Cargycreevy Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A free-standing double-height neo-classically styled Presbyterian Church, dated 1847 and located east of the Old Ballynahinch Road, Lisburn. Rectangular on plan with single-storey-over-basement extension to rear.

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles and pedimented parapet to main elevation. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting eaves. Walling is painted smooth render on moulded plinth with channeled rustication to door surround and square moulded to entablature. Windows are a variety of round-headed leaded stained glass and timber Y-tracery in moulded surrounds.

Principal elevation faces northeast and comprises a neo-classical composition of three bays (that to centre is breakfront) articulated by four pairs of Doric pilasters and supporting a pedimented entablature with blocking course. Outer bays each have a single round-headed window in moulded surround. Central bay has square-headed multi-panelled double-leaf entrance doors with stained and leaded transom light, accessed by eight stone steps. The band rusticated surround terminates with a platband, above which is a round-headed window with corbelled cill. The architrave has a delicately carved plaque with oval sandstone inset inscribed: ‘Erected AD GLORIAN DEI A.D.1847. Rev Robt. S. Erwin Minister’.

The southeast elevation is five regularly spaced windows wide.

The southwest (rear) elevation has projecting chimneystack to centre and is abutted by the single-storey-over-basement extension under cat-slide roof, of little interest.

The northwest elevation is five regularly-spaced windows wide.

Setting:

Set back from the road on a slightly elevated site, with modern church hall opposite. Entrance door accessed by a set of masonry steps having cast-iron handrails. To rear and either side of church is graveyard having good examples of mid-nineteenth century funerary artifacts. Original decorative cast-iron gates and gate piers to central entrance; decorative cast-iron railing over low masonry wall; bounded to road to northeast by low hedgerow over rubble stone wall. Pedestrian entrance to north and south have decorative wrought-iron latch-gates on polygonal masonry piers with pointed caps.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: Leaded and stained glass and Y-tracery
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

A plaque above the entrance to this Presbyterian Church tells us that it was erected in 1847 by the Rev. Robert S. Erwin; the church first appears on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1859 where it is was depicted as an oblong building situated in the townland of Cargacreevy. At that time the church did not possess a manse but there was a graveyard adjoining the site from at least 1859.

In 1862 Griffith's Valuation records that the church measured 20 by 13yds and was a 1B+ class church building; the church was let by a Mr. David S. Kerr and was valued at £19. There was little change to the site over the next 50 years until 1910 when a sexton’s house was added to the church valued at £1 10s; in that same year a two-storey stable measuring 42ft by 18ft was added. The later editions of the Ordnance Survey maps show that a small return was added to the rear wall of the church, however it is unclear whether this was used as the sexton’s house or stables; there were no further changes to the site by the end of the Annual Revisions in 1929.

Kelly states that a Presbyterian congregation had been in existence since 1846; before the church was completed the first minister held services in a field which lay close to the current building. Kelly recounts a story from the church’s history that, during the construction phase, amongst the congregation there was such a rush to be the first couple married in the new church that the first marriage service took place before the roof had been constructed. There was no permanent residence for the incumbent minister until the late 19th century when a manse was constructed across the road from the church. The church at Cargacreevy underwent modifications after the Second World War; the church hall was constructed in 1955 and in 1965 rooms for the minister and the church choir, as well as new memorial windows, were added to the church. In 1971 Cargacreevy united with another Presbyterian congregation in Loughaghery; the Rev. David McConaghy was installed as the first minister of the union. Further additions to the church included the fitting of a kitchen and committee room which were added to the church hall in 1995. The current minister, the Rev. Leslie Patterson was installed in 2007 (Kelly, p. 147).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI VAL/1/A/3/22 – Townland Valuation Map c. 1830s
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/338 A+B – Townland Valuation c. 1830s
3. PRONI OS/6/3/22/1 – First Edition OS Map 1834
4. PRONI OS/6/3/22/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1859
5. PRONI OS/6/3/22/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1902-1903
6. PRONI OS/6/3/22/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-1920
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/35 – Griffith’s Valuation 1862
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 A – Annual Revisions 1866-1875
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 B – Annual Revisions 1876-1885
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 C – Annual Revisions 1886-1897
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 D – Annual Revisions 1897-1914
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 E – Annual Revisions 1915-1929

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.

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A detached Neo-classically styled Presbyterian Church, dated 1847 and located east of the Old Ballynahinch Road, Lisburn. The architectural detailing is largely intact, retaining the original leaded and stained glass fenestration and a now rare complete set of box pews. The detailing is relatively sophisticated for a rural Presbyterian church of this type, representing the final phase of Presbyterian Classicism in Ulster. The setting is largely unspoiled with the church sited beside its graveyard, which contains some fine examples of funerary artifacts dating from the mid-nineteenth century and the church hall on the opposite side of the road. The original wrought-iron gates and railings have been retained and contribute to the church's character.

General comments

Listng criteria R - Age and S - Authenticity also apply to the building.