St. Joseph’s RC Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Built between 1874-6, St. Joseph’s RC Church is in French gothic, set on top of a slight rise with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

The building is constructed in blue stone, semi coursed, snecked rubble with buff coloured sandstone dressings, decorations and quoins.

There is a semi-circular apse to the SE, a stone steeple to the right hand side of the NE gable and projecting gabled porch/vestry to the SE side. A flight of 12 steps lead to the main entrance which is located in the SW facade of the four storey bell tower. The ‘trefoil’ arched opening has a projecting stone ‘gable’ surround supported on a short stone round columns with floral capitols and cushion bases. Double timber sheeted entrance doors fill the opening. Two leaded squared headed windows (with cills at differing heights) with sandstone ‘in/out’ dressings, to shallow lean to (containing stair to gallery) on SE side of tower. Tall lancet window, with similar dressings, to first floor on NE side of tower, with similar windows to the NW, SW and SE. At ‘second floor’ are two roundel (quatrefoil) windows with similar sandstone dressings, also to all elevations, with paired equilateral arched windows, with sandstone dressings, to all sides of third level.

The tower is capped with a square based tall pyramid spire with red sandstone banding and a decorative stone ‘dormer’ windows to each face of spire. The tower is buttressed at the ground and first floors and the spire is topped with decorative carvings and a cross.

The NW facade/gable has 4 small equilateral arched windows to the ground floor and a large rose tracery window to light the gallery. The gable ends with a stone parapet and cross finial.

The NE nave elevation has five evenly spaced equilateral arched windows with sandstone dressings and cills.

The SE nave elevation has 4 similar windows, with a projecting gabled porch to the to the right hand side.

NW side of porch has two square headed windows with sandstone ‘in/out’ dressings, with three similar windows to the SE facade.

SW facade has a similar window on either side of an equilateral arched door opening with sandstone dressings and a timber sheeted door. The semi-circular apse has 7 equilateral arched windows which rest on a sandstone ‘cill band’.

All roofs are in Bangor blue slate with decorative red fire clay ridge tiles. The ‘half cone’ roof to the apse is finished with a tall decorative metal finial.

To the front of the church is a large gravel parking area with a graveyard to the NW and NE.

Historical information

Built on the site of a mass rock, this church was designed by Architects O'Neill & Byrne of Belfast and was consecrated in October 1876.

The church was intended to replace that at Lisbane, which was too small to cope with the growth of the local congregation. Funds for the construction of the new building were collected as far afield as the USA and local craftsmen were employed in the construction.

A new bell was put in the tower in 1911, the interior re-plastered a year later and a generator installed in 1925. The parochial house, just south of the church, was built in 1883, as is also to a design by John O'Neill, whilst he was also responsible for the plans for the nearby National School (built in 1874) and possibly also for the neighbouring school teachers' residence (1878).

References- Secondary sources
1 Charlie Murray ‘Ballycran Parish’ in Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society, No.10 (1986), pp. 5-9.
2 Tracey, J.J., 'A dissertation on the buildings of John O'Neill and O'Neill and Byrne Architects, 1862-83', unpublished MA Thesis, QUB, 1987, p.82

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Large, two storey church of the 1870s with tower and spire, built in the French gothic style much favoured by the RC church during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

General comments

Historical info added to PS 2021.02.04.