First Donegore Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A T-shaped church, with an additional gabled projection on the main roadside elevation, which faces south.

South elevation is symmetrical, with two windows to each side of a projecting gabled central entrance bay.
Roofs of Bangor blue slates in regular courses between raised gable upstands; tiled ridges; one conical metal ventilator on ridge of each wing.
Moulded PVC gutters with PVC downpipes.
Walls rendered with dry dash of white and yellow stone chippings coved out at the top to provide an eaves course; slightly projecting smooth cement rendered plinth and smooth cement rendered surrounds to openings. Concrete copings to gables. Windows are modern semi-circular headed metal fixed lights of 6 panes, some containing a horizontally pivoted opening light, surmounted by radiating panes to the head, in neo-Georgian style, with large panes of tinted translucent glass, set in a semi-circular headed surround with modern projecting concrete cills.
The window to the extreme left has had the main panel of 6-panes replaced by stained glass, covered with 3 panels of protective clear glazing.
The central entrance comprises a pair of modern rectangular timber double doors, each leaf 3-panel, set in a rectangular cement surround which extends upwards to form a triangular pedimental feature; doorway approached by a flight of concrete steps with low plinth walls. Above the doorway is a circular window, modern metal framed with tinted glazing as previous, quartered, with margin lights. At apex of entrance gable is a raised concrete plaque inscribed 'First Donegore. Founded 1627. Renovated 1885.'
Left-hand corner of main front block has a corner stone protruding at base, covered with smooth cement render.

End gable to west is of similar walling to main front: contains a semi-circular headed window at gallery level, modern timber, of similar character to windows on main front. Below window, and slightly to right of centre is a projecting gabled single storey porch, of similar materials to main block except overhanging eaves on gable have timber barge boards. Soffits of eaves look like asbestos sheets. PVC gutters and downpipes to each side of porch; one window, modern metal framed of similar character to previous, set in smooth cement rendered surround with projecting concrete cill. Doorway in south face of porch is similar to main central door, set in plain rendered square surround.

Rear elevation of main front block is of similar character to entrance front, with one large window to each side of the rear return.

End gable to east, of main front block, is similar to west, with similar projecting porch.

Rear return is of similar character to main front block, and of same ridge height, and has a similar ventilator on roof. One large window in each side wall of rear return, each glazed with stained glass.
North gable of rear return is of similar character to other gables: contains a modern metal framed window at high level, above a rear end block which is set back on each side and projects from the north gable.

Rear end block is of similar character to main block, but of lower eaves height and ridge height. Roof slated as previous to main block, gabled to north but half-hipped to south where it abuts return of church. PVC rainwater goods.
West elevation contains one window to left of a doorway, both semi-circular headed, with smooth cement rendered surrounds. Window is a timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 2 over 2, with margin lights, with horns. Doorway contains modern rectangular double doors, each leaf 3-panel, with modern metal handle, surmounted by a semi-circular radial fanlight, all in stained hardwood.
North gable of rear end block is plain, rendered as previous, with a red brick chimney at the apex; two earthenware pots. Flush verges to roof with projecting concrete kneelers. Projecting to the north is a low set-back extension, with rendered walls as previous, with slated lean-to roof; PVC rainwater goods. One doorway in each side, rectangular ledged timber in plain rendered reveals.
East elevation of rear end block has one window, timber sashed, as previous to west elevation, and one ocular timber window tinted glazed, of similar character to windows in main block. Roof has one modern flush rooflight.

SETTING: The church stands within the village, facing the main road but set back from it within its own grounds. Front boundary formed by a wall, rendered as the church itself, with concrete flag copings; two gateways, one on axis with central entrance of church, one to western end of boundary, both comprising square piers with large sandstone caps; double gates of wrought iron of late 19th century appearance. Tarmac area around church with tarmac drive along west side leading to modern manse at northern end of grounds.
Eastern and western boundaries formed mainly by hedges, with the dry dash rendered gable of an adjacent house at the south-east corner; grassy borders to each side.
To the rear of the church stands a gabled and rendered mid-20th century church hall of no special architectural interest or merit, approached by a flight of concrete steps with tubular steel handrails.

Historical information

Originally built c 1735; repaired in 1834, when a new roof and ceiling was erected; and substantially renovated in 1885 when all the interior woodwork was replaced and the old pulpit replaced; bronze tablet by Purdy & Millard of Belfast, listing the ministers of the congregation, erected behind pulpit in 1935.
The original building was described in the Ordnance Survey Memoirs in 1838 as "a plain, substantial old building, built of stone and roughcast. It consists of a main aisle standing east and west, and measuring externally 65 by 28 feet. To the centre of this, at its southern side, is a small addition measuring 28 by 27 feet. It is pretty comfortably fitted up internally with pews and has a spacious gallery, the entrance to which is from the outside by a flight of stone stairs. It contains accommodation for 1,000 persons."
An old photograph of c 1888 shows the church exterior essentially as now but without side porches; entrances into side gables were ornamented with a pedimented surround. Church hall, now known as George Stirling Hall, opened in 1955; previous manse demolished in 1988 and replaced by present one.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1832, Co Antrim 51.
2. Inscription on front gable.
3. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 29: Parishes of County Antrim XI, 1832-3, 1835-9 (Belfast, 1995), pp 104, 106, 129, 131.
4. Old photographs in possession of Mr W. Ellison.
Secondary Sources
1. UAHS, West Antrim (Belfast, 1970), p 18.
2. J. Tolland, A Short History of First Donegore Presbyterian Church (1988).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This is a church of 18th century foundation that was sustantially altered in 1885. It has undergone a number of further inappropriate modern alterations to the extent that not only has its original Georgian character been diminished but also its integrity as a late Victorian building. It however remains an example of an early T-shaped plan church with an interesting interior.