Ballyblack Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small-ish random rubble built gabled church set on a slight slope on the S side of the Ballyblack Road, c.2 miles W of Carrowdore.

Front N facade consists of a large gable, with a slightly shorter tower-like projection to the right (E) and the side of a gabled ‘projection’ to the left. The timber sheeted (double) entrance door is located to the left of the N facade (ground floor of tower-like projection). The door is set within a pointed arch opening with chamfered ‘in and out’ sandstone dressings, label moulding and carved label stops. To the upper level of the N facade of this projection (directly above the door) are two tall slit windows with sandstone dressings, with small (dated) sandstone roundel above. Bangor blue slated pyramidal roof to ‘tower’. The N gable has a large central pointed arch timber window with four pointed arch lights with tracery above. The window rests on a cill course and has sandstone dressings and label moulding with carved stops. Above the window is a small sandstone dressed quatrefoil. Sandstone bellcote to gable apex. Both the gable and the tower-like projection are buttressed. The N facade of the projection to the left (W) is blank and also buttressed.

The E facade of the tower-like projection has a tall slit window to ground and upper level, both as N facade. The facade of the main body of the church has three large pointed arch windows with yellow brick in and out dressings, fairly recent looking timber frames and semi opaque glass.

The rear gable of the church has a large central gabled projection. The E facade of rear projection has a pointed arch window, with yellow brick in and out dressings, timber frame and semi opaque glass. The gable of the rear projection has a central large-ish rose window with stained glass, now with recent looking timber frame and glazing placed over it. Below this at ground level is a pointed arch doorway with yellow brick dressings and timber sheeted door, with a small window opening to the left of this with similar dressings and timber frame. The E facade and the rear projection are buttressed.

W facade of main body of church and of rear projection are same as E facade. To the left (N) on E facade is a buttressed gable which has a pointed arch window similar to E facade of main body of church.

The main roof as well as that to the rear projection are pitched and covered in Bangor blue slates with stone parapets (which may once have had finials). Cast iron rw goods.

Rubble and yellow brick gate posts with steps, wrought iron arch and gates, to front of church.

Small graveyard around church with headstones dating back to 1847.

Historical information

The Ballyblack Presbyterian congregation was established in 1811. The present church was built in 1872-73 (officially opened 28 December 1873) and replaced a pre-1833 meeting house, a smaller building located approximately on the same site, but which map evidence suggests was set on an east-west axis and positioned slightly closer to the laneway.

The church was designed by English-born Newtownards-based architect Henry Chappell (c.1832-1924) who appears to have been appointed an assistant county surveyor in c.1863 and who worked on the new nave for St Saviour’s (CoI) parish church at Greyabbey in 1868-69. The minister at the time of construction was Rev. William Mitchell, who was also oversaw for the building of a new manse further west along Ballyblack Road in c.1856 (see HB24/08/012). Rev. Mitchell (1828-1927) served the Ballyblack congregation from 1854 until 1902, and in 1928 the bellote – designed by Hobart & Heron of Belfast - was added to the church in his memory.

During WWII [1941?] the church lost much of its stained glass due to German planes off-loading their bombs in the vicinity before returning to the continent. New stained glass, by Clokey Studios of Belfast, was reinstated within the rose window to the rear in 1950, however, the gift of Mrs. Marion Clarke in memory of her late husband, Rev. Samuel James Clarke (d.1947), who had succeeded Rev. Mitchell as minister at Ballyblack in 1902.
Most of the window openings witnessed further alterations c.1980s, when the original decorative Gothic tracery was removed and plainer timber frames installed.

The hall to the immediate east of the church (‘Finlay Memorial Lecture Hall’) was built in 1910.

References- Primary sources
1 OS maps, County series, Down sheet 6 – 1833-4, 1858
2 ‘Belfast News-Letter’ – 8 January 1874, p.4; 4 August 1947, p.4; 25 September 1950, p.2
3 ‘Downpatrick Recorder’ – 18 June 1910, p.3
3 ‘Ballymena Weekly Telegraph – 27 August 1927, p.5
4 ‘Northern Whig’ – 29 December 1928, p.5
5 HERoNI HB24/05/055 Photos of Ballyblack Presbyterian Church – various dates, 1971-98

Secondary sources
6 R.S.J. Clarke (compiler) 'Gravestone Inscriptions Vol.12 County Down, Barony of Ards' (U.H.F. Belfast 1975) pp.1-2
7 ‘A history of congregations in the Presbyterian church in Ireland 1610-1982, (The Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, 1982), pp.55-56
8 Information supplied by Minister of Ballyblack congregation – March 1998

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Small, plain, rubble built gothic church of 1872, still mainly intact but missing its original stained glass windows and lacking sufficient architectural merit to warrant listing.