St Catherine's C. of I. Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A church in Gothic Revival style consisting of a nave and chancel, with a gabled porch on the north side and a gabled projection on the west front. Main entrance in north porch.

North elevation of nave has four Gothic arched lancets with a large gabled porch projecting at the western extremity. Wall of nave smooth cement rendered, lined and blocked with raised quoins at the left-hand extremity; projecting plinth, stepping down from left to right at the second lancet from the left; projecting eaves course. There is a slight batter to the main wall of the nave, with a more distinct batter to the plinth. Windows have raised rendered surrounds, chamfered on both edges, with projecting sandstone cills; brown varnished wooden frames, replacements, with storm glazing, the first and third from left incorporating a modern aluminium cylindrical ventilating grille at the base of the leaded glazing. Fourth lancet from left has spalling to cill. Roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses with flush verges. Metal gutter.

Porch of square plan, comprises base walls of basalt rubble with chamfered sandstone copings, supporting oak framed Gothic arcading, filled with tinted leaded glazing, three bays to the east and west faces, and four bays to the north face. Central bay on east face is the doorway, containing an open wrought iron gate below a fanlight. Slated roof to porch, in regular courses, with overhanging eaves sprocketed to east and west, with shaped rafter ends. Metal gutters to east and west sides with cast iron downpipes. Red terracotta ridge tiles to porch, with large foliated finial on gable to north. Gable has tongued and grooved sheeting of herringbone pattern in four bays; shaped and chamfered barge boards on shaped brackets.

Set back to the left of the nave is a small chancel projection of lower height; similar walling; similar slates to roof, contained by gable copings of sandstone; moulded cast iron gutter with cast iron downpipe. Later cement repairs in lighter tone than original.

East elevation comprises main east gable of nave with chancel projecting from it. Nave gable walling as north side, with apex surmounted by a wheel cross; overhead cables attached to gable, inappropriate addition. Chancel gable walling as previous, with coved edge to gable coping; large Gothic arched east window, of sandstone, three-light with traceries; stonework to traceries crisp, but spalling to lower part of outer surrounds; storm glazing over leaded lights which incorporate aluminium ventilators at the base of the outer lancets; moulded hood moulding
South side of chancel projection similar to north but some later cement repairs to rendering obscures block joints.

South elevation of nave has five lancet windows, similar to those on north; second and fourth have aluminium ventilators as previous. Roof and walling as previous to north elevation, but some later rendering between second and third lancets is of lighter tone than the rest. Cast iron gutter, and cast iron downpipe at left-hand extremity discharges into an original sandstone gulley, of square shape with a circular recess.

Projecting to the west and flush with the wall of the nave is a lower block containing a Gothic arched doorway; walling as previous but no quoins; roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; metal gutter and cast iron downpipe to left-hand side discharging into sandstone gulley. Ledged timber door painted, set in a moulded wooden frame, with raised cement rendered surround, chamfered; iron latch and handle.

West elevation comprises main west gable of nave with lower gabled block projecting from it. Nave gable walling as previous, without quoins, surmounted by a gabled bellcote containing a bell hanging in a segmental headed opening; moulded sandstone coping to bellcote, surmounted by a scrolling wrought iron cross. Later repairs to cement render to left-hand side of nave gable along line of downpipe are of lighter tone. Cast iron downpipe with shaped hopper to left-hand side of nave gable, below short return of gutter along north side of nave; discharges into sandstone gulley. Cables and wires attached to west gable.

West face of lower projection is of similar walling to previous, with flush verges; two Gothic arched lancets, similar to side walls of nave; storm glazed. North side of projection blank; walling as previous; cast iron gutter to right-hand extremity discharging into sandstone gulley; two cast iron circular ventilators in plinth. Roof slated as previous, with bell ringing chain housed in it.

LYCHGATE:
In front of the church stands a detached lychgate: base walls of snecked greystone with chamfered grey sandstone copings, surmounted by an open arcaded framework of oak painted grey and white; base wall open at front on east side but contains a pair of white painted wooden gates to rear, on west side; large wrought iron hinges. Sprocketed roof with coupled collars; tongued and grooved sheeting to underside of roof; hipped roof of green slates. Stone slabs to floor; broad wooden bench seat to each side within side walls, supported on curved sandstone corbels; bench on north side rotting.

