Manse

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey hipped roof manse of 1859, serving the close by Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church. The manse is set on a rise to the S of Mill Street, to the W of Comber town centre, with the church close by to the N and the church hall to the immediate N.

The front façade faces S. To the centre of the ground floor is a flat roofed porch. To the W face of the porch is a panelled door with two pane fanlight. To the longer S face are a pair of narrow sash windows with horizontal glazing bars (2 over 2). The porch has a cornice below the roof blocking course. This porch is probably a later addition.

To the left of the porch (on the main front façade), is another narrow sash window (as before). To the right of the porch is a similar window. To the first floor are four windows in all. One at each end, corresponding to those at each end on the ground floor, and a pair to the centre, all are as ground floor. The first floor windows to all facades (apart from the modernised extension to the E), rest on a cill course.

The W façade has two tripartite sash windows to the ground floor, each section of each window 2 over 2 as before, and with each section separated by a rendered pier. To the first floor are two segmental headed sash windows with horizontal glazing bars and margin panes.

The N façade has two windows, as first floor W façade, to both floors. The left hand edge of this façade abuts the SW corner of the church hall. The bottom half of this façade is largely obscured by shubbery.

The E façade has a large full height, lean-to projection, which has been modernised in recent times. To the E face of the projection there is a small window with modern frame to the ground floor right. To the first floor right is a small, square, single pane window. To the shorter S face there is a window to both floors, both corresponding to those on the E face. To the short N face there is a first floor window, as ground floor E face. A tall gate post is embedded in the SE corner of the lean-to. There is a corresponding post further to the E and both hold recent looking timber sheeted gates.

The lean-to is awkward looking and does not appear to be original- the presence of the gate post suggests that there used to be a short section of walling stretching from the SE corner of the main house to the post.

To the immediate right of the lean-to, the main E façade has a panelled and glazed doorway to the ground floor, whilst directly above to the first floor, is a semicircular headed sash window (4 over 4 with margin panes). To the far right this façade is abutted by the lean-to to the rear gable of the church hall.

The façade is mainly finished in lined render with a sandstone base and in/out quoins. The porch has moulded quoins. The roof is hipped and has an overhang. Tall rendered chimney stack to roof centre. Cast iron rw goods. Enclosed yard to E with gabled outbuildings to E/SE side. The rear of the church hall encloses the N side of the yard.

Historical information

This house was built in 1859 to serve as the manse for the minister of the close by Non-subscribing Presbyterian church. It was paid for largely by the churches major benefactors, local millers the Andrews family and John Miller, the owner of Comber’s ‘Upper’ Distillery. It was built by local builder, James Bell.

The flat roofed entrance porch and the lean to are undoubtedly later additions, possibly dating from the early 1900s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI MIC/1B/1 Records of Comber Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church 1838-1971.
2 PRONI OS/2/3/10 OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.

Secondary sources
1 Sydney Andrews (ed. John Burls), ‘Nine Generations- A History of the Andrews Family, Millers of Comber’ (Isaac Andrews & Sons, 1958).
2 Norman Nevin ‘The Story of Comber’ (c.1980s) [typescript in Comber library].

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Two storey hipped roof manse of 1859, with later flat roofed porch to front and awkward looking, full height lean-to extension to east façade. Group value with the adjoining church and hall.