Ryans Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Rectangular plan church (built 1840) set in a small churchyard on N side of Old Newry Road.

Hipped natural slate roof with advanced masonry eaves course carrying half round metal rainwater goods.
Walls are line-rendered and painted with stepped V-channelled quoins to front corners only.

Principal elevation faces S. It has a central front entrance comprising a pair of modern t+g sheeted doors with modern stained glass fanlight in a semi-elliptical opening. There is a window to either side of the front doors and three similar windows to first floor. All are semicircular headed modern Y-tracery stained glass fixed lights with roughly dressed painted granite cills.

The left (W) and right (E) elevations are identical. Each has three large tall windows similar to those to façade, but with 'hopper' type opening lights.

The rear (N) elevation has two large windows (as those to side elevations) and a modern escape door at ground floor left.

Setting:

Churchyard is enclosed to the road (S) and to right (E) by a rendered and coped wall. Opposite the front doors is a pair of matching square-in-section gate piers with swept copings. These carry a pair of wrought iron gates with ram’s horn finials to dog bars and main bars. To rear (N) and left (W) is a rubble stone wall. To immediate W is 1930’s church hall (of no interest) currently being enlarged.

The churchyard memorials and tomb stones date mostly from mid 19thC. The most interesting is the Mills family mausoleum erected by Dr Mills' wife and sons 1914. It is to immediate W of the church and is constructed of V channelled ashlar granite with polished granite detailing. Flat roof has chamfered coping and raised ogee corner blocks. Its S face has at wall head polished granite stone inscribed ‘MILLS’. The E cheek has a beaded oak door with brass lock and polished granite architrave. Each remaining face has a similar architrave framing a white marble panel (a pair to W face). The N and W panels are blank. The S panel is inscribed with memorials to Dr Samuel Mills, Medical Officer to Donaghmore Dispensary (d1914 aged 76years). Also sons John Arthur Mills (d1924) and William Sloan (d1930). Abutting N side of mausoleum is an open grave surround and polished grave headstone to WM Hopkins Mills of Ardarragh (d1898) and his wife and family (the last of whom died 1961).

Historical information

The Ordnance Survey Memoir notes: "Ryan meeting house is a plain low stone building 46ft long and 23ft broad. It ... was built about 20 years ago [i.e. 1816] by a congregation of Independents, which congregation died a natural death having no regular preacher. The house was then used as a school, and again fell into disuse until 1833 when the present congregation put it into repair at a cost of £50, which sum they raised by subscription. ... The house accommodates 260 persons."

This reference actually refers to a meeting house elsewhere in the locality. There was apparently a split in the congregation which led to the establishment of the present church under the Presbytery of Newry affiliated to the Synod of Ulster. This site was purchased from Mr John Crawford of Finnard House (HB16/14/027) and the foundation stone laid on 8 May 1840 by Mr James Parker of Mount Kearney (HB16/14/021). The building took three years to complete and had a capacity of 320 people. Rev. H. Cooke opened it on the16th June 1843. It is shown on the 1860 OS 6" map and captioned 'Presbyterian Meeting House and Graveyard'.

The gallery was complete and in use by 1865, increasing church capacity to 430. The façade was plastered c1901 at a cost of £15-8-0. In 1904 the interior was refurbished costing £49-7-0. The WW1 memorial was unveiled in March 1924. A 1923 photograph of the church shows it to have originally had Georgian glazing. The windows on the side walls are 15/15 sliding sashes with spoked heads. There are similar smaller windows to façade. The present windows date from 1931.

The church closed for extensive roof repair 1959-1963. During this time the interior was completely re-designed, with new ceilings, pulpit, pew ends, organ and lighting and heating. The architect was Major Reside of Newry.

Primary sources:
1. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Newry Parish, 1836.
2. OS 6" map, 1860, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/2).

Secondary sources:
1. S. D. Wright, “A History of Ryans Presbyterian Church 1838-1985” (1984).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Much-altered mid 19thC Presbyterian Meeting house prominently located on the roadside and retaining much of its original external form. However, it has seen a great deal of alteration in the 20thC, Gothic windows replaced Georgian ones in the 1930s, affecting its external character, roof rebuilt c1960 and the interior was refurbished and reconfigured at same time, leaving the 1865 gallery. Overall, there is very little of the original church remaining.

General comments

**De-listing to be held until current scheme of works completed. As agreed with Janis Lunn 23/02/2004 TC.**