Christ Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Church of Ireland church in Gothic Revival style, built c.1855 to designs by Joseph Welland, located to north of Church Road. Rectangular nave with chancel; lean-to porch to east, porch to south-west.

Roofs are pitched and natural slated with masonry ridge tiles, simple verges on cavetto moulded kneeler stones; corbelled eaves. Gabled bell-cote to west containing cast-iron bell in chamfered shouldered opening; stepped weathering and finial. Chimneystack to east. Random rubble basalt walling with rusticated sandstone quoins and offset splayed buttresses. Cusped Gothic leaded stained glass windows with sandstone surrounds, grouped in pairs with rubble voussoirs (unless otherwise stated).

Principal elevation is three windows wide, facing south. Nave abutted on left by gabled porch; original Gothic arched vertically sheeted timber entrance door with cast-iron strap hinges and studs set in chamfered opening with rubble stone voussoirs and stepped reveal, accessed by masonry steps. Pairs of windows to centre and right, separated by buttresses.

West elevation contains pair of windows to centre surmounted by central quatrefoil light, each with leaded lattice glazing and stepped surround. Abutted to centre by small return with stone catslide roof containing small Gothic window with lattice glazing. To right, porch contains small Gothic window.

North elevation has three pairs of windows to nave, separated by buttresses. Abutted to left by vestry with catslide roof containing original vertically sheeted timber door with cast iron strap hinges and studs in chamfered shouldered-arch opening, accessed by masonry steps.

East elevation abutted by chancel containing large Gothic window with intersecting tracery surmounted by sandstone hood-moulding with label stops. Abutted at right by vestry containing pair of windows.

Setting

Church set in churchyard at the edge of Ballynure village with rectory to north, and old graveyard to the south. Bounded to road at south by rubble walling and square sandstone chamfered pillars supporting cast iron double gates. Pedestrian entrance to north; single cast iron gate supported on chamfered piers.

Roof Natural slate with masonry ridge tiles
Walling Random rubble basalt with sandstone dressings
Windows Gothic with sandstone surround
RWG Cast-iron profiled gutters with round downpipes

Historical information

The church first appears in the second edition OS map of 1857 and is marked ‘New Church' suggesting a construction date of 1856-7. The third edition OS map of 1902 captions the building as ‘Christ Church’.

Griffiths Valuation of 1859 details a church and yard under exemptions, and the lessor is Conway Dobby. The Land is valued at £0.15s and the building at £9 15s, later revised to £14 50s (date not given). The entry above details a house and lands occupied by Rev Chas. Fallon, suggesting an associated rector's house.

Brett (1996) states that the church was built in 1854-6 to designs of Joseph Welland of Dublin at a cost of £2,000. The new structure replaced the adjacent old church (of which remains can still be seen in the churchyard) (p 60). This previous church is said to have been Jonathon Swift’s first cure (p 60). Contained in the church are ‘a number of simple and good’ memorials to the Dobbs family (Brett, 60).

References

Primary Sources:

1. PRONI OS/6/1/45/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/45/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
3. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/45 -Townland Valuation Map (1836)
4. PRONI VAL/1/B/1/114 -Townland Valuation Fieldbook (1836)
5. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/45 -Griffiths Valuation Map (1859)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/11 & 12 -Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook (1859)

Secondary Sources:

1. C. E. B Brett. Buildings of County Antrim, UAHS, 1996 (p.60).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A modestly scaled Gothic Revival Church of Ireland church, designed by architect Joseph Welland, set in a rural location to the edge of Ballynure village. This simple church is well preserved and retains original detailing such as tracery, doors and bellcote with original bell. The setting of the church, close to the previous site, now Ballynure Old graveyard (HB21/03/006), adds to the integrity of the church. It is a fine example of the work of an important architect in original condition.