Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/01/019 A

Address :
Duneane Presbyterian Church Gloverstown Road Toomebridge, Co. Antrim BT41 3RB

Townland:
Ballylenully

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
01/05/1992 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:
94-8

IG Ref:
J0218 9034

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A detached double-height brown brick modernist Presbyterian church, erected 1936 (datestone) to designs by John McGeagh and located on the north side of Gloverstown Road. Rectangular nave with windows contained in a single projecting bay to each side elevation; three-stage belfry tower and single storey projecting porch to south-east corner; the west gable corners are clasped by single storey flat-roofed vestry wings (these are accessed from a brick platform which spans the width of the gable and is accessed by a set of steps to either end). The roof is pitched green/grey slate (catsliding over projecting bays) with overhanging eaves on exposed rafter tails; verges are raised with masonry coping. The walling is brown brick (English garden wall bond) over deep ashlar sandstone plinth with bevelled edge. Windows are round headed with leaded coloured glazing, flush sandstone reveals, brick voussoirs and chamfered cills, unless otherwise stated. The south elevation is four windows wide, each flanked by deeply projecting two-stage buttresses with profiled and tumbled brickwork offsets. There is a honeycombed clay tile ventilation panel to apron of outer windows. The exposed section above the vestry block to west end has a group of three windows with chamfered brick reveals. The east gable has a paired window opening divided by a half-engaged ashlar sandstone colonnette with Art Deco style capital, all contained within a sandstone reveal. The window heads break into a semi-circular panel carved in relief, depicting a stylised human figure flanked by prone African springboks. The panels display considerable artistic merit; they are unusual and intricately detailed, the African springboks to the east gable giving reference to the patron, J.K.Fulton of Johannesburg. There is a foundation stone with inscription below the opening. The north elevation is detailed as south, but with a tall chimneystack abutting the left cheek of the projecting bay. The west gable has a diminished in size gabled projection with raking brick cornice, detailed with protruding bricks forming the shape of an elongated cross. This is flanked by the vestry wings; there is a cross formed from recessed bricks to main apex. The vestry wings are identical. Each has a symmetrical west elevation with central timber sheeted door flanked by square-headed windows with gauged brick cills and reveals. Each side elevation has a group of four windows, detailed as previous. Each side plinth contains a group of four square-headed openings at ground level, contained under a single projecting stone lintel. The belfry abuts right cheek of projecting bay and each stage is inset slightly; it has a pitched roof and a round-headed louvred opening to east and west elevations at third stage. The porch is asymmetrical with pitched roof (as main building) catsliding to west to abut belfry. The entrance consists of a four-order Romanesque style door opening inset with colonnettes of gauged brick, and surmounted by a relief panel depicting twin doves and grapes. The timber door is double-leafed, each leaf having seven panels in vertical arrangement. The east elevation has three grouped square headed windows, detailed as vestry. Setting The church is set within a graveyard, bounded to road by a brick boundary wall and accessed by alcoved entrance screen with saddleback stone coping. The square gate piers have horizontally banded caps and gates are grid work cast iron. Directly to north is the former nineteenth century Presbyterian church (HB20/01/019B), now in use as a hall. The graveyard contains various nineteenth century memorials, including the Carey Memorial (HB20/01/019C). Roof covering Green/Grey slate Walling Brown brick laid in English garden wall bond Windows Round headed unless otherwise stated Rainwater goods Half round cast metal

Architects

McGeagh John

Historical Information

The original church which stood to the north-east (HB20/01/019C) of the current church built of mud, afterwards stone, and was rebuilt in 1815, by Rev. Archabald, when the congregation had 250 families. According to the OS Memoirs, the former church which stands to the north of the current church was built in 1815, and contained accommodation for 360 people. The church was originally set within 1 acre of land, valued at £6.1s.0d in 1836. The graveyard was extended by 1857. A description of the church is included in the OS memoir of 1837, 'floor is of earth except two double pews which are boarded. The aisle is six and a half feet wide. There are 10 windows, oval shaped, viz. four on each side, and one on each end, each three feet wide, of glass. There are two doors on the side or front of the meeting house'. A datestone dates the current church to 1936. It was built to designs of John McGeagh, architect of other buildings of a similar style, including the Sir William Whitla Hall at Queen's University, Belfast, designed contemporaneously with Duneane Church in 1936 and displaying similar design characteristics and materials. McGeagh also contributed to St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast. The patron of the new church was James Kerr Fulton, of Johannesburg, South Africa. Fulton had run a successful mining business in South Africa and wished to erect the new church in a modern style in memory of his parents, John and Sarah Fulton. References: Primary Sources 1. OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Antrim VI 1830, 1833, 1835-38 (South west Antrim) Vol 19 general and pg 114. 2. PRONI OS/6/1/42/1, 1st Edition OS Map, Co Antrim, sheet no. 42 3. PRONI OS/6/1/42/2, 2nd Edition OS Map, Co Antrim, sheet no. 42 4. PRONI VAL/1A/1/42, Townland Valuation Map, Co. Antrim, no. 42, 1836 5. PRONI VAL/1B/185, Townland Valuation Field book, 1836 6. PRONI VAL/2A/1/42A, Griffiths Valuation Map, Co. Antrim, no. 42, 1836 7. PRONI VAL/2B/1/62A, Griffiths Valuation Field book, 1836 Secondary Sources 1. Information from the Treasurer. 2. Irish Architectural Archive. “Dictionary of Irish Architects” [Internet source] < http://www.dia.ie/works/view/48011> Accessed 08/05/09

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior K. Group value

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

Duneane Presbyterian Church is a striking early twentieth century church which represents an assured and elegant example of the distinctive modernism of John McGeagh. The potential of brick as a decorative and constructional material is fully exploited, and the finishes exhibit a high quality of craftsmanship. The stone relief panels are of note, the African springboks to the east gable giving reference to the patron, J.K.Fulton of Johannesburg. The well-preserved interior displays similar attention to detail, with doors and pulpit having a strong linear emphasis. The former nineteenth century church (HB20/01/019C), remains on the site and is used as a hall, representing the continued tradition of Presbyterian worship here; historical research shows a previous Presbyterian meeting house also located on the site. The church is further distinguished by associations with prominent local figure John Carey, whose memorial stands in the churchyard (HB20/01/019B). Standing at a crossroads, this is a prominent group, and the modernist church in particular represents a departure from traditional rural church architecture.

General Comments

This record has been renumbered and was previoulsy HB20/01/019

Date of Survey

03 September 2008