Killinchy Non-subcribing Presbyterian Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, two storey classical church of 1846, attractively set back from the W side of the Comber Road, less than one mile NW of the village of Killinchy.

Front S facade has a central entrance, with timber sheeted (recent looking) double doors. Above the doors is semicircular ‘radial’ fanlight with panelled archivolt, with keystone dated 1846. The archivolt rises from panelled pilasters with moulded bases and capitals.

The front facade is rendered and consists of five bays with six outer and intermediate pilasters with moulded capitals and bases and rising from a plinth to an entablature. A full entablature is broken forward above the outer pilasters and over the three central bays, surmounted bay a triangular pediment; in the outer bays, the lower member of the entablature, which here supports a blocking course, is omitted. At first floor level is a plain platband, the wall face below being channelled horizontally and plain above.

At ground floor level the bays flanking the entrance contain a recess with plain cornice (like a blind doorway) and outer bays a narrower recess with semicircular head and plain architrave in upper part only. At first floor there is a square headed recess (like a blind window) with cill in the central bay with a similar sized sash window, with Georgian and margin panes, to the two bays on either side of this. A narrower recess occupies the two outer bays.

The treatment of the front facade is returned to the E and W elevations for the width of a single bay; these bays break forward of the main wall faces and are flanked by pilasters rising to a cornice with blocking course; the cornice only extends the length of both facades. Both of these bays each contains a full height semicircular recess. At the upper storey of the recess is a semicircular sash window, with panes as front, which lights the gallery stair.

The remainder of the E and W facades are rubble finished with four full height semicircular recesses to each, similar to the recess within the bays but with brick dressings to arch head and flat arch windows at ground level.

The rear facade is blank and rubble constructed. Attached at ground floor level is a small brick and corrugated iron built store/‘boiler house’ lean to with a tall cast iron pipe raising the height of the gable.

The roof is gabled at the rear and appears to be gabled behind the pediment. It is covered Bangor blue slates with a parapet to the rear topped with what appears to be a chimney pot.

Small graveyard to SW.

Historical information

This church was erected in 1846.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 17.
2 PRONI 2nd valuation, Killinchy parish, Ballyministragh td., 1861.

Secondary sources
1 'Archaeological survey of Co. Down' (HMSO 1966), pp.345-6, plate 127.
2 C.E.B. Brett 'Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in the towns and villages of East Down' (UAHS 1973), pp.44-46.
3 James Stevens Curl 'Classical churches in Ulster' (UAHS 1980) pp.12, 18.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Well preserved, large, two storey classical church of 1846 with broad, pedimented front facade and stone faced side walls. This church’s appearance is further enhanced by its attractive, rural setting.