Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB21/20/002

Address :
Rathcoole Presbyterian Church Rathmore Drive Rathcoole Estate Newtownabbey Co. Antrim BT37 9DP

Townland:
Rathcoole

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

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:
114-13

IG Ref:
J3383 8136

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

A detached double-height brick Presbyterian Church dated 1956, located to the west side of Rathcoole housing estate on Rathmore Drive. Gable fronted rectangular on plan, facing north; attached single storey flat roofed church hall extending to west. Pitched interlocking tiled roof with overhanging eaves and spire; metal box gutters on timber fascia; small brick chimney to south gable. Brown brick walling (Flemish bond) with tiled panel detail. Windows are uPVC replacements with concrete sills, unless otherwise stated. North gable is symmetrical, and consists of a uPVC door to either side, each with single matt clay tiled flanking panel (simple yellow and brown pattern), all set within a cast concrete surround and surmounted by two-part transom light; each is accessed by a set of concrete steps with metal railing. Three foundation plaques located between doorways. The gable apex is simply detailed with a series of louvred ventilation openings stepping inwards; that to centre is enlarged and is infilled with a glass brick. Fixed vinyl lettering: Rathcoole Presbyterian Church. East elevation is divided into six equal panels by deeply projecting brick piers supporting eaves. Each panel comprises a large 8-pane window above a clay tiled precast concrete lower panel, with the exception of the second section from left, which is entirely glazed with central door opening and precast concrete canopy over. South gable has a large central panel detailed as others set in a cast concrete surround. To its right are three small square windows at upper level, to its left are two windows and a t&g sheeted door accessed by a flight of concrete steps. The west elevation is detailed as east, with small glazed link block to hall abutting to south end. The spire is set at a slight angle on the ridge, and consists of copper sheeted panels with angle ribs. The hall has a flat roof and brick walling. Left section is recessed and glazed, with two doors; an oblique precast concrete canopy spans the recess. To right are two rows of four small square timber framed windows. West side elevation has three rows of three windows. Rear elevation has five casement windows, each covered with a metal grille. The church is set in a tarmac car park with community hall to rear. The site is enclosed by mild steel railings and accessed by double metal gates on brick piers.

Architects

McKinstry, Robert

Historical Information

The Rathcoole estate was laid out in 1952 on a site of 366 acres. It contained approximately 3,800 dwellings and a population of 10,000 was projected. At the time it was the largest housing estate in Northern Ireland, and followed a concerted attempt by the Northern Ireland Housing Trust to address critical housing needs in the area. However the estate was blighted by poor facilities and tensions. The CAIN project case study on Rathcoole states that in 1945, according to a NIHT report, Belfast had the greatest average number of people per acre of open space and the most crowded living conditions of any major industrial city in the UK. Sixty per cent of the population lived in wards which were so overcrowded that in order to meet health standards only one-third of the residents would have been allowed to remain 'in situ'. Belfast had an infant mortality rate of 97 per 1000 births. Rathcoole Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1956 to designs of Robert McKinstry. It was the second church to be built on the estate, the first being St Comgall’s Church of Ireland (HB21/20/001), constructed in 1955 to designs of Denis D O’Hanna. Prior to the construction of the church, the local Presbyterian congregation had assembled in a local greengrocer’s shed. The Rev. William Eoin Davison of Carrowdore was the first minister appointed by the Church Extension Committee. The church was opened on 27 April 1957 by the Moderator, Rev. Prof. R. J. Wilson. The roof was originally adorned with a glass tower, now replaced, which was intended to reproduce the Knockagh Monument, visible to the east. A system of recorded bells was given early in 1960 by Mrs. Florence Hall. The pulpit recess was originally fitted with a sliding screen which facilitated the use of the space for worship and as a more general hall space, prior to the construction of the hall wing in 1971. The screen is still in place but is no longer in use. Secondary Sources: 1. The Presyterian Historical Society Congregational Archive 2.Community Archive on the Internet (CAIN Project http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/housing/docs/nicrc6.htm) 3. Information from keyholder

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Rathcoole Presbyterian Church is a modestly proportioned hall church, built to serve the Presbyterian community on the newly constructed Rathcoole Estate in 1956. The church is functional, and is illustrative of the multi-functional layout common to Presbyterian churches of the period, with a screen to close off the pulpit recess. It is, however, a late and pedestrian example of this era of church building and not of special architectural or historic interest.

General Comments

Date of Survey

21 November 2008