Reformed Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Simple gabled church of 1847 situated to the E of the Ballymacashen Road (next to the junction with the Saintfield Road), c.2 miles W of Killinchy.

Front W gable has a central double timber panelled door at ground level with semicircular ‘radial’ fanlight, panelled pilasters and archivolt with keystone. Directly above this door is a semicircular window, with Georgian-like panes (but with margins), set within a semicircular arched recess. On either side of this door and window is a plain pilaster. To the left and right sides is a window as before with simple panels beneath with details of church services, religious quotations etc. At far left and far right are outer pilasters.
This facade is topped with a tympanum with a small central rectangular panel which reads ‘Reformed Presbyterian Church 1847’.
The N and S facades are largely identical with four windows similar to front only much taller and with sash frames. Each window is set within an arched recess which stretches to ground. Both facades have outer (edge) pilasters, as front. There is a further similar pilaster between the first and second windows on the S facade and between the third and fourth windows on the N facade.

At ground level on the rear facade is a central timber sheeted door with semicircular ‘radial’ fanlight. At first floor level are two windows similar to front but narrower.

The entire facade is finished in lined render and unpainted. Eaves course and chamfered plinth.

The roof is covered in Bangor blue slates. Rendered parapets with odd squat ‘finials’ to each gable.

Small graveyard to S of Church. Enclosed area to N covered in concrete. Low rendered wall to N and W with two sets of simple wrought iron gates with intriguing ‘fist’ support brackets. Covered well to N. Small former stable to NE now converted to toilets.

Historical information

The Reformed presbytery of Ballymacashen originated in 1828 when a local farmer named John Patterson, and Alexander Martin, a teacher, applied to the original Irish Reformed presbytery of Knockbracken to allow their minister to hold services within the townland. Land for a permanent church was not secured until the 1840s, however, when a plot was granted by Joseph Minnis of Ballymacashen, on what was then known as ‘Kelly’s farm’, for the sum of £19. A number of local families including the Gordons of Florida Manor contributed towards the construction of the church, which was erected in 1847 to designs by a James Patterson, who appears to have been a local builder. The first service held on the 1st of October the following year.
The building is shown on the OS map of 1859-60 as ‘Covenanter’s Meeting House’. The map also shows a long-ish building to the north of the church, which is probably the ‘sexton’s house’ referred to in the valuation returns of 1861.
The church was renovated in 1954 at a cost of £1,000 and electric lighting was installed (rather belatedly) in 1959.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 16.
2 PRONI 2nd valuation, Killinchy parish, Ballymacashen td., 1861.

Secondary sources
1 T. Smyth 'Ballymacashin Reformed Presbyterian Church, Killinchy' (Local publication 1959).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Simple Reformed Presbyterian church of 1847 with simplified classical detailing, which retains its 'special architectural and historic interest'.