Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB25/05/004

Address :
Presbyterian Church Church Green Dundonald Co Down

Townland:
Church Quarter

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
15/05/2012 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:
131-13SW

IG Ref:
J4195 7394

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

Plain hall church with shallow transepts and narrow choir with simply-styled Gothick features of battlements, pinnacles and arched windows located on the N side of Church Green in Dundonald village. The roof ends in several gables on N, E, and W and is hipped to S. Walls are stone, rendered in cement with plaster features and painted. All openings are have chamfered sides and arches, surrounded with flat plaster bands and Gothick hood mouldings; windows have shallow projecting sills in render. Main (entrance) elevation faces N to the churchyard. Main façade is three bays wide with wide central bay advanced between narrow side bays; the corners of each bay have raised rendered quoins rising full height to moulded plinths to reduced-width square pinnacles with pyramidal caps set on mouldings as before. The walls are topped with battlements between the pinnacles at he base of which is a string course moulding running between the pinnacle base; below, a string course moulding runs around the building at arch springing level. the two side bays have a single narrow Gothick lancet window set off-centre; in the central bay there are two doors placed symmetrically with traceried fanlights over; at string course level over the doors there is a central ogee-headed window; this bay rises to a gable with a round pinnacle supported on a projecting pendant bracket and with a conical cap set on a moulding as before; the right hand bay has a single narrow Gothick lancet window off-centre to bay. East elevation is three bays wide – all of different widths. From left: side wall of S end of church with single window; the central bay is set forward with single window but otherwise detailed as central bay to main façade; right hand bay set back but otherwise is identical to central bay; a string course moulding runs across this façade at arch springing level. South elevation faces Church Square. To right is the national school (HB25/09/009) then the end wall of the nave (plain) with the chancel projecting forwards into the Square. To each cheek of the chancel is a single window. The gable is blank except for a datestone – MDCCCXXXIX- at high level in a panel with frame moulding as elsewhere; the lower string course runs around the panel. West façade mirrors E but with link to School from right hand (chancel) bay. Windows: timber painted Rainwater Goods: cast iron painted Doors: original and painted timber sheeted Roof: natural slate Setting – extensive forecourt in tarmac; church yard otherwise laid to grass and bounded by plain rendered wall with flat concrete coping; modern pedestrian and vehicular gates. South elevation sits directly on Church Square.

Architects

Historical Information

This church was built in 1839-40 to a design 'by the architects Messrs. Black of Belfast'. The foundation stone was laid on the 4th July 1839 by Robert Gordon of Florida Manor, and the building was opened for worship on 28th June the following year. It is located on the site of on earlier church, and may incorporate some of its fabric. A comparison of the dimensions of the original church as recorded in the valuation book of 1833 (63½ft x 27½ x 12, with a return of 21 x 25 x 12 [added in 1769] and a session house of 23 x 15½ x 6½), with those of the 'new' building recorded in that of 1860 (16yrds x 10 x 2 [storeys or 22ft], with an addition of 21 x 10 x 2 [storeys or 22ft]), suggests that at least part of the old building was demolished. In 1888 a new pulpit and a choir enclosure were installed, the work carried out by Mr. James Beggs of Ormeau Road, Belfast at a cost of £41 14s 6d. Six years later the roof was repaired and a new venitilation system installed. The choir enclosure was enlarged at this date also, with further enlargements in 1938 and 1957. The church appears to have been extended to the north in the mid 1900s, sources suggesting 1955; much of the internal detailing appears to date from this time also. The attached former National School House (HB25/05/009) was built in 1844, and remained in use as a school until 1901. It is now used by the church as a minor hall. References- Primary sources 1 PRONI VAL/1B/317 First valuation, Dundonald parish, 1833 2 PRONI OS/6/3/5/1 OS map, Co. Down sh.5, 1833-34 3 PRONI OS/6/3/5/2 OS map, Co. Down sh.5, 1858 4 PRONI VAL/2B/3/17 Second valuation, Dundonald, 1860-61 [The post 1860s valuations do not note any changes to the church, not because there were none, but because the valuers were not interested in buildings (such as churches) which were exempt from rating.] 5 EHS OS plan of Dundonald, 1902 6 PRONI OS/6/3/5/4 OS map, Co. Down sh.5, 1919 7 PRONI D/2643 Dundonald Presbyterian Congregation- marriage notices, 1892-1924 Secondary sources 1 McQuitty, J. A., ‘An Historical Sketch of Dundonald Presbyterian Congregation, 1645-1932…’ 2 Hanna, Alexander, 'These three hundred and forty years of witness- An historical outline of Dundonald Presbyterian Congregation 1645-1985 (1985), pp.31-33, 47-51 3 Carr, Peter, '"The most unpretending of places"- A History of Dundonald, County Down' (Dundonald, White Row Press, 1987), pp.127-29, 137, 168, 175, 183, 214, 217 4 Brett, C.E.B., ‘The Buildings of North County Down’, (Belfast, 2002), p.50

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

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

Evaluation

Presbyterian church on an elevated and historic site with shallow transepts and narrow choir with simply-styled Gothick features of battlements, pinnacles and arched windows located on the N side of Church Green in Dundonald village. The intricate interlocking fenestration pattern remains in most of the windows and the Gothick style is relatively unusual. Its interior is also notable, with fabric and detailing remaining from the nineteenth century. It has group value with the adjacent listed former National School (HB25/05/009).

General Comments

Date of Survey