Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/08/023 B

Address :
First Presbyterian Church 80 Church Street Antrim BT41 4BA

Townland:
Town Parks

---

Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
10/12/1974 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
96-13 SE

IG Ref:
J1510 8644

---

Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A gabled rectangular church in Greek Revival style with a recessed portico. Main entrance faces north. North elevation: 3-bay beneath a triangular pediment. Walls of smooth cement render, lined and painted, and partly lined and blocked, with rusticated quoins to extremities; slightly projecting plinth; slightly projecting deep frieze, cut into by the recessed entrance bay. Entrance bay contains recessed porch with a segmental vaulted ceiling with moulded segmental arch carried at each end on longitudinally arranged Doric entablatures, comprised of moulded cornice which returns across the rear wall, triglyph frieze, and plain architrave, which are supported on a pair of Doric columns 'in antis' which have responding Doric pilasters to each side and to the rear wall of the porch. The columns are unfluted except for a band of fluting at the top and the bottom. Central entrance doorway has a moulded lugged surround with square head and inclined jambs, containing a pair of rectangular timber panelled doors; horizontally sliding set in a timber frame with a leaded glazed fanlight above; doors approached by three concrete steps rising from the porch floor which is approached by a flight of five granite stone steps; steps mounted with modern metal handrails. Each inner wall of the recessed porch contains a deeply recessed rectangular doorway containing a pair of rectangular timber panelled doors. Outer bays each contain a group of three narrow semi-circular headed openings at high level containing metal framed 4-pane windows filled with leaded glazing. Pediment inscribed with the date' 1834' in raised letters. East elevation: 2-storey, comprising a 5-bay main wall to the south with a slightly projecting single bay to the north. Walling is smooth cement rendered, lined and blocked, with slightly projecting plinth and frieze. Recessed block has plain cornice of granite. Windows are contained in double storey semi-circular arched recesses rising from plinth; projecting granite cills. Upper windows semi-circular headed; lower windows rectangular containing decorative leaded glazing, with one window containing stained glass; storm proof outer glazing to all windows. Plinth contains three segmental arched openings where ground slopes down to south to accommodate a basement hall. Window to left is arched timber sliding sash, 8 over 8, with margin lights, without horns. Second window from left is modern arched timber fixed light with top-hung bottom light, both with plastic glazing bars. Window to right is similar frame but with wired glass. Projecting bay: ground floor has a moulded cornice of granite segmental-arched window in similarly arched recess, containing a leaded decorative window; first floor has a group of five narrow semi-circular headed openings in a rectangular granite panel surmounted by a raised semi-circular tympanum which breaks into the frieze. Cast iron gutter to main recessed block, with cast iron downpipes. Rear elevation: a pedimented gable with a lower central gabled projection from which projects a lower circular bay with semi-dome roof. Walling is smooth cement rendered, lined and blocked, with slightly projecting plinth, and slightly projecting vertical strips to each extremity of the main gable. Granite coping to main gable. Semi-dome appears to be dressed with lead. Cast iron gutter across gabled projection. Plinth contains five openings to basement area, two doorways and three windows: windows are modern rectangular timber; top-hung and fixed light; doors are modern glazed timber. West elevation: similar to east elevation except plinth contains four small openings: modern arched timber windows, and a pair of modern arched timber louvred doors. SETTING: The building stands in its own grounds set well back from the main street but visible from it along an approach driveway. Area in front of church is of modern paving with a circular pattern. Area to rear is of tarmac, forming a car park. To each side of building, beyond its surrounding tarmac driveway are lawns containing graves. No memorials of any special architectural interest. Boundary all round churchyard is formed by a rubble stone wall; similar walling along approach driveway except at north end of east side which is occupied by a low rustic brick wall along the side of a modern church wall. A gabled roughcast caretaker's house stands between the hall and the church. Driveway bordered by pavements which are lined with shaped trees and antique-style lamp posts.

Architects

Millar, John

Historical Information

Built in 1834-37 to the designs of John Millar, architect of Belfast; designs prepared in 1833; foundation stone laid 9 June 1834; opened on 18 June 1837. Damaged by fire in 1860 and rebuilt; interior altered in 1903, to the designs of W.D.R. Taggart, architect of Belfast. The minister responsible for the building's commission and erection was Rev Robert Magill who died in 1839. Originally the building was constructed from whinstone which was exposed on the exterior, with the portico columns constructed of white porphyry. The interior was described in 1838, in the Ordinance Survey Memoirs, as having its walls "stone finished". Originally the pulpit was reached from the basement by a hidden spiral stair. Also originally there was a Sunday school room underneath the southern end of the church. The total cost of the original building was £3,000. The style of the Doric order of the church is unusual, Millar having chosen to model his portico columns on 'unfinished' antique Greek examples such as the Temple of Apollo at Delos, and the Portico of Thoricus in Attica, in which the shafts were fluted only in narrow bands at the top and the bottom (see also his Presnyterian church in Portaferry where he used these columns, HB24/01/46). References – Primary Sources 1. Datestone of 1834 in pediment. 2. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 29: Parishes of County Antrim XI, 1832-3, 1835-9 (Belfast, 1995), pp 8 and 45. 3. OS Map 1857, Co Antrim 50. 4. Irish Builder, 1903, p 2050. Secondary Sources 1. T. West, A Historical Sketch of 1st Antrim Presbyterian Church (Belfast, 1902). 2. W.T. Pike ed., Belfast and the Province of Ulster in the 20th Century (Brighton, 1909), p 140. 3. M. Majury, 1st Antrim Presbyterian Church (Belfast, 1935). 4. UAHS, Antrim and Ballymena (Belfast, 1969), pp 6, 11. 5. A. Smyth, The Story of Antrim (Antrim, 1984), pp 61-62. 6. P. Larmour, 'John Millar – a Greek Revival Pioneer', Perspective (The Journal of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects), Vol 3, No 1, September/October 1994, pp 55-57. 7. C. Brett, 'John Millar, Architect, of Belfast', Ulster Architect, September/October 1994, pp 4-6.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

This is an early 19th century church in an unusual version of the Greek Revival style, designed by the architect John Millar of Belfast, in 1833, and refitted inside by the architect W.D.R. Taggart of Belfast, in 1903. It retains a number of its original features, and stands as an impressive and largely unspoiled example of its type.

General Comments

This record was originally numbered HB20/08/023

Date of Survey

06 November 2004