High Street Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double height stone Presbyterian church, built 1858 to designs by Young and MacKenzie, located on the south side of High Street, Holywood. The church is rectangular on plan, gabled with cruciform roof structure; stair towers flank the principal gable.

Roof is pitched natural slate with raised stone verges, saddleback masonry coping sandstone kneeler stones with gablets. Rainwater goods are ogee cast-iron on moulded painted masonry eaves. Walling is random coursed rubble stone over a chamfered sandstone plinth; crenellated parapet to stair towers. Stepped buttresses to principal gable and set diagonally to flanking stair towers; quoins to rear (some replacements). Windows are stained glass lancets set in chamfered ashlar sandstone reveals (some replacement stonework); triple arrangement to gables. Double pointed-arched headed principal entrance set in a replacement chamfered sandstone surround with moulded head and rubble voussoirs over. Doors are modern glazed.

Principal entrance gable faces north and has a triple lancet over the double entrance door. Stair towers each have a window to north.

Side elevations are each gabled at north end having a triple arrangement of lancets, three openings wide to remainder.

Rear elevation is abutted by a gabled extension with pitched roof and roughcast walling; smooth render quoins. It is lit by a triple stained glass lancet to rear having cement rendered reveals and a chimneystack projecting from the wall immediately to its right.

Setting

The church is set on a narrow site back from the road with pavoir forecourt. The original street boundary wall has been removed, but original rubble stone side walls with soldier coping remain, terminated by stone piers with diamond pointed caps. Against the east wall is set an ornate carved limestone memorial with slate plaque bearing a memorial inscription to Rev. James S. Denham (died 1862). There is a narrow tarmac perimeter entry to either side enclosed by steel security gates. There is a church hall to rear, of no interest.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: rubble
Windows: Stained glass
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The church was built in 1858 to designs by Young & Mackenzie. It retains its original appearance, except for the loss of an original bell-cote on the front facade.

The opening of the Belfast and Holywood Railway in 1848 brought an increase in the population of Holywood and in 1855 a new congregation was formed to cater for these increased numbers. The congregation initially worshipped in Downshire Road but these facilities proved inadequate and a plot of land was purchased in 1857. The present church was formally opened by Rev. Henry Gratten and Rev. John MacNaughton in 1858. Robert Young of Young & Mackenzie was the architect and it cost £1,000. The builder was Samuel Moore of Morrow’s Lane. Plasterwork was carried out by William Hayes of Marino. (History of Congregations, Church information leaflet).

The church is shown on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1858, captioned Presb[yteria]n Meeting Ho[use]’. It is listed in Griffith’s Valuation of 1861 as a Presbyterian Meeting House, sexton’s house, yard and land valued at £43.10s and £1.10s for the yard.
A gallery was added in 1864 and in 1865 the church building was further enlarged, and a schoolhouse built in the grounds. The schoolhouse was twice extended, in 1870 and 1876, largely due to the energies of a Mr. William Shaw who introduced features he found in Mercer Street Presbyterian Church, New York. The schoolhouse is shown on the third edition of 1900-2 and the valuation of the church buildings is raised to £78.10s in 1889 to reflect the addition of the schoolhouse to the plot. The valuation town plan dating from c1867 to 1900 shows the plan of the church in some detail including internal divisions. (History of Congregations, Church information leaflet)

An organ was installed in 1904 and in 1937 electric light. The Lecture Hall buildings were enlarged between 1916 and 1937. Between 1937 and 1976 the church underwent major renovations and the bell-cote that is visible on a photograph of the church dating from 1910 was accidentally knocked down. (History of Congregations, Church information leaflet)

The internal layout and detailing of the church has been substantially altered in recent remodelling.
References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
2.PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
3.PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
4.PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
5.PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation – Union of Belfast (1861)
6.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
7.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
8.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
9.PRONI VAL/12/E/123/1/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1860-c1866)
10.PRONI VAL/12/E/123/2/1-6 – Annual Revisions Town Plan (c1867-1900)

Secondary Sources

1.“A History of Congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 1610-1982” authorised by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Belfast: Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, 1982 (available at www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com)
2.Church Information Leaflet (available at www.hspc.org.uk)
3.Merrick, Tony “Buildings of Holywood” Holywood: Holywood Advertiser, 1986

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

High Street Presbyterian Church is a simple Gothic styled Presbyterian church, built 1858 to designs by prominent Presbyterian church architects Young and Mackenzie. The church has recently undergone changes to layout and extensive renewal of fabric, both inside and out that have compromised its historic and architectural integrity. The setting has also been degraded. However, the church remains of some interest as an example of the minor works of notable local architects.