First Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A rectangular hipped-roofed building, partly of random blackstone rubble and partly rendered, with a projecting gabled two-storey entrance block incorporating an Ionic columned frontispiece. Main entrance faces east.

East elevation has a distyle-in-antis frontispiece comprising a pair of unfluted Ionic columns flanked by unfluted Doric pilasters carried on a deep base with broad cornice; moulded entablature over, surmounted by plain pediment of stilted form, a later addition with painted timber barge boards. Pediment has slightly projecting pilasters to each extremity, returning as plain walling to sides. Walls of frontispiece are smooth rendered, lined and blocked; walls of base and pediment are smooth rendered. Plain projecting plinth to base walls. Columns and pilasters smooth plastered and painted. Central entrance containing rectangular timber double doors, each 3-panel with faceted faces, replacements of 1980, set in moulded plaster surround surmounted by moulded cornice on decorative curvilinear brackets. In wall above doorway is a rectangular sunk panel. Entrance approached by broad flight of ten stone steps with later smooth cement render to sides; twin metal handrails of circular section mounted on ornamentally treated cast iron posts.

South side of porch is two-storey, with entablature and lower cornice returning to meet end wall of main church. Lower window is rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1 (replacement for original small panes), without horns, with translucent glazing, set in moulded surrounds with projecting stone cill. Upper window is modern rectangular timber horizontally pivoted window of translucent glass, set in plain unmoulded recessed opening without cill, replacement for original rectangular sunk panel. In base area is a rectangular timber door leading down a step to basement boiler house; doorway looks like a later insertion, cut through original plinth.

North side of porch similar to south except for a small rectangular timber louvred opening set in plain recess in place of basement doorway.

Roof of porch is Bangor blue slates in regular courses with dark blue ridge tiles; plain smooth rendered chimney of square section projects on southern pitch; plain projecting concrete cornice; modern pot blackened.

South elevation of main block of church built of random rubble basalt with a projecting plinth of similar rubble, and raised painted quoins to extremities. Modern strip pointing to stone walling. Four windows, semi-circular arched with plastered surrounds, each set in a semi-circular arched recess and all linked by a projecting platband at springing level; projecting stone cills painted. Windows two light with tracery light between pointed Gothic arched heads, later replacements for supposed original timber sliding sashes; decorative leaded glazing with stylised leaf and geometrical patterns in manner of late 19th century. Modern steel mesh protective grilles affixed. Hipped roof, slated as porch. Projecting rubble blackstone eaves course with metal gutter mounted on wooden eaves board; metal downpipes.

Extending to left and slightly set back is a short side wall of church rooms to rear; random rubble blackstone with raised quoins to corner; projecting stone eaves course with metal gutter on moulded eaves board; returns at rear with short rendered lined and blocked wall to abut later rear extension and contains small rectangular window, modern timber fixed light with top hung vent, double glazed. To left is projecting south face of rear extension, of similar character to previous wall and with a similar modern window.

Rear elevation comprises rear wall of main church block with lower hipped block projecting forward. Main church is smooth rendered with raised quoins to extremities; projecting rendered eaves course with gutter on timber eaves board; central projecting chimney breast, smooth rendered, breaking through hipped roof as a modern rustic brick stack with plain concrete cornice and two modern pots. Lower projecting block is of smooth cement render, lined and blocked, with raised quoins to extremities; metal gutter on timber eaves board, and metal downpipes. Two rectangular doorways and one rectangular window all in unmoulded openings; door to left modern flush timber; door to right modern ledged and glazed hardwood; window modern timber fixed lights with top-hung vent, all double glazed.

North side of rear extension is of snecked blackstone; metal gutter on moulded wooden eaves board; one rectangular timber window, fixed lights with top-hung vent, double glazed, set in plain reveals with flat arch to head and projecting painted concrete cill.

North elevation of main church is similar to south elevation except no protective grilles to windows. Some rot to sub-frames of windows.

SETTING: The building stands facing the main road, set back within its own grounds. Grounds laid out as a grassed graveyard; no memorials of special architectural interest; a modern 1½ storey gabled church half constructed of concrete brick stands in the southern corner. Modern path of concrete bricks laid in front of main front of church, leading from entrance gateway and splaying to each side to meet raised concrete paths around sides and rear of church.

Front boundary formed by snecked rubble basalt wall with rough hewn copings, with main entrance gateway of square piers of regularly coursed basalt topped by concrete caps, mounted with plain wrought iron gates. Secondary gateway to northern extremity of front boundary is of similar character with modern steel gates of similar pattern which give access directly to grassed graveyard. Front boundary wall extends south past smaller modern concrete brick gateway leading to church hall and returns at an acute angle to meet rear boundary.

Rear boundary formed by a hedge, and northern boundary formed by a line of trees and shrubs.

Historical information

Built in 1840-1 to the designs of Matthew McKenzie, architect of Belfast; builder Edmond Dickson of Antrim; overall cost £700; opened on 29th August 1841. The eight windows in the sides of the main block were replaced in 1898; original ceiling replaced in 1949; church re-roofed and entrance porch altered to present form in 1968; church hall built 1982.

The precise date of erection of the front boundary wall and main gateway is not known but it does not pre-date the building of the church as there was no building shown on the site on the OS map of 1829. On the OS map of 1858 twin paths are shown leading from the front of the site, near its extremities, round to the rear of the church, but no gateways indicated.
A central gateway does not appear until the OS map of 1903 (revised (1921). The small pedestrian gateway was built c 1982 and the north gateway inserted c 1989.
Church listed in 1974; front wall and pillars listed in 1983.

Church listed 20th September 1974 and delisted 31st May 2000

Walls and Pillars of Church was listed seperately on 14th June 1983 and delisted on 26th July 2001. Both these listings were registered under the same number

The congregation was formed followed a dispute amongst the members of what is now known as the Old Congregation church in Randalstown concerning the choice of a new minister for that church in 1835-6. Following the seizing of the Old Congregation building in 1837 by dissident members, the rest were forced to worship elsewhere, moving first to the market house and thence to their new church in New Street. The first minister was Rev. Alexander Crawford.

References - Primary Sources

1. OS Map 1829, Co Antrim 43.
2. OS Map 1858, Co Antrim 43.
3. OS Map 1903 (revised 1921), Co Antrim 43.
4. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 19: Parishes of County Antrim VI, 1830, 1833, 1835-8 (Belfast, 1993), pp 58 and 82.
5. Drawing of proposed alterations showing existing front elevation and three alternative proposals (but not showing the design eventually executed), in possession of congregation in 1999, undated but c 1968.
6. Sketch of side elevation of porch showing original line of hipped roof with profile of new roof overlaid on it, in possession of congregation in 1999 (shows small panes in side window of porch, with sunken panel above where new window is now), undated but c 1968.
7. Information from Olga O'Neill, secretary to church committee, 1999.

Secondary Sources

1. Robert Allen, Three Centuries of Christian Witness, being the History of First Randalstown Presbyterian Church (Belfast, 1955), especially pp 65 and 81 for reference to the building.
2. UAHS, Antrim and Ballymena (Belfast, 1969), p 23.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is an early 19th century church in a Classical style which has now lost a number of its original features and some of its original character due to inappropriate alterations.

General comments

Church listed 20th September 1974 and delisted 31st May 2000
Walls and Pillars of Church was listed seperately on 14th June 1983 and delisted on 26th July 2001. Both these listings were registered under the same number.