First Comber Presbyterian Church,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey cruciform plan Presbyterian church set on a slight slope on the NW side of High Street (roughly at the highest point of the street). This church appears to have been built in 1740 but was substantially renovated in 1836, with much of the present detailing to the windows added in 1887.

Basically the church is cruciform with each wing gable ended. In the four angles between the wings there is a further smaller gable set at 45 degrees. The church can be entered via any of three wing gables, NE, NW or SW. At each of these gables there is a small double gabled porch with flat roofed ‘well’ between. There are three small pointed arch windows set within rectangular recesses to the gabled face of each porch. To the NW porch there is a timber sheeted door (with arch design thereon) to each of its outer faces, whilst to the NE and SW porches there is a similar door to the SE face of each only.

Above each porch (on the main gable) is a pointed arch window with label moulding over. Above each of these is a small louvered roundel opening with moulded surround. The smaller gables in the angles and the main SE gable each have large pointed arch recesses with label moulding over. With each recess are twinned semicircular arched windows with a roundel above with the whole window ensemble dressed with brick and blue (engineering-like) brick.

The entire façade is finished in V-channelled render and painted. Eaves course to main gables with moulding to apex and iron finials. The main roof is covered in natural slate with rendered parapets. Cast iron skylights near ridge on SE wing. The porches have asbestos slates. The windows have stained glass.

The SE gable faces right out on to the footpath. To the NE and SW of this gable there stretches a low rendered wall set in stepped fashion on the slope of the street. The wall is punctuated by square, panelled, pillars and decorative railings.

Historical information

This church is believed to have been built in 1740, replacing an earlier one on this site dating from 1670. The building appears to have been cruciform form the beginning as it is shown as such on the 1834 OS map and the OS memoirs of 1837 make no comment as to additions to the original structure, merely stating that it ‘underwent considerable repairs in 1836 at a cost of £300’.

In 1887 the building was completely renovated at which stage the gables to the intersection may have been added (and in consequence the colonnettes to the interior). The windows were probably remodelled in at this stage as well and the galleries (outside steps to which are said to have been shown on a 1860s painting of the church), probably removed. The railings to the front may date from this period as may the porches, though both may be 20th century.

The church was refurbished in 1992.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/10 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
2 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.7: Parishes of County Down II’, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB1991), p.28.
3 PRONI MIC/1P/58 Comber 1st Presbyterian Church records 1845-70.
4 PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 OS map, 1st rev. 1858, Down 10.
5 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), pp.303-305.
6 PRONI OS/2/3/10 OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Impressive and usual single storey, cruciform plan Presbyterian church of 1740 with ‘intersecting’ gables perhaps added in 1887 during a substantial remodelling programme.