The Rectory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Symmetrical detached three-bay two-storey over basement rendered rectory, built c.1825. Rectangular on plan facing east set on an elevated site on its own landscaped grounds on the west side of Soldierstown Road with a north and south entrance forming a semi-circular avenue.

Hipped pie-ended natural slate roof with rolled lead ridges, lead platform and three rendered chimneystacks with octagonal clay pots. Cast-iron guttering on iron brackets to projecting render eaves course and cast-iron downpipes. Wet-dash rendered walling to granite plinth course above basement level (smooth rendered to basement level) and rusticated render quoins. Square-headed window openings with convex moulded render surrounds, painted masonry sills and replacement timber sash windows with horns.

Symmetrical three-bay east front elevation with three-centred arch door opening having moulded surround and timber doorcase. Four-panelled timber door flanked by original fixed-pane sidelights having two pairs of replacement console brackets to lintel cornice and original spoked timber fanlight over. Door opens onto replacement granite paved platform and replacement granite nosed steps enclosed by raking wall and replacement iron rails to front gravel area.

Two-bay south side elevation is two windows wide with uPVC windows to basement level.

Rear elevation has irregular placement of window openings with two timber sash windows and two uPVC windows. Replacement timber sheeted door to basement level opens onto concrete paved enclosed rear yard.

North side elevation has a single window opening to each floor with uPVC windows to the basement level.

Setting:
Set on an elevated site on the west side of Soldierstown Road accessed via two entrances forming a semi-circular avenue enclosed to the road by replacement rendered walls and piers with mature trees and a double garage to the rear yard with natural slate roof.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Wet dash render
Windows Replacement timber sash/uPVC

Historical information

The Trinity Church ‘Glebe House’ in the Townland of Killough appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map for the area in 1832 where it was then depicted as a smaller oblong building with a rear return and attached offices giving it a U-shaped appearance. The Townland Valuation of the 1830s recorded the house as the seat of the Rev. Robert Hill; the writer describes the house as a ‘square building, two-storeys high and slated with good offices and well enclosed yard in the rear.’ The memoirs record that the building was completed in 1826 and cost £687, of which the Board of First Fruits gave a grant of £400 and a loan of £250. The final £37 was supplied by the incumbent minister at that time, the Rev. Philip Fletcher. The writer concludes ‘it is a very neat commodious house and eligibly situated for a gentleman’s residence and before the erection of this house the clergy were obliged to procure lodging as they could.’ The Townland Valuations of the 1830s record the Glebe house as a 1A class building which measured 40 ft by 20 ft by 20 ft high. The house was valued at £8. 4s. 7d. and possessed a basement storey. The rear out offices were used as a stable and coach house; the entire property being valued at £14. 1s. 6d.

The Rectory took on its current form between 1832 and 1858 when the building was expanded, increasing the valuation of the Rectory to £16. in Griffith’s Valuation (1859). The Rev. Robert Hill continued to live at the Rectory until 1889 when he was replaced by the Rev. John William Slator. The Rectory was bought by the Baronet John Murray Scott in 1899 who inherited the estate of Lady Wallace in that year. The 1901 Census tells us that the Rev. John Slator (47) lived at the Rectory with his wife Mrs. R. E. Slator (47) and their young son. The house was recorded as a 1st class dwelling consisting of 15 inhabited rooms. By 1901 an additional extension to the rear return of the Rectory is visible on the third edition Ordnance Survey map, however, the census out office return form is missing for this year. Slator occupied the Rectory until 1907 when the new incumbent Rev. Douglas Scott took over possession. Douglas (39) lived with his wife, Marianne (32) and their three children. At that time the census recorded that the house possessed a stable, coach house, harness room, cow house, two calf houses, a dairy, a piggery, a fowl house, a potato house and a shed and workshop amongst its out offices to the rear of the house. Scott lived at the Rectory until 1919 when he was replaced by Rev. Frederick Baldwin. The Rev. J. Balfour- Bradshaw became the final incumbent recorded in the Annual Revisions before they were cancelled in 1928.

Field inspection supports a construction date of c. 1825. Brennan tells us that alterations were made to the Rectory in 1970 when a modern kitchen and bathroom were installed and in 1973 the oil central heating system was fitted (Brennan, p. 17). Brett states that the house is ‘an excellent example of the classic Irish late-Georgian clergy-house of this period,’ and at the time of writing was still used as the Rectory of Trinity Church, Aghalee (Brett, p. 129). Listed in 1978, the Rectory was refurbished in 2003. The Rectory is still occupied by the incumbent minister of Trinity Church and maintains its late-Georgian appearance and many of its original features.

References:

1. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/67 – Field Map c.1830
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/166 – Townland Valuation
3. PRONI OS/6/1/67/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832-33
4. PRONI OS/6/1/67/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1858
5. PRONI OS/6/1/67/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900
6. PRONI OS/6/1/67/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1921
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/58 – Griffith’s Valuation 1859
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/9/2 A – Annual Revisions 1863-1879
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/9/2 B – Annual Revisions 1880-1894
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/9/2 C – Annual Revisions 1895-1905
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/9/2 D – Annual Revisions 1906-1918
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/9/2 E – Annual Revisions 1918-1928

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of County Antrim’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1996.
2. Kelly, D., ‘Lisburn’s rich church heritage: Churches and places of worship in the Lisburn city area’ Lisburn: Impression Print and Design, 2009.
3. NIEA file – HB19/03/021.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
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 over basement rendered late Georgian rectory, built c.1825, located on the west side of Soldierstown Road, in an attractive elevated rural setting. Despite having had its front steps, timber sash windows and part of its doorcase replaced, the overall impression remains intact. Together with a relatively intact interior this rectory presents a well proportioned aspect to the road. It has group value with the nearby Trinity Church of Ireland (HB19/03./20) and is a good example of a Board of First Fruits clergy house, characterised by proportions and restrained ornamentation typical of the period.