First Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double-height Italianate Presbyterian Church, dated 1827, with front elevation remodelled c.1860, located on the west side of North Street.

Rectangular on plan, facing east; early-nineteenth-century gabled full-height organ outshot to rear.

Hipped natural slate roof, blue/black angled hip and ridge tiles, replacement moulded metal gutters. Walling is painted smooth render over plinth with V-joined quoins. There are a variety of windows; most are painted timber casements in painted reveals with painted stone sills, and those to the front elevbation are uPVC. Round-headed windows are multi-light with intersecting stained glass glazing above. Square-headed windows have stained glass panels, unless otherwise stated.

Principal (east) elevation is symmetrical with central pedimented breakfront, dressed stone quoins, frieze with cornice over, and leaded parapet to right end; left end surmounted by belfry stage, ground floor and first floor separated by platband over V-jointed banded rustication. Breakfront flanked by paired Giant Order pilasters with full Ionic entablature and cornice-moulded pediment over. Date plaque in centre of pediment embossed: “FOUNDED MDCCCI / REBUILT MDCCCXXVII.” Belfry Tower is detailed as church with hipped roof but has Scotia-moulded base, bracketed cornice and round-headed louvred apertures with sills on brackets, moulded impost-courses, hoodmoulds; single aperture to each cheek, paired to front with centred porthole over; single square-headed diminutive aperture to rear.

South elevation is five windows wide and has a window to each floor; ground floor right end window is painted timber 9/6 sash.

Rear (west) elevation is centrally abutted by organ outshot; the ground floor on the right side is partially abutted by a modern linking block (of no interest). Exposed section at either side has single mezzanine-level round-headed stained glass casement window. Projection is blank.

North elevation has a window to each floor; ground floor left end window is painted timber 9/6 sash.

The church is situated in a tarmac parking lot and set back from North Street; the North Gate (HB22/08/003) and town wall (HB22/08/009) are located to the north; the Church of Ireland Parish Church of St. Nicholas (HB22/08/001) is located to the southwest. There is an attached modern linking block to the rear that links to the modern church hall (at south-west).

Roof: Hipped natural slate
Walling: Painted smooth render
Windows: Round-headed multi-light with intersecting stained glass glazing above. uPVC to front elevation
Rainwater Goods: Half-round cast-iron

Historical information

The building appears on the first edition OS map of 1832, which shows the area to have been highly developed at this time. The density of development is shown to have been reduced by the second edition in 1857.

The Townland Valuation of 1836 records on North Street a Presbyterian Meeting House valued at £59 15s 2d, with a session house which is valued at £1 3s 10d. A national school is also connected to the property.

Griffith's Valuation of 1860 records in exemptions a Presbyterian Church and yard, occupied by the Rev James White, leased from the trustees, with the total property is valued at £35. Valuation Revisions dating from 1894 record no change.

James Boyle’s OS memoirs of 1840 describe an "…Orthodox Presbyterian Meeting House [which] ...is situated in a neatly enclosed space on the western side of North Street & near the Northern centre of the town. ..It consists of a vestibule or hall opening by two doors into the body of the house which contains 79 pews [and]...on the gallery…is a committee or session room". Boyle claims the meeting house stands "on the site of a former one which had been erected about a century ago". The "first stone of the present house was laid by Rev James Seaton Reid" in 1828, the total cost was £2,000. (Boyle, p 260).

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)
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/22C - Griffith's Valuation Fieldbook (1857)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/7A-C - Valuation Revision Book (1894-1929)
6. OS Memoirs: Vol 37 - Carrickfergus:James Boyle, 1840

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
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

A double-height Italianate rendered Presbyterian Church dating from the early nineteenth century and having many original features intact, with the interior being particulary fine with many high quality stained glass windows. The uPVC windows to the front elevation detract from its character. The church is characterised by classical ornamentation typical of Presbyterian church building of the time and is of social interest to the people of Carrickfergus.