Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/18/013 A

Address :
Christ Church of Ireland 22 Derriaghy Road Magheralave Lisburn Co.Antrim BT28 3SH

Townland:
Derriaghy

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
26/02/1976 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:
146/15

IG Ref:
J2741 6781

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

Free-standing stone Church of Ireland church, built c.1870. Rectangular on plan facing west with tall square-plan steeple to northwest corner, stair turret to southwest corner and lean-to open porch spanning the front crow-stepped gable. Vestry set at angle to southeast corner and organ chamber at angle to northeast corner, added 1904. Set on a sloping site surrounded by a cemetery and mature trees, with single-storey hall to the south, built c.1950, bitmac avenue leading to entrance gates to west passing stable block on right (HB19/18/013A). Site enclosed by rubble stone wall with stacked coping to Derriaghy Road. Tall obliquely set square-plan random rock-faced stone tower with lancet belfry openings to all four sides, having two large stone louvres each and continuous decorative impost moulding. Four-side stone needle-spire rising from tower with decorative moulding to the junction, having three stages of decorative apertures, stone ashlar to the upper section, surmounted by copper finial. Pitched natural slate roofs with black clay ridge tiles, lead valleys and replacement metal rainwater goods supported on exposed rafter feet. The chancel has a steeper pitch with a hipped section to either side to meet the lower pitch of the nave. Lean-to roof to porch, semi-conical roof to stair turret with lead ridge and decorative copper finial and hipped roof to rear vestry. Principal roof set behind crow-stepped west gable with lead flashing, raised gables to chancel and organ chamber with moulded apex stones, ashlar stone coping and moulded kneeler stones. Rock-faced random sandstone walling with tooled course to projecting plinth course, tooled corners and stepped buttresses to the nave with tooled offsets. Gothic arched window openings in chamfered sandstone ashlar with stained glass and storm glazing. Crow-stepped west gable has large circular window of plate tracery having series of cusped circles with gothic hood moulding above. Squat stair turret projecting from south nave with series of vesica openings below eaves level and slender lancets revealing spiral stair to interior. Lean-to open porch below the gable, spans the space between the steeple and the turret with rubble sandstone walls with rounded jambs to the opening, a small square-headed window to either side and an oversized elaborately carved foliate course below a concave eaves course. Pair of wrought-iron gates to open porch with terrazzo floor. North nave elevation abutted by angled gabled organ chamber to the northeast, with two window openings flanked by buttresses. Geometric tracery to window openings with four cusped lancets each, three roundels above and hood moulding with foliate label stops. Tall lancet opening to the west end of nave. Small lancets to either side of organ chamber. Gabled chancel to east with large gothic-arched east window containing geometric tracery window having six cusped lancets, several trefoil roundels, clustered colonettes to the jambs and compound archivolt. South nave elevation has window arrangement as per north elevation, abutted by angled vestry to south east with pointed-headed door opening, and stair turret extending to the west. Front bitmac area extends to the south and west as a narrow driveway, opening onto Derriaghy Road to the northwest via pair of decorative iron gates on pair of rock-faced sandstone ashlar piers, set at oblique angles, with capstones and iron lanterns. Curved rubblestone walls extends to enclose site along Derriaghy Road to the north, interrupted by former stable block. Church set within large site, filled with many stone, marble and iron grave markers and some box tombs, dating from eighteenth-century to the present. Roof Natural slate Walling Uncoursed sandstone RWG Replacement metal Windows Sandstone ashlar / stained glass

Architects

Gillespie, William

Historical Information

The present church was built in 1871-2 to designs by Welland & Gillespie on the site of an earlier church. There has been a church building in Derriaghy since at least 1204, although the sites of earlier churches are in some doubt. Certainly the church built in 1806-7 and described in OS Memoirs itself replaced an earlier building on the same site. The 1806 church is shown, captioned, on the first edition OS map of 1832-3. A’School Ho[use]’ is also captioned. The church is listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) and valued at £7.6s. Dimensions are given. The OS Memoirs for this period give a very full description of the old church and some internal and external photographs of it are in the possession of the vestry. OS Memoirs, p.102-3) Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) also lists the former building, again giving dimensions and a valuation of £11.5s. According to Walker, the poor condition of the former church building, together with the growth of the congregation, lead to the need for a new church. “In 1864, the rector, Rev. Henry Stewart, reported that the ecclesiastical commissioners had promised £2000 towards the cost of a new church, but only if the parish made a contribution.” The new church was designed by William Gillespie and the foundation stone laid in 1871. The building of the church is reflected in the valuation records, the fieldbook of 1866-79 noting a rise in value to £28 (undated). (Walker, p.125) The Irish Builder announced on Nov 1 1872, “Derriaghy Church, county Antrim, which was consecrated during the last month, consists of a nave 90 ft by 40 ft with an apse at end. Its entrance-porch is at the west end; and the tower, which is surmounted by a spire rising to the height of 120 ft., is the north-western angle. It has a semicircular-ribbed roof springing from carved corbels. The boarding of the roof and the seats in the church are stained and varnished. The architects were Messrs Welland & Gillespie, and the builders Messrs. Lowry and Son of Belfast. The entire cost of the edifice is stated at about £3,500. Brett notes that the organ chamber, the organ being an unaltered example by Norman and Beard of Norwich, was added in 1904 and the present reredos in 1972. The spire holds a bell by Sheridan of Dublin. The vestry appears to be an addition to the original building. (Brett, p.65; Walker, p.125) References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/64/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832-3 2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858 3. PRONI OS/6/1/64/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901 4. PRONI OS/6/1/64/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1 5. PRONI OS/6/1/64/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1920-31 6. PRONI OS/6/1/64/6 – Sixth Edition OS Map 1920-39 7. PRONI VAL/1/B/172 – Townland Valuation (1828-40) 8. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/59 – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2A-G – Annual Revisions (1862-1929) 10. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Volume 8, Parishes of County Antrim II, 1832-8” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1991 11. Irish Builder, Vol 14, Nov 1 1872, p.299 Secondary Sources 1. Barr, W.N.C. “Christ Church Derriaghy, A Short History of the Parish” Derriaghy, 1974 2. Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of County Antrim” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Ulster Historical Foundation, 1996 3. Walker, S “Historic Ulster Churches” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 2000

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Stone church with tall steeple, gable-front and squat turret, built c.1870. One of the most striking churches in Northern Ireland, Christ Church Derriaghy retains its original external composition, rural setting and its impressive but restrained interior. The distinctive steeple and crow-stepped gable are a variation within its gothic idiom, reflecting the experimentation that the late Victorian period enjoyed, particularly by Welland and Gillespie. The exterior is matched to the interior with a most impressive vaulted roof normally associated with stone roofs of early English gothic churches. The level of intactness, the contribution of its steeple to the local landscape and the idyllic setting with its range of early tombs and grave stones, make this church of particular importance. The setting is further enhanced by the fine wrought iron gates, gate pillars and walling. The church has group value with the adjacent former stable block (HB19.18.013B).

General Comments

This record was was previously numbered as HB19/18/008

Date of Survey

03 June 2010