Mourne Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A barn church with projecting entrance (forming a ‘T’ plan), in squared granite with Tudor Gothic detailing. Orientated N-S with the entrance at the south.

Pitched natural slate ‘T’ shaped roof, with lower hipped and pitched additions also in natural slate. Half round metal rainwater goods. All walls are squared coursed granite rubble with strap pointing, unless otherwise stated.

South elevation is gabled with a moulded granite verge. It has a five-stage ashlar dressed buttresses to either corner. The first and second stages are delineated by chamfered string courses; the third stage is gabled with Gothic panelling and the fourth is plain and breaks above the gable, above which it broaches into an octagonal shaft as a fifth stage, surmounted by a pinnacle with foliated finial. Each buttress has a chamfered base course which continues around the building.

Main entrance is to ground floor centre. Two ashlar granite steps (with rounded nosings) lead to a pair of modern stained timber 8-panelled doors with a transom light of five leaded lancets. All are set within a two-order Tudor headed arch with foliated spandrels and a label drip mould over, above which is a small modern electric light.

At first floor is a wide timber Tudor Gothic window with three cusped lower sections and an arcade of six cusped lancets over. Reveal is ashlar dressed and chamfered with canted cill and label mould. On wall just below cill level at first floor is a chamfered stringcourse. In apex of gable is an ashlar granite block (with hood mould over) inscribed with ‘1933’.

Turning corner to the west (left), the side wall of this advanced entrance bay is abutted to right by canted bay. Remaining wall between this bay and nave at left has a tall (full height of building) semicircular-headed window with inset timber frame containing two leaded and cusp-headed lights. The bay has a canted hipped natural slate roof (tied into main roof). Its end wall has a Tudor headed opening containing two timber lights similar to, but not as tall as, those just described at left.

Projecting at left is the exposed side wall of the nave (ie. underside of the projecting left arm of the ‘T’ plan). On this wall is a tall semicircular headed window similar to that on cheek of entrance bay.

The gable of the nave has a raised and coped verge. It is abutted by a narrow two storey return. Remaining exposed wall to left and right at ground floor has a single semicircular headed two-light window. In line above are similar windows (diminished in height), and in gable over is a small louvred timber vent.

Return abutting this gable has a pitched natural slate roof. The right cheek has unrendered squared random granite rubble walls; the end gable and left cheek have dashed walls. The right cheek (facing street) has a pair of modern stained timber panelled doors set within a Tudor headed opening to a projecting ashlar granite door case, with carved spandrels, label mould over and a billet moulded frieze to its narrow leaded roof. A large modern window fills the gable. It is timber framed and leaded with a pitched head and three vertical sections, all with concrete cill. Left cheek is blank.

Rear elevation of nave (ie. top of ‘T’) is three bays wide and much altered with additions. Exposed wall at first floor right is dashed and contains a single two-light semicircular-headed timber window. Below at ground floor is a single storey return with flat leaded roof and canted right corner. Its walls are dashed and it has a single modern window on rear wall and a similar window and four panelled timber door on right cheek (with concrete stairs thereto). All these windows have concrete cills.

To centre is a two-storey, flat-roofed canted bay. Its roof is leaded and in line with the eaves of the main block. Walls are dashed and there is a pair of tall narrow leaded windows with pointed heads on each of the three main cheeks. Each pair of windows shares a common concrete cill.

To left is a tall plain extension which rises above eaves line of main block (water tank). Its roof is flat and walls are dashed and concrete coped. Its corner to left is canted to ground and first floors, and there is a single two-light opening to ground floor centre. Its left cheek (in line with right gable of main block) is abutted by a single storey flat roofed return with dashed walls. This return has a modern two-light window on its north wall, a blank east wall, and door and window on its south wall.

Right gable of nave (ie. right arm of ‘T’) is raised and coped and in squared random granite rubble. It is abutted by a narrow two-storey return. Remaining wall to left and right at ground floor has a single semicircular headed two-light window. In line above are similar windows, and in gable over is a small louvred timber vent.

Return abutting this gable has a pitched artificial slate roof. A large modern window fills its dashed gable. It is timber framed and leaded with a pitched head and three vertical sections. Right cheek of return is dashed and blank. Its left wall (facing street) is in squared random rubble granite with a pair of modern stained timber panelled doors set within a Tudor headed opening with projecting ashlar door case, with carved spandrels, label mould over and a billet moulded frieze to its narrow leaded roof (ie. as left side of complex).

Turning corner to left leads back to side wall of nave (underside of projecting right arm of ‘T’ plan). This has a regularly coursed stone wall as rest of façade and contains a datestone ‘1989’. It also has a tall (full height of building) semicircular-headed window with inset timber frame providing two lights (as that to left side).

To left is the right cheek of the advanced entrance bay which has two date stones, ‘1831’ and ‘1756’. It is abutted to left by a two storey canted bay. On main wall to right of canted bay is a full height window (detailed as previous window). Canted bay has a datestone of ‘1887’ on its right cant and its front wall has a two-light window to each floor. Ground floor window is rectangular, and divided into two cusped lights and first floor window has two similar cusped lights with a Tudor Gothic head.

To front of church is a war memorial (HB16/03/011) and to rear is a graveyard with memorials dating from late 18th century, including one in memory of a revenue man Alexander McDowell who was murdered by smugglers in 1793. To south west of façade, on edge of graveyard is a sundial (HB16/ 03/010B). Front boundary to street is enclosed by low modern metal railings, with two matching sets of gates.

Historical information

The first church was erected in 1720 sited in what is now the present day graveyard. In 1756 it was superseded by a larger church on the site of the present one. This datestone is incorporated into the present structure which was erected in 1831 (also with datestone). It then comprised a simple rectangular 'barn' church with an entrance on each gable and small vestry behind the pulpit in the middle of the rear wall.

In 1887 a two-storey neo-classical vestibule was added to the middle of the street elevation (also a datestone). The previous year, the seating had been renewed and a new front put on the gallery.

In 1933, the vestry was dismantled to make way for the choir area at the back of the church (again with datestone). A new vestry and choir room were added on either side of this. The 1887 vestibule was also altered - it was widened, its walls raised to the same height as the main block, and the classical entrance removed.

Nearby church hall facing Greencastle Street erected in 1962 to design by Benjamin Cowser, a Belfast architect born in Kilkeel, who also designed the Vogue Cinema (HB 16/03/020)

In 1967, a £20,000 renovation scheme was completed with the dedication of six new stained-glass windows portraying the 'six days of the creation'. Two are memorials to Rev. Dr William McMordie, minister here from 1886 to 1915. Two commemorate his successor, Rev. Herbert Martin, minister from 1915 to 1955. The renovation, under the direction of Mr Cowser included the rebuilding of the side porches, a new solid block floor, electric heating, roof renewal, reconstruction of the side galleries, panelling of the choir gallery, front to the main galleries, vestibule and staircase, and extension to the choir room.

Primary sources:
1. H.S. Irvine 'The big meeting: the history of Mourne Presbyterian Church 1696-1996' (Kilkeel 1997).
2. G.H. Bassett ' Co. Down: guide and directory' (1886) p.155.
3. Mourne Observer, 11 November 1996.
4. 'The Outlook', 7 July 1967.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Although of great age this structure has been progressively upgraded and modified throughout this century to such an extent that its character has been greatly changed rendering it unworthy of statutory protection.