Stable Block

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached five-bay single-storey stone and rendered church store, built c.1870. Rectangular on plan facing north set on the side of Derriaghy Road forming part of the north cemetery boundary.

Pitched natural slate roof, black clay ridge tiles and cast-iron rainwater goods on iron drive-through brackets to rendered eaves. Snecked rubble basalt walling with lime mortar. Square-headed window and door openings formed in redbrick with concrete sills, replacement fixed multi-pane timber windows and replacement timber sheeted doors, that to the left opening onto two concrete steps.

Five-bay front elevation containing three window openings and two door openings, all window openings with security wire.

Blank rubblestone east gable.

Blank rubble south rear elevation abutted by embankment containing burial plots.

Blank rough-cast render west gable facing principal entrance to Derriaghy Church.

Adjacent to the east gable is a pedestrian entrance to the church with wrought-iron gate and overthrow.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Rubble basalt
RWG Cast-iron
Windows Replacement timber

Historical information

The building, now used as a store, was formerly the stable block for Derriaghy parish church, and then its parochial hall, and is a vernacular building of uncertain date, probably early nineteenth century.

The stable block is shown on the first edition OS map of 1832-3. It is known that Derriaghy church was reconstructed in around 1806-7 and it is possible that the stable block formed part of the rebuilding done at this time, although there was a church on the site previously and the possibility cannot be discounted that the stables date from the eighteenth century.

The stables are not listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) but they are mentioned in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as the property of Revd. Henry Stewart, leased from the Marquess of Hertford and valued at £2, later raised to £3. Dimensions are given of 18x5x1 and a marginal note reads, ‘Solely for the use of the parishioners, being a stable and car house for [shire?] horses &c on Sabbath days’. The valuer suggests that the stables be included in the valuation of the church and there is no further reference to them in Annual Revisions.

The stables were converted into a parochial hall in 1949 by the then Vicar and voluntary helpers. (Barr)
References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/64/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832-3
2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/1/64/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
4. PRONI OS/6/1/64/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1
5. PRONI OS/6/1/64/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1920-31
6. PRONI OS/6/1/64/6 – Sixth Edition OS Map 1920-39
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/19A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1929)

Secondary Sources
1. Barr, W.N.C. “Christ Church Derriaghy, A Short History of the Parish” Derriaghy, 1974 (available at www.lisburn.com)
2. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of County Antrim” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Single-storey stone former stable block dating from about 1870. A modest building that fits into the vernacular tradition in terms of its simple rubble stone construction, plain slated roof and timber sheeted ceiling with visible eaves. Known as the stable block, this relatively rare structure has group value with the lsited Christ Church HB19.18.013A) that it was constructed to serve. With its traditional materials, it sits unobtrusively into the burial ground to the south.

General comments

This record was previously numbered as HB19/18/008 A