Trinity Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey gabled, possibly Arts & Crafts influenced, Presbyterian church of 1903 by T. Pentland, with squat square corner tower, constructed in rockfaced snecked rubble with red sandstone dressings to openings. The church is situated at the junction of Main Street and Newtownards Road, Greyabbey.

Roof of main church and rear section are booth slated. Cast iron rw goods with PVC gutter to NE elevation. Decorated cast iron railings (with gates) and low rubble wall to SE and SW

The front (SW) elevation is asymmetrical consisting of the gable end of the main body of the church with a tower at the SE corner and a small projection at the NW corner. In the centre of the gable is an a large elliptical arch doorway with red sandstone dressings and four light mullioned window above. Within the doorway is a timber panelled double door with elliptical arch head, with four pane fanlight and sidelights. The fanlight and sidelights both have leaded lights. Stone steps to door.

Directly above the doorway at the first floor is a large three light, semicircular headed, stained glass window with Y tracery mullions forming the three gothic arch headed lights. Sandstone dressings to window with gothic arch drip stone moulding. Moulded first floor course. At gable apex there is a small semicircular headed niche with similar drip stone moulding.

At SE corner is a squat, buttressed two storey square tower which projects slightly forward from gable. To the ground floor is a semicircular headed three light timber window, with modern coloured glass, sandstone dressings and drip moulding as before. Moulded course above window. To the first floor are two similar paired windows with a sandstone apron panel inscribed ‘This stone was laid by Mrs. Montgomery, Rosemount 6th August 1903’. Above these windows is a frieze consisting or a series of recessed arched niches. This frieze continues around the SE and NE faces of the tower, faces which are otherwise blank. The tower is capped with a Bangor blue slated hipped roof.

At the NE corner of the front elevation is a single storey buttressed projection with window as ground floor of previous tower. This projection also has a slated hipped roof, but with slight overhang and exposed ends of rafters. There is a buttress rising to a pinnacle between this projection and the main front gable.

Both the NW and SE sides of the church are buttressed and each have windows as ground floor of the tower only larger. The second window from the left on the NW side and second from the right on the SE side, however, do not have three light timber frames and are both filled with stained glass. Sandstone cill course to both sides.

The rear (NE) of the church is a two storey gabled section (containing rooms for the minister etc.) which sits at a right angle to the main body of the church. The SE gable of this rear section has a large buttress to the left side and a window, like the ground floor of the tower, on the first floor. To the left on the ground floor is a plain sheeted timber door with two square timber windows, with coloured leaded lights, to the right.

The NW gable of the rear section projects beyond the NW side of the main body of the church and has a large window similar to the large window on the front gable of the main body of the church, to the first floor, but with a timber frame and coloured glass. To the ground floor are three square headed window openings with sandstone dressings and coloured leaded lights. There is a plain sheeted timber door in the SW side of this rear section (on the wall which intersects with the NW side of the main body of the church).

The NE elevation of the rear section is rendered and has two modern windows in the centre of the ground floor, with three modern windows, with semicircular arch heads to the first floor. Attached to the right hand side of this elevation is a large modern church hall.

Historical information

This church was constructed in 1903 to designs by T. Pentland. The church hall to the rear was constructed after c.1975.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/12B/23/16a-f Annual valuation revision books, Greyabbey, 1866-1930
2 "New Presbyterian Church at Greyabbey, Co. Down…" in 'The Irish Builder', Vol.XLIV, No.1042, p.1710, 23 April 1903
3 PRONI VAL/12E/99/1 Valuation plan, Greyabbey, 1906-35

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey gabled, possibly Arts & Crafts influenced, Presbyterian church of 1903 by T. Pentland, with squat square corner tower, constructed in rockfaced snecked rubble with red sandstone dressings to openings.