Carrickfergus Congregational Church Hall

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached late-nineteenth-century Romanesque-styled double-height church hall, dated 1890, located on the north side of Queen Street. Rectangular on plan, facing south; two-storey T-plan linking block to north, canted return to east of linking block, single-storey modern porch (of little interest) to east of linking block.

Pitched natural slate roof, sandstone verge on moulded corbel, replacement half-round metal gutters. Walling is Flemish-bonded red brick over plinth. Windows are round-headed with flush chamfered sills.

Principal (south) elevation is symmetrical with two replacement four-light casements flanking central rose window of six roundels encircling seventh over entrance opening; windows surmounted by round-headed single-rebated arches with archivolts surmounted on pilaster strips with imposts. Apex is basket-weaved brick nogging with central shield-shaped datestone over moulded recessed panel embossed “Independent Sabbath School.” Entrance is gabled with moulded corbelled-out verge, round-headed replacement vertically sheeted double-leaf doors, plate glass fanlight.

West elevation has blocked windows (filled in with cement render). East elevation is abutting a public house, while the northern end has a single-bay two-storey pitched porch opening onto alleyway.

North elevation is abutted by linking block.

Church hall is situated perpendicular to church, principal façade flanked by two attached two-bay two-storey flanking wings with pitched roofs, block-marked walls, square-headed replacement timber casements.

Left wing is residence, principal (south) elevation first floor is two windows wide, ground floor has replacement panel door to left and two windows to right; west gable has single window to first floor left end; rear elevation ground floor is abutted by cement-rendered shed (of little interest), first floor has single window; east gable is entirely abutted by church hall.

Right wing is church hall educational facility and detailed as left wing but principal elevation is two windows wide; first floor has uPVC casements, ground floor has blocked (with cement render) window to left, blocked door to right. East gable is entirely abutted by church hall. Rear elevation is abutted by two-storey return (of little interest) and single-storey block (of no interest), both flat roofed.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Flemish-bonded red brick
Windows: Round-headed timber casements
Rainwater Goods: Replacement half-round metal gutters

Historical information

The gablet date plaque is inscribed: 'Independent Sabbath School / 1890'. It is shown on the third edition OS Map of 1902.

References

Primary Sources:

1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1901-2))

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A late-nineteenth-century double-height brick Romanesque Revival hall with an ornate front façade associated with the Congregational Church that is externally and internally well preserved. Attached via linking block to the late-nineteenth-century Carrickfergus Congregational Church (HB22/08.016A), together they form a group of two buildings constructed in the same style and that are easily recognized as a group despite the fact that they face different streets. The church was likely built between 1894-1929, which indicates that the hall predates the church and may have first served both as a Sunday school and for church services. The hall has social interest for the local community.