition OS Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI VAL/1/D/6/6 -Town Plan of Omagh (1824-1844)
5. PRONI VAL/2/D/6/17 -Town Plan of Omagh (1849-1869)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/6/36 -Valuation Revisions (1860-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/37-Valuation Revisions (1903-1929)
8. PRONI VAL/12/E/186/1/5 -Town Plan of Omagh (1882-1909)
9. PRONI VAL/12/F/7/7/1- Valuation Revisions (1930-35)

Secondary Sources

1. McCandless, John & McElhinney, Claire. The People of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Omagh 1754-2004. Trinity Presbyterian Church: 2004.
2. Johnston, Norman and Preston, Desmond. Methodism in Omagh. A short history 1767-1982. Omagh, 1982.

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
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

An attached double-height Gothic church hall, built c.1895. The church (HB11/11/007A), church hall and former sexton’s house (HB11/11/007C) form a distinct group. The late-nineteenth-century hall was designed to closely match the church (built 1856) and before a 1901 enlargement to the church compromised the similarity. The hall possesses fine proportions and maintains its simple plan and detailing to a large extent. The former sexton’s house is attached to hall and was linked internally via a (now blocked) first floor gallery/passage that lead to a Sunday school room in the sexton’s house.

General comments

This record has been renumbered as part of a group - previously HB11/11/005