Church of the Ascension

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Gable-fronted double-height stone Gothic-Revival Church of Ireland church, built c.1855. Rectangular on plan facing west with a single transept to the north, lower gabled chancel to the east with attached lean-to vestry to the north. Set on an elevated site on the east side of Glebe Road with graveyard to the west and remains of an earlier church tower (HB19/06/004).

Pitched natural slate roofs with black clay ridge tiles, lead valleys, and set behind lead-lined raised gables. Replacement synthetic moulded rainwater goods on concave stone corbels. Random rock-faced greywacke sandstone ashlar with cement joints and and projecting plinth course. Sandstone ashlar trim to plinth course, sandstone continuous string course at sill level and stepped diagonal buttresses with sandstone ashlar quoins and offsets. Equilateral-arched window openings formed in chamfered sandstone ashlar with hood mouldings, greywacke relieving arches and containing paired lancets and an oculus over with leaded stained glass and steel mesh (unless otherwise stated).

Gabled west front elevation surmounted by sandstone ashlar bellcote with gothic arch containing iron bell having coping and offsets. Bellcote rises from lead-lined raised gable surmounted by trefoil motif and resting on corbelled kneeler stones. Catherine-wheel opening to the gable formed in sandstone with chamfered surround and stained glass. Below the oculus is a series of three lancet openings formed in chamfered sandstone with two blind narrower lancets in between. Five arched hood mouldings and slender colonettes to the three lancets all resting on the continuous moulded sill course which rises above an outshot below. Rectangular plan outshot (housing the bell chain) with lean-to sandstone roof and pair of diminutive lancet openings with latticed iron lights.

North nave elevation, three windows wide, abutted by gabled transept having two diagonal and a central buttress, two lancets and an oculus with latticed iron lights. Abutting the east of the transept (forming a catslide roof to the chancel) is a single-storey over basement vestry. Vestry has triple lancet opening with iron latticed windows and a shouldered arched door opening with sheeted timber door and iron furniture. Cellar below has sheeted timber door.

Gabled east chancel elevation with catslide roof over vestry having lead-lined raised gable with trefoil finial, diagonal buttresses and a further buttress. Triple lancet openings to the east gable with continuous hood moulding, continuous sill course and chamfered surrounds with stained glass and storm glazing.

South nave elevation is four windows wide abutted by gabled entrance porch and a further window to the chancel. Squat entrance porch has pitched natural slate roof behind lead-lined raised gable with trefoil apex and replacement rainwater goods on stone corbels. Splayed equilateral-arched sandstone door opening with polished vertically-sheeted timber door and iron furniture with squat lateral buttresses to either side. Door opens onto stone paved platform and stone step with concrete ramp. Further equilateral-arched door opening to the west cheek chamfered sandstone surround and sheeted timber door opening onto nosed stone step.

Setting
Set on an elevated site to the east of Glebe Road with graveyard occupying entire west of site enclosed to the road by rubblestone wall and embankment wall to gravel driveway leading southwest opening onto Glebe Road via pair of decorative iron gates on stone ashlar piers. Upstanding stone and marble grave markers dating from the early eighteenth-century to the present with iron grilles and mature yew trees.

Roof Natural slate
RWG uPVC
Walling Rock-faced random greywacke sandstone
Windows Equilateral-arched / stone tracery / latticed iron / leaded stained glass

Historical information

The church first appears on the second edition of the OS maps of 1858, however, it is not until the 1901 edition that it is captioned ‘Church of the Ascension’. Griffith’s Valuation 1861 notes the incumbent as Rev Edward Leslie and values the church at £29, which does not change throughout the Annual Revisions 1866-1929. It appears that very little change occurred throughout this period, confirmed by the OS map 1919-20.

Rankin states that the church was built and consecrated on 29th July 1856. The present church replaces the former Annahilt church built in 1741, which appeared on the OS map 1834, although by the 1859 OS map, only tower remained. The former church had been condemned for use by the architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, William Fulerton, of whom it can be presumed prepared the designs for the present church. Rankin also notes that the east window is a memorial to General William Mussenden of Larchfield, and that the pulpit, dated 1571, originated from a church in Turvey, Bedfordshire. (p.167)

Primary References:

1. PRONI OS/6/3/22/1 – OS Map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/22/2 – OS Map 1859
3. PRONI OS/6/3/22/3 – OS Map 1902-03
4. PRONI OS/6/3/22/4 – OS Map 1919-20
5. PRONI VAL/2B/3/35 – Griffiths Valuation 1862
8. PRONI VAL/2A/3/22A-C – Griffiths Valuation Field Map 1861
9. PRONI VAL/12B/20/1A-E – Annual Revisions 1866-1929

Secondary References:

1. Rankin F. “Clergy of Down and Dromore” Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996

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

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Gable-fronted stone gothic church built c.1860, facing west and located on the east side of Glebe Road, slightly to the east of an earlier church (Annahilt Church HB19/06/004). A modest rural church which retains a wealth of original external fabric including its roofing materials, windows and original sheeted doors. The interior also contains an array of impressive features such as its exposed timber roof, original pews and flooring in addition to some fine altar furniture including a sixteenth-century pulpit. Occupying an historic site of worship, the Church of the Ascension is a compact yet finely detailed example of the Gothic-Revival tradition and is of considerable architectural and social interest for this rural community.