Hilltown Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Symmetrical 1830s barn church set in yard on north side of Main Street.

Hipped concrete tile roof with modern timber eaves board. Complete roof structure is modern.

Front elevation (facing S) of ashlar granite (ribbon pointed) with chamfered projecting basecourse, advanced V-channelled quoins and moulded eaves. To centre is the main entrance, approached by two granite steps. Comprises a pair of modern framed and sheeted timber doors with semi-elliptical headed, modern stained glass fanlight over.

Jambs of the doorcase are plain, but the head has moulded imposts and a moulded keyblock; a fluted one-piece voussoir makes up each half of the arch. To left and right bays are single 8/8 sliding sash windows with fixed Y tracery semicircular heads. Each has an ashlar granite cill, advanced jambs and moulded heads as doorway. There are three similar windows to first floor, all in line with ground floor openings.

Left and right elevations are identical. The basecourse from facade continues, but ground falls away to rear. Walls are lined smooth cement rendered with quoins as facade and a plain two stage eaves. There are four 8/8 sliding sash windows to ground floor, with slightly advanced, chamfered granite architraves. To first floor are four 8/8 windows with fixed Y-tracery semicircular heads (with similar architraves and keyblocks).

Rear elevation has a large modern Gothic window on either side of an advanced rendered chimney which rises from the roof of a small boiler house abutting at ground floor centre and right. It has a natural slate monopitch roof, cement rendered walls and window and door on north elevation. .

Setting

To left (as viewed from road) at front of church is a small late 19th C hall of no interest. To right is a small lawn. To sides and rear is a graveyard with 19th C memorials. The street boundary is enclosed by a cement rendered dwarf wall supporting plain spike topped railings. Gates to centre have late 19th C cast-iron posts with cable chamfers and acorn finials. The gates have dog bars, the alternates of which rise up to top of gate. All bars are terminated with fleur-de-lys finials.

Historical information

Ordnance Survey Memoir of 1836 notes its construction in 1829. Cost £500 and financed by public subscription. Letter from Rev Robert Lockhart, Rathfriland, to Thomas Parry at the Downshire Office in Hillsborough, dated 14th October 1833, refers to a proposed lease and puts forward names of suggested trustees. Building is marked as a Presbyterian Meeting House on 1834 OS map.

1960s photograph shows slated roof and radial fanlight to main entrance.

Primary Sources:
1. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Clonduff Parish (1836).
2. OS 6” map, 1834 , Co Down sheet 48.
3. Photograph in N.I. Architectural Archive, 5-33 Hill St, Belfast.

Secondary Sources:
1. P.J. Rankin, ‘Historic Buildings of Rathfriland and Hilltown’ (Belfast, 1979).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed
Not listed

Evaluation

Symmetrical church, plainly detailed externally, containing an attractive interior, including original box pews. However, the modern roof structure and modern interior fittings detract from the whole and it is no longer of sufficient special architectural or historic interest.