St Enoch's Presbyterian Church, Carlisle Circus,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Building demolished; modern Presbyterian church of Duncairn & St Enoch's occupies the site.

Historical information

The First Survey record states:

A rugged looking High Victorian church of Early French character – considering the triple entranced and the plate tracery and the jutting gargoyles but not laid out as nave and as the triple gabled front façade might suggest. A large hall like interior with two tiers of galleries wrapped round 3 sides. This is very rare. Slated gabled roofs. Walls of Scrabo stone. Good bold typically High Victorian metalwork railings. Tall tower with louvred lancets but the spire has been removed for some years now. Nevertheless the tower still impressive. Good chunky shapes to the lower stages of the tower, and good lively treatment of the front façade in general. The sides and rear however are much flatter in treatment repetitive fenestration.

Inside the church was very impressive before the malicious fire of 1985. Much damage has been done to woodwork and to the organ and to the rooflights and ceiling.

History: des. By A. T. Jackson, 1870. (City Hall plan) Opened 1872. P. Larmour article in Ulster Architect Feb. 1986 “St. Enoch’s Pres Ch Bf”

Records: Photos Date of Visit: 85 + 4.86'

This building was first recorded on the HMBB survey card of 29/11/72:

'1872. A church built of Scrabo (Glebe) sandstone coursed rubble. The façade presents one large and two small flanking gables to Carlisle Circus. Each contains a window, two light at sides, six light in two tiers at centre, all in two-centre arched openings. The lower stage contains three entrances in shouldered opes inside two centre arched openings set in slightly projecting gables, each reveal is faced by two small circular columns. The adjoining wall faces are pierced by quatrefoil windows. An engaged square tower rises to a square crocketed and finialed spire with gablets. The top stage of the tower contains cusped headed lancets with louvre …. The side of the building has three tiers of windows, lancet, cusped lancet and semi-circular paired.

History: Thomas Johnson and son, architects.

Records: buildings of Belfast. C. E. B. Brett (Page 45) Date of Visit: 27 Jan 71.'

The schedule description states:

'High Victorian Gothic Revival church of early French character exteriorly, with possible unique double-galleried hall interior designed by A T Jackson. Interior damaged by fire in 1985.'

Evaluation

Building demolished.