Former Donaghmore Methodist Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small mid 19thC barn church up a lane, between fields, on the E side of Cargabane Road. Church is aligned NE-SW, with the principal gable facing NE.

Pitched natural slate roof with render skews. Metal flue pipe on SE pitch. Half-round metal rainwater goods. Walls are harled rubble stone.

Front gable is three openings wide. At ground floor centre is the main entrance with two foliated cast iron boot scrapers set into its granite threshold. Entrance consists of a pair of scumbled t+g sheeted and beaded moulded doors with wrought-iron door handle and escutcheon. The remaining openings on façade are all exposed box sliding sash windows with dressed granite cills. Those to ground floor are 4/2 and margin-paned. Those to first floor are similar but semicircular headed, their spoked heads also being margin paned. The gable apex has a rectangular render panel reading “DONAGHMORE/ METHODIST/ CHURCH”.

Left (SE) and right (NW) elevations are both identical. Both have three tall and shallow segmental-headed wall niches, the central niche having had a pair of 7 paned metal-framed casement windows inserted.

The rear (SW) gable has two large semicircular headed windows. Each has timber framed Gothic tracery, leaded glazing and a dressed granite cill.

Setting.

To the road is a pair of flat-iron gates, worked into a grid of open squares, and supported on granite rock-faced gate piers with pyramidal heads. At the end of the lane is a pair of similar but lower gates with additional scrolls across the top rail. The small churchyard is triangular in plan, enclosed by hedges.

Historical information

This church was opened in July 1841. It was erected for a congregation of Primitive Methodists, a separate ‘connection’ of the Methodist Church. It had been established in England in 1811 as a result of a strong revivalist movement, the leaders of which (Mr Bourne and Mr Clowes) had been expelled from the main Methodist church. Undaunted, the two men went on to expand the movement through England and Wales and into Ireland. They had a limited number of stations in Ireland, (three in Belfast and one in Portadown, Lisburn, Newry and Dublin).

An extract from the ‘Primitive Methodist Magazine’ reads: “Chapel was opened in July 1841. This however, remained unfloored and unplastered till brother Judson and I were stationed there…There have been inserted a new gallery, pulpit and communion, which with other improvements, have made the place very comfortable…. It was re-opened on 5th October.”

Depicted on the 1859 OS 6" map as 'Methodist meeting house'.

The ‘Irish Evangelist’ states that the church passed into the hands of Irish Methodist Church in 1879. It was re-opened on Sunday 2nd November 1879 by Rev. Dr Crook of Kingstown.

The building was in use until c1992 when it was deemed unfit and the small congregation divided itself between other local churches. The Methodist church does not intend to use it as a place of worship again.

Primary Sources:
1. Information from Rev. Robin Roddie.
2. Information from Mr David Allen.
3. J. Ashworth, ‘Donaghmore’, in Primitive Methodist Magazine 1845, p.608-9.
4. OS 6" map, 1859, Co Down sheet 41 (PRONI OS 6/3/41/2).
5. The Irish Evangelist, Dec.1, 1879 p.559.

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

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

Evaluation

This attractive mid 19thC Methodist Church is one of only eight Primitive Methodist churches built in Ireland and is of great historical importance. It is substantially original, with most works dating to between 1841-4. Its very plain interior and austerity reflect Primitive Methodist beliefs.