Sixmilecross Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height single-cell Presbyterian Church, built c.1860, on the site of an earlier meeting house, located to the east side of Meeting House Road. The church was largely renovated c.1900 and consists of rectangular nave with single-storey porch to west; single-storey gabled extension to north-east.

Roof is pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles over corbelled eaves course; raised stone verges on moulded kneelers; chimney-stack to east gable and two metal ventilation cowls to ridge. Walls are coursed rubble with ashlar sandstone quoins; ruled-and-lined render to west elevation. Windows are gothic in stepped sandstone surrounds containing leaded stained glass; chamfered sandstone sills.

Principal gable faces west and is abutted at ground floor by porch; exposed section contains stone plaque with hood mould surmounted by gothic louvred opening. Porch has flat roof with moulded coping to parapet; central gothic chamfered opening with stepped sandstone surround and hood mould with label stops containing vertically-sheeted double-leaf timber doors surmounted by gablet; single window to left and right; north and south elevations are blank.

North elevation is four windows wide.

East gable contains single gothic louvred opening to apex; abutted at ground floor right by flat-roofed link block to extension built c.1900.

South elevation is four windows wide.

Setting:-
Set within graveyard containing a range of nineteenth and twentieth-century grave markers and memorials; earliest marker found dates from 1854. Church hall, built c.1960, to north-west. Site bounded to road at west by board-marked rendered walling with stone coping; entry through pair of square pillars with pyramidal coping supporting pair of cast-iron gates to south-west; smooth rendered alcoved plinth wall surmounted by wrought-iron railings to west with vehicular access through pair of wrought-iron gates supported by square pillars.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Stone / render
Windows: Stained glass
Rainwater goods: Cast-iron

Historical information

The church appears to date from c.1860 and was constructed on the site of a previous building. Extensive renovations took place in 1900.

A ‘Meeting House’ and ‘Grave Yard’ are present on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833, but the meeting house appears to have been replaced by a different building by the time of the third edition (1905-6), and is now captioned ‘Presbyterian Church’.

The ‘Seceding Meeting House’ is listed in the Townland Valuation, together with a ‘Study House’ and ‘Stable’ and valued at £3.18s. Dimensions are given and this seems to have been a longer and lower building than the present one. The meeting house is mentioned in Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary in 1837 (p.619).

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the building as a ‘Presbyterian Meeting House and Burial Ground’ valued initially at £9.10s. An undated revision is made to bring the value to £15.10s and it is possible that this coincides with the rebuilding of the church.

The Irish Builder of 15 November 1900 announces renovations to the church, “The Presbyterian Church [at Sixmilecross] is at present being renovated, from designs by Mr M A Robinson, M.R.I.A.I, of Richmond Street, Londonderry. A new porch has been built, and minister’s room, with heating chamber under. The interior of the church has been completely cleared out, and new flooring, pews, wainscoting, ceiling etc., are being inserted – all of pitch pine. The pulpit is of pitch pine and walnut, the panels being of selected figured pine with cusped open work. New windows of leaded lights are being put in by Messrs. S W Clokey and Co., of King Street, Belfast…The work is being executed by Mr John Thompson of Newmills, Dungannon.”

The lessor is recorded in Annual Revisions as the Earl of Belmore. In 1933, valuers revise the value to £65 and the church is now held in fee. It seats 300 and at this stage comprises a main block, entrance, vestry, porch and outbuilding. Dimensions are given.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/44/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/44/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/44/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/44/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1953)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/44 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/632 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/44 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/34B– Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/40A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
10. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8MM/3 – Valuers RV Binder (1933-57)

The Irish Builder, November 15, 1900, p.545

Secondary Sources

Lewis, Samuel. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate, Market, and Post Towns, Parishes, and Villages, With Historical and Statistical Descriptions; Embellished with Engravings of the Arms of the Cities, Bishopricks, Corporate Towns, and Boroughs; Of the Seals of the Several Municipal Corporations.” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached double-height single-cell Presbyterian Church, built c.1860, located to the east side of Meeting House Road. This simple church retains much of its historic fabric and character and is a plain meeting house of good quality well -set in its graveyard. The church, largely renovated c.1900, demonstrates the historical changes associated with forms of worship.