Holy Trinity (C of I) Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small, rubble-built, compact but complex single storey gothic C of I church of 1847. The church is located on a slight rise on the west side of the Whitechurch Road on the northern edge of the large village of Ballywalter.

The church was originally designed as a simple gabled church with a side porch, chancel and transept projections, but a side aisle was added to the west in 1852 and housed in a slightly smaller gabled structure giving double gabled north and south elevations.
The entrance porch is a small gabled projection to the left hand side of the E elevation. To the far right of this is a gabled transept projection, between these is a small lean-to projection.

The building is constructed in square snecked scabbled greywacke stone with sandstone dressings. Roofs are slated with Bangor blue slates and all gables have sandstone capped parapets. Cast iron rw goods.

The S elevation is composed of double gables, the right hand (original) of which has central buttresses rising from either side of the window and joining above to full height to form a small bellcote. The left hand gable projects forward slightly.

The W elevation has four bays created by way of five oversized buttresses. To the extreme left is the gable of the vestry.

On the N facade, positioned between the side of the chancel and the N end of the side aisle is a small gabled vestry, to the side of which are steps leading down into semi basement boiler room.

The N elevation has a central gable (chancel) to the right of which is the side of the vestry with the end wall of the side aisle rising up behind.

The windows are mainly lancets and are arranged as singles (mainly to the E), pairs to the W and triples (to the N and S only). Many of these openings have drip mouldings with carved head label stops. Mouldings and window dressings are in sandstone. Windows to the W facade and N nave gable rest on a prominent cill course.

Historical information

This C of I parish church was designed by Joseph Welland and built in c.1847-9, with significant additions, notably the side aisle, by William Burn in 1852. The church was built to serve the growing population of Ballywalter and to supplement Balligan Church which had served the combined parishes of Ballywalter, Ballyhalbert and Kircubbin since 1704.

References- Primary sources
1 Photographs of the original plans for Holy Trinity Church 1847, 1852. [Copies in EHS, 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast.]
2 PRONI VAL/2B/3/9 Second valuation, Ballywalter, c.1859
3 PRONI OS/6/3/12/2 OS maps, Down 12, 1860
4 PRONI VAL/12B/23/6a-f Annual valuation revision books, Ballywalter, 1866-1929

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Small, rubble-built, compact but complex single storey gothic C of I church of 1847 by Joseph Welland, originally designed as a simple gabled church with a side porch, chancel and transept projections, but a side aisle by William Burn added to the west in 1852 and housed in a slightly smaller gabled structure, giving double gabled north and south elevations.