Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB03/01/003

Address :
First Presbyterian Church Kilrea Coleraine Co. Londonderry BT51 5QU

Townland:
Kilrea

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
22/06/1977 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
41-16

IG Ref:
C9257 1236

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

A freestanding, symmetrical double-height Presbyterian hall-type church built in 1837-39. Located within a burial ground, to the eastern side of Church Street, in the centre of Kilrea town. Rectangular on plan with advancing single-storey wings and central three-stage pierced spire . Vestry added to the north-west c1990. Pitched slate roof with angled grey/brown ridge tiles; raised gables topped by angled stone coping, overlaid coping stones to west having kneeler stones. Advancing, slightly lower gable-fronted entrance with lead covered ridge. Pointed stone finial to west gable; ashlar stone square-base of spire on axial ridge to east gable, instepped base to octagonal lucarnes, bronze bell hung within, rising to pointed spire with conical stone pinnacle. Cast iron ogee rainwater goods supported on projecting stone eaves course; some decorative cast iron hoppers. Walling is coursed and squared rubble; sandstone dressings including strip quoins, projecting plinth, window and door surrounds. Generally lancet window openings having voussoired rubble-stone heads, chamfered reveals and sills; leaded stained-glass windows. Main elevation faces east and comprises advancing narrow-fronted gable at centre with lower flat-roofed flanking bays to each side, which project out from the elevation-line and the sides of the building. Central round-headed doorway in round-headed opening; timber sheeted square-headed door and matching fixed tympanum having pole-moulded reveal and raised chevron surrounds. Three-light lattice-paned lancet windows above, having higher centre window; surmounted by continuous hood mould. Square bays to each side of ground floor have a similar single lancet to centre. South elevation has single lancet to square projecting-bay (as above); six equally spaced windows lighting nave. West elevation has been repointed and contains a blocked window to the centre of a bow-abutment; replacement slate to hipped roof above; timber-sheeted diminutive square hatch breaking through plinth course. Recent extension abuts to left side of elevation; gable end extends beyond boundary wall; right cheek has two windows to left, projecting doorway having a timber sheeted door to right beneath catslide roof; left cheek has two windows to right, timber panelled door to left, accessed via concrete steps. North elevation is as south. Setting Located in an urban residential
setting to the south of Kilrea’s central ‘Diamond’ and enclosed within a burial ground by rubblestone walls. The former Office of the Mercers’ Agent (HB03/001/002) is situated to the south-east corner and St Patrick’s Church (HB03/01/001) is a short distance to the south. Mature trees and bounded a coursed and squared rubblestone wall to the east along Church Street with saddleback stone copings; wall rises to a pair of central cast-iron octagonal piers which support decorative cast-iron gates; similar opening to north along Church Street. Modern metal gate to west wall of random rubble supported by replacement brick piers abutting boundary wall. Modern two-storey hall to north west of site (of little interest). Bifurcated concrete path leads to main entrance door and continues around perimeter of building, terminating at the rear vestry extension. Raised concrete drainage trough to north and west elevations. Modern church hall to north (of little interest). Roof Slate RWG Cast-iron Walling Coursed and squared stone Windows Pointed-headed leaded stained-glass