SETTING: The church stands in its own grounds set well back from the main road and approached by a main entrance gateway consisting of a pair of Victorian red sandstone stop-chamfered piers with capstones of swept profile surmounted by foliated finials, and double gates of wrought iron. Gates not contemporary with piers; look like mid-20th century replacements. To each side of piers are short curving screen walls of greystone rubble with roughly shaped triangular greystone copings filled in with mortar and greystone splinters. Front boundary to road formed by horizontal wooden fencing and hedge. Gateway leads to a broad tree-lined driveway up to churchyard, flanked each side by roughly grassed areas. Standing adjacent to entrance gateway is a single storey church hall, formerly a Public Elementary School, of little architectural interest. The churchyard itself is entered by the lychgate. Lychgate flanked each side by short screen walls of greystone rubble with rubble copings, forming retaining walls to banked up graveyard behind. Front boundary of churchyard to left of lychgate formed by low earthen bank, terminating at south end in a pair of white painted timber gates of similar design to those of the lychgate, connecting the car park with the graveyard. To right of lychgate, the screen wall meets a single storey former coachhouse which is open to the front and has a double pitch natural slate roof supported on one side at the front on a circular cast iron column. Attached to this is the former stables built from rubble stone with a double pitched natural slate roof. Both of these buildings have modern roof construction. Internally the former stables has 2 wrought iron tethering rings fixed to the walls and evidence of a high level door to the rear. Churchyard is grassed, with a tarmac path to the porch, lined by yew trees; concrete path around most of perimeter of church itself. No graveyard memorials of special architectural interest, but of more general interest are three lines of standard Royal Air Force gravestones and some associated military memorials standing on the south side of the church. Other memorials of general interest include a stone cross to the west of the church carved in the form of a tree trunk and incorporating carvings of a frog and a snail, to the memory of Rebecca Clarke who died in 1884(?).

Historical information

Originally built in 1712; repaired and enlarged in 1837; altered and remodelled in 1886 to the designs of J.J. Phillips to its present form; free-standing lychgate added in 1912 to designs of R.M. Close with Messrs Laverty & Sons of Belfast as builders. Doors in west end of church installed in 1985; porch renovated and its glazing restored in 1987; porch grille gate installed in 1989.
The original building, dated 1712 by the inscribed keystone over the original west doorway and by the original weathercock now kept within the nave, was described in 1838 as “a plain roughcast building of an oblong square form, measuring internally 60 by 23 feet 8 inches. It has neither tower nor architectural ornament of any description.” The repairs of 1837 by the Ecclesiastical Board comprised a new roof, new pews, new windows and pulpit, and raising of the walls by almost two metres. The aisle at that time was described as 8 feet wide.
The alterations of 1886 by J.J. Phillips, as recorded by Ewart, included the low ceiling being replaced by panelling of pitch pine under the rafters; the old irregular windows being replaced by lancets filled with cathedral glass; and a new porch being added. The work of 1886 thus transformed the building’s earlier “very barn-like” character, as Ewart described it, and established the appearance of the church as seen today.

The lychgate of 1912 by R.M. Close was built for Rev Canon Clarke M.A. and its design described at the time as “partly modelled on the medieval example at Beckingham in Lincolnshire, this being considered one of the best examples”.

References – Primary Sources
1. Inscribed datestone and original weathercock now kept within the building.
2. OS Map 1832-3, Co Antrim 55.
3. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 35: Parishes of County Antrim XIII, 1833, 1835, 1838 (Belfast, 1996), pp 11, 41, 43.
4. S. Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (London, 1837), p 133.
5. L. Ewart, Handbook of the United Diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore (Belfast, 1886), p 97.
6. Irish Builder, 26 October 1912, p 604.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This is a church of early 18th century foundation but now largely late 19th century character and appearance built in a Gothic Revival style which exhibits the plan form, proportions, spatial organisation, structural forms and ornamental features characteristic of that style and period. Designed by a well-known architect of the time J.J. Phillips, it is a building of local interest and social importance. Its later lychgate, designed by another well-known architect, R.M. Close, is an uncommon feature in Northern Ireland. Together the church and lychgate form a very attractive architectural group in a pleasant rural setting. Further interest is provided by the fine gate pillars and the former coachhouse and stables.