Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Ravara Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church,
Ravara, Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade B1
- Grade
- B1
- Type
- Church
- Date of listing
- 4 March 1977
- Date of construction
- 1820 - 1839
- Address
- Ravara Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church,, Saintfield Road,, Ravara,, Ballygowan,, Co. Down, BT23 6HB
- Townland
- Ravara
- Council
- Ards and North Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.49562, -5.80070
- Date of survey
- 27 January 1999
- HB reference
- HB24/16/053
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1794 "Sheet 55. (Cary's England, Wales, and Scotland)." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Small, single storey (with upper room above porch/lobby), hipped roof church of 1838, set on a slight rise to the E side of the Saintfield Road, half a mile SW of Ballygowan.
The building is rectangular in plan an the entrance is located on the short N facade. The entrance consists of a broad, timber sheeted door, with two steps and a plain stone surround. Directly above it is a small double sash window, with Georgian panes.
To both the longer E and W facades there are four tall, narrow sash windows with small Georgian panes. The Short S facade is blank.
The entire facade is finished in rough cast with smooth render to base and to wall edges. The facade is painted an attractive [?and historically correct], light ‘terracotta’ tone. The hipped roof is covered Bangor blue slates with red clay ridge tiles. The presence of such ridge tiles suggests the roof may have been re-slated in the [?mid] 20th century. Cast iron rw goods.
Small graveyard to N with a small number of headstones (c.11), the earliest dating from 1851. Simple gate screen to roadside with what may be original wrought iron gates.
Historical information
The Ravara ‘Unitarian’ or Non-subscribing Presbyterian congregation was founded in 1837, the period just after the ‘Arian’ or ‘New Light’ controversy had reached a head. The church was built the same year, apparently by the same builders who went on to construct near by Ballygowan Presbyterian church the following year.
A service is now held in this church only once a month.
Primary sources
1 PRONI OS map 1st rev. 1858, Co. Down 16.
Secondary sources
1 ‘Ballygowan Presbyterian Church…1838-1938’ (Belfast 1938), pp.3-4.
2 R.S.J. Clarke ‘Gravestone Inscriptions…Vol.5’ (UHF 1970), pp.115-117.
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
J. Setting
Criteria for listing: historic interest
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Evaluation
Charmingly plain and unassuming single storey Non-subscribing Presbyterian church of 1837 with hipped roof and largely original interior.
Nearby in the register
- Bridge, off Ravara Road,Bridgeunder 1 mi
- Ravara House,Houseunder 1 mi
- Orr’s Bridge,Bridgeunder 1 mi
- Railway Bridge,Bridgeunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.