Architects

Barnes, William

Historical Information

Constructed in 1837-39 to the designs of the London architect William Barnes, the current building replaced a previous Presbyterian Meeting House c1770-1784. The new ‘Presbyterian Meeting House’ is first shown captioned on the Second Edition OS map (1853) and combined with the graveyard, the value was first listed as £50 in Griffith’s Valuation (1856). Rev. James Rogers was noted as the first minister; the building was located near to St Patrick’s Church (HB03/01/001) and adjacent to the flax market, dispensary and rent office of the Mercers’ Company (HB03/01/002). The third edition OS map (1905) indicates by this time the meeting house was known as the ‘First Presbyterian Church’. In Plantation times, during the colonisation of Ulster, the Worshipful Company of Mercers’, a principal Livery Company of the City of London, directly controlled a proportion of land within County Londonderry. The estate of 33.5 sq miles was located around the district of Kilrea and Movanagher. By the mid 17th century the Mercers’ estate was let to nominated individual/s; many of whom where absentee landlords and subsequently the estate fell into severe decline. With the death of the final tenant, Alexander Stewart, in 1831, the Mercers’ took repossession of and direct control over the estate. Kilrea was the capital of the proportion and in the ensuing decades the Company instigated an ambitious scheme of improvements intended to raise productivity, general welfare and the overall appearance of the estate with particular focus placed on Kilrea town. An architect to the Mercer’s Company was appointed (George Smith and William Barnes) and a cohesive design plan for the development of Kilrea was generated, with public buildings being largely funded by the Company (Curl). The previous church, which was located a short distance to the east of the current building, was established in 1783-84 following a split in the congregation who worshipped at Boveedy. Led by Rev. John Smyth, a portion of people formed a new congregation in Kilrea town. The OS Memoirs (1830-39) describe the original meeting house as a plain, slated and whitewashed building, capable of accommodating 480 people but was in a bad state of repair and without a ceiling in 1836 (OS Memoirs; Kernohan). The new building, which cost approximately £2,300, was funded by the Mercers’ Company, the Irish Society and through contributions from the congregation (Curl). Designs for the building were prepared by the architect William Barnes; the partner and pupil of George Smith, Barnes served as architect of the Mercers’ Company and subsequently many of the public buildings in Kilrea, erected during the mid-19th century are credited to him (Curl: DIA). The foundation stone of the meeting house was laid on 23rd June 1837 and the Rev. Seaton Reid opened the building for public worship, exactly two years later (Kernohan). Although the estate was sold to the tenants under the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903, the Church remained under the ownership of the Mercers’ Company until at least 1935 (First General Revaluation 1935). In recent decades the cast iron tracery of the diamond-paned, lancet windows have been replaced and a small vestry has been added to the north-west (Curl). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/5/27/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1830) 2. PRONI OS/6/5/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1853) 3. PRONI OS/6/5/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1905) 4. PRONI OS/6/5/27/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1925-33) 5. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1905) 6. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/6A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856) 7. PRONI VAL/2/D/5/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1859) 8. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3A – Annual Revisions (1864) 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3B – Annual Revisions (1865-78) 10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2C – Annual Revisions (1879-85) 11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2D – Annual Revisions (1886-94) 12. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2E – Annual Revisions (1895-1910) 13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2F – Annual Revisions (1911-29) 14. PRONI VAL/3/B/6/2 – First General Revaluations (1935) 15. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/5 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72) Secondary Sources 1. Lewis, Samuel ‘A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ S. Lewis & Co, London (1837) 2. ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs; The Parishes of Co. Londonderry, VIII [Vol. 27] - Desertoghill, Errigal, Killelagh and Kilrea, 1830-39’ Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast (1994) 3. Curl, James. S. ‘The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914’ Phillimore & Co, Chichester (1986) 4. Kernohan, J.W. ‘The Parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O'Crilly A sketch of their history, with an account of the Boveedy Congregation’ Coleraine, (1912) 5. Dictionary of Irish Architects (http://dia.ie/)

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 K. Group value

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity U. Historic Associations Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A free-standing symmetrical Presbyterian Church built c.1837 to designs by William Barnes. Located to the west of Church Street within a lawned burial ground and enclosed by coursed rubble walls, the building replaced an earlier Presbyterian Meeting House and is a representation of the ambitious architectural improvements carried out in Kilrea during the mid 19th century, by the Mercers Company. The church has an advancing gable fronted entrance, flanked by projecting square bays and surmounted by a modest stone spire. Despite some internal and external refurbishments, the building retains much of its original character and the layout, setting and exterior character have remained intact. The neatly proportioned church continues to act as an important focal point within the community and is also a key feature of the historic character of Kilrea.

General Comments

Additional listing criteria apply-R- Age, S- Authenticity, U- Historic Associations.

Date of Survey

16 October 2012