Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB03/01/011

Address :
Second Presbyterian Church Maghera Street Kilrea Coleraine Co. Londonderry BT51 5QL

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:
C9238 1248

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A freestanding, symmetrical, double-height-with gallery, single-cell Presbyterian church constructed in 1838 with an abutting, single storey return to the rear (early 20th century). Rectangular on plan, located on an elevated site within a graveyard, the main entrance faces south at the junction between New Row and Maghera Street, on the edge of the centre of Kilrea. Pitched slate roof with angled grey ridge tiles and cast iron, half-round rainwater goods; plain timber bargeboards to gable ends. Walling is roughly coursed and squared greystone with raised, painted stone quoins and coping to advanced plinth course. Multi-pane Y-traceried timber windows with painted stone surrounds; pointed-headed window openings having hood moulds surmounted with voussoir rubblestone heads. South elevation contains central, fixed timber-sheeted tympanum over double-leaf timber-sheeted door with painted masonry surrounds and hood mould. Y-tracery motif executed in timber above square headed door. Flanked to each side by a window. Painted projecting string course connects eaves and forms a simple pediment. Painted panel to centre of gable reads ‘Kilrea Presbyterian Seceeding Church Erected A.D MDCCCXXXVIII’. West elevation is four windows wide; left side abutted by modern, mono-pitched extension (of no interest), which abuts to vestry. North gable is blank and abutted by single-storey, roughcast, pitched-roof extension dating from the early 20th century with camber-headed timber casement windows and two rendered chimneys in-line with the west and east walls of the church. Main elevation has three windows; two windows to gabled left cheek; two modern timber frame windows to left side where modern extension abuts. Right cheek has two windows flanking central chimney; decorative cast iron hopper; right-side abuts to main church. East elevation lighted by four windows as per eastern elevation. Setting Located within elevated graveyard and bounded by roughly hewn and coursed rubble walls to the north, east and west; the south wall is roughly squared and coursed with angled copings surmounted by modern metal railings. Main entrance approached by stone steps via modern metal gates from Maghera Street. Modern concrete universal access ramp added to north-east and secondary access through replacement metal gate fixed to concrete pier, abutting rubble wall. Roof: Slate RWG: Cast iron Walling: Roughly coursed stone Windows: Multi-pane timber

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The church is dated 1838, and is first shown captioned ‘Meeting House’ on the second edition OS map (1853). It is sited within the existing boundary with some nearby development illustrated toward the east along Maghera Street and south on New Row. Located on the western edge of Kilrea’s historic centre, the church was one of the early structures to be erected during the town’s expansion in the mid 19th century; the first edition OS map (1830) shows that development in the town was previously concentrated around the central Diamond. Field evidence shows the church was constructed in 1838, indicated by a painted plaque on the main elevation. The architect is unknown but Curl (1986) states that the plans were inspected, amended and approved by William Barnes, architect to the Mercers’ Company. Leased by the Mercers’ Company, the ‘Second Presbyterian Meeting House’ and graveyard are first listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856) as being occupied by Rev Joseph Dickie and valued at £25. There were no further significant changes in value but the third and fourth edition OS maps (1905; 1925-33) show a small return was added to the rear prior to 1905; by this time the building is captioned ‘Second Presbyterian Church’. This was further extended to the north and west sometime between 1905-1925. During the mid-late 20th century this single storey extension was expanded southward and now incorporates a concrete universal access ramp. 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 were 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 now 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. 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). Kernohan notes (1912) that prior to construction, the congregation of Second Kilrea, having separated from the main Presbyterian congregation, met in a room on Bridge Street, which was used to seal linen cloth. In 1833 they were appointed their first minister Rev James McCammon who, Kernohan (1912) states, gave assistance in the construction of the church building but died a short while after it opened in 1839. According to Curl (1986) a sum of £100 was donated to the congregation by the Mercers’ Company, to assist with the erection of the building. 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 OS/10/5/27/5/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1925) 7. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/6A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856) 8. PRONI VAL/2/D/5/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1859) 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3A – Annual Revisions (1864) 10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3B – Annual Revisions (1865-78) 11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3C – Annual Revisions (1879-85) 12. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3D – Annual Revisions (1886-94) 13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3E – Annual Revisions (1895-1910) 14. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3F – Annual Revisions (1911-29) 15. PRONI VAL/3/B/6/2 – First General Revaluations (1935) 16. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/5 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72) Secondary Sources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects (http://dia.ie/) 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)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A free-standing, Presbyterian church with adjoining Hall constructed in 1838. The church is set within a graveyard on an elevated site at the junction between Mahghera Street and New Row, at the western end of Kilrea. Architectural detailing is largely intact and the church has a relatively well-preserved interior despite some internal refurbishment. Modest and characterised by simple detailing and proportions, the church remains an important social feature within the community of Kilrea. The Church also makes a significant contribution to the historic character of the area and is of considerable interest to the local community.

General Comments

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

Date of Survey

17 October 2012