Magheragall Rectory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Symmetrical detached three-bay two-storey rendered rectory, built c.1850. Rectangular on plan facing south with two-storey return rear. Set back from the road on a slightly elevated site on its own landscaped grounds on the north side of Ballinderry Road.

Hipped natural slate roof, roll moulded clay ridge tiles, rolled lead ridges to the hips. Symmetrically placed pair of yellowbrick chimneystacks and cast-iron guttering to overhanging eaves having paired timber brackets and cast-iron downpipes. Ruled and lined cement rendered walling, projecting render plinth course and rusticated rendered quoins. Square-headed window openings, concrete sills and timber sash windows.

Symmetrical three-bay two-storey front south elevation with 3/6 timber sash windows to the first floor. Replacement 6/6 timber sash windows to the ground floor with Roman cement Tudor-style hood mouldings. Central square-headed door opening with plain Doric rendered door surround with entablature and flat-panelled timber door with rectangular overlight opening onto two concrete steps.

West side elevation has two windows to the first floor and a three-sided canted bay to the ground floor with hipped slate roof, multi-pane timber French doors and multi-pane sidelights. Doors open onto flight of concrete steps to the garden. West side elevation to return is three windows wide with replacement 3/6 timber sash windows.

Rear elevation has a central stairhall projection with the west side abutted by the return. 6/6 timber sash window to the half-landing of the stairhall projection. The east elevation to the return has replacement 3/6 timber sash windows and timber panelled door opening onto rear yard.

East side elevation is two windows wide with windows as per front elevation, having cylinder glass.

Setting:
Set on a slightly elevated site on the north side of Ballinderry Road with mature landscaped grounds and a walled yard to the northeast, formerly occupied by rubblestone outbuildings, demolished c.2005. Bitmac front area and curved bitmac driveway opens onto the road to the southeast via pair of wrought-iron gates on rendered piers.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Ruled and lined cement render
Windows Timber sash

Historical information

Magheragall Rectory was constructed sometime between 1832 and 1857, first appearing on the second edition Ordnance Survey map in 1857 as a large square building which possessed one large and three smaller outbuildings to its east, none of which now remain. Field inspection based on style, proportion and detailing supports a date of c.1850. The Rectory is situated slightly east of Magheragall Parish Church. In 1859 the Rectory was recorded in Griffith’s Valuation as a ‘house office and land’ occupied by the Rev. Maurice McKay and let by the Marquis of Hertford. The value of the Rectory was £26 and this was not altered by the end of the Annual Revisions in 1923.

The largest outbuilding recorded on the 1857 Ordnance Survey map was formerly a small house valued at £1. and occupied by Thomas Nicholl in 1859. Sometime between 1863-66 the Rev. Edward Mockler became the new occupant of the Rectory where he resided until 1895. Mockler’s wife Alice Lucinda Mockler died in September 1885 and left effects of £137. 1s. to John Charles Mockler (presumably their son) who also lived in the Rectory (PRONI Wills – 19/09/1885). Although the Annual Revisions record that he occupied the house until 1895, it seems likely that Edward Mockler had died some time earlier. In 1895 the Rev. Robert Walker took over possession of the house and resided there until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1923. The smaller house was occupied by a Thomas Rogers in 1888 but fell vacant in 1902 before the record was deleted in 1903 when it became used as an outbuilding.

During Walker’s occupancy a two-storey extension was added to the north side of the Rectory which appears on the third edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1900-1901; at this time the two smallest out offices had been taken down. The 1901 Census tells us that the Rev. Robert Walker, born c.1860, was the incumbent of Magheragall Parish Church who resided in the Rectory with his wife Leonora Jane Walker (35), his three children and a servant. The census records that the two remaining outbuildings depicted on the Ordnance Survey map from 1901 were used as a stable, coach house, harness room, barn, potato house and a shed. By the 1973 Ordnance Survey Map these two out offices still existed but research carried out at the Rectory has found that these buildings were demolished c.2005 and replaced with an enclosed yard.

Kelly tells us that the Rectory was built in the early 1850s (Kelly, p. 70). The Rectory was listed in 1985 and since that time renovations to the house were carried out in 1991 (NIEA File). Very few original interior features survive due to renovation of the interior; however the original layout of the Rectory remains unchanged since the addition of the rear return c.1900.

The Rectory is an important building in the history of Magheragall Parish Church as it has been the home to the incumbent minister since the 1850s and continues to be occupied by the current Rector.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/63/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832
2. PRONI OS/6/1/63/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1857
3. PRONI OS/6/1/63/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-1901
4. PRONI OS/6/1/63/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1921
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/62 – Griffith’s Valuation 1859
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 A – Annual Revisions 1863-1866
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 B – Annual Revisions 1868-1881
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 C – Annual Revisions 1881-1889
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 D – Annual Revisions 1890-1904
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 E – Annual Revisions 1905-1918
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6 E – Annual Revisions 1918-1923
12. PRONI Wills Catalogue – 1885.

Secondary Sources

1. Kelly, D., ‘Lisburn’s rich church heritage: Churches and places of worship in the Lisburn city area’ Lisburn: Impression Print and Design, 2009.
2. NIEA File – HB19/03/001.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Symmetrical detached three-bay two-storey rendered rectory, built c.1850, on the north side of Ballinderry Road. Refurbishments over the years have gradually removed much original fabric from both the exterior and interior of this rectory. However, the replacements have been sympathetic to the exterior which retains its original well proportioned composition and appearance. The intact external appearance and the landscaped site, albeit without attendant outbuildings, forms an important component of the local landscape and has group value with the nearby Magheragall Parish Church (HB19/03/002), forming a focal point for this rural community.