Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB17/06/003

Address :
Non-Subscribing Church Downshire Road Banbridge Co Down BT32 3JY

Townland:
Tullyear

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
17/05/1976 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:
220/8

IG Ref:
J1254 4617

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A stucco Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church in the classical style with prostyle Ionic portico on a granite plinth; built c.1845 and located to the north side of Downshire Road in Banbridge. Double-height main hall is rectangular on plan with two-storey projecting bays to southwest and northeast ends. Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on projecting eaves with cast-iron downpipes and hoppers. Walling is stucco finish with band rustication to ground floor level and continuous string-course between floors at SW elevation. Windows are a variety of 6/6 timber-framed sash with margin panes and projecting painted sills; round-headed with hubs to first floor and segmental-headed to ground-floor; stair-bays have square-headed to first floor and segmental-headed to ground floor. The principal elevation faces southwest with corner pilasters; central pedimented prostyle Ionic portico with pilaster responds, raised on a granite plinth accessed via five granite steps. First floor has five evenly-spaced box mouldings. To centre at ground floor is a double-leaf six-panelled timber door with four-panelled timber transom flanked by pilasters and surmounted by plain entablature. Entrance is flanked by two round-headed recessed niches; to far left and right are blind openings with moulded architraves. The northwest elevation is four windows at each floor set in double height round-headed recesses; projected ends with corner pilasters and window to each floor, surmounted by plain entablature, cornice and parapet. The northeast (rear) elevation has breakfront pedimented central bay with paired pilasters; to centre is a 3/3 round-headed window in contrasting smooth rendered recess with springers at impost level and a double-leaf three-panelled timber door flanked by pilasters and surmounted by transom light (with glazing bars). To left and right is a decorative round-headed recess with springers at impost level and continuous sill. The southeast elevation is four windows wide at each floor; projecting bays to left and right (as at northwest elevation). Setting Situated directly west of Banbridge Methodist Church (HB17/06/002) and opposite Dunbar Memorial Hall (HB17/06/022), to the north side of Downshire Road. Set back from the road with gravel forecourt and bounded by original cast-iron arrowhead gates and railings supported on polygonal stucco piers with panelled shafts, moulded cornice and diminished polygonal pointed caps. Lawned with gravel pathway to northwest and southeast, bounded to three sides by mature trees and low rubble stone wall. To west is a large tarmacadam carpark to neighbouring leisure centre. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Stucco Windows: Timber-framed sash RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The Non-subscribing meeting house was built c1845 and is notable today as one of the last examples of Presbyterian neo-classicism, in addition to possessing a very fine early interior. The Non-subscribing ‘Meeting Ho[use]’ is first shown, captioned, on the second edition OS map of 1860 and is listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as the First Unitarian Church valued at £75. Dimensions are given for the church and portico. The construction date is somewhat uncertain but secondary sources generally state that it was erected between 1843 and 1846. (Linn; Walker; www.dia.ie) However, Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of 1837 refers to the ‘large and handsome meeting house, recently completed for Presbyterians in connection with the Remonstrant Synod and of the first class, in lieu of an old one erected in 1720’. The church is possibly, therefore, somewhat earlier than is usually supposed. The church was built by the Presbyterian minister Rev James Davis, installed in Banbridge in 1814 at the head of a congregation that had originated in 1716 and worshipped in a meeting house on the banks of the Bann. Rev Davis opposed Dr Cooke in the subscription controversy and became the leader of a liberal faction. When Dr Cooke triumphed at the 1828 Synod, Mr Davis was appointed to draw up a Remonstrance, a historic document which gave its name to ‘The Remonstrant Synod of Ulster’ or the Unitarians. Mr Davis was one of seventeen ministers who separated from the Synod of Ulster in 1830, the first Remonstrant Synod taking place that year. (Linn) Rev Davis continued as minister until 1847 and during his time the present Unitarian or Non-subscribing church of Banbridge was transferred from the Old Meeting House Green and built on Downshire Road in 1844-6. He was succeeded by Rev John Montgomery, but the appointment caused dissension in the congregation, some of whom favoured Rev C J McAlester of Holywood. The dissenting section of the congregation built a new church in the Square in 1849. (Linn) There are no significant changes to the valuation in Annual Revisions. However, the First General Revaluation of 1933/4 revalues the church at £135. The Trustees of Banbridge First Unitarian Church lease the church and yard from the Marquess of Downshire. The seating capacity is 500 but the attendance only about a dozen. The associated plan and dimensions show the church, portico, staircases, gallery and minister’s vestry and session room at the back, comprising two rooms on the ground floor and two on the upper floor. The church is heated by hot water from a boiler in the basement and has electric light. It is said to have been built in 1846 and is ‘fairly well maintained’. Walker calls the church ‘a very good example of a neo-classical meeting house in a prosperous market town in the nineteenth century. It is also one of the last to be built in this style, as congregations became more architecturally aware and affluent they began to demand a Gothic style which was felt to give a greater air of spirituality’. The interior is especially noteworthy and the arrangement of entrance vestibule with curved staircases leading to a U-shaped gallery is typical of Presbyterian meeting houses. (Walker) A Walker organ, of which there are only three in Ireland, stands in the gallery. (Banbridge Chronicle) The Archaeological Survey of County Down gives a plan and description of the church which is raised on a dressed granite plinth. (Archaeological Survey of County Down) Brett is particularly appreciative of this church calling it ‘one of the last and best of the classical Presbyterian Churches of Ulster...The interior is extremely fine...The detailing throughout is of the highest quality...This is a church quite unspoiled by the passage of time, and of particular merit’. (Brett) A memorial in the church, attributed by Brett to R Love of Belfast, commemorates prominent local family, the Dunbars. Hugh Dunbar, proprietor of Gilford spinning mill, and his sisters lived at nearby Huntly House and were stalwarts of the Unitarian congregation. When Isabella Dunbar died in 1871 a considerable sum of money was left in trust for the upkeep of the Unitarian church and for the establishment of a school-house which was named the Dunbar Memorial School. The school was to be non-sectarian in character although under the control of the Unitarian minister and church committee and was built opposite the church in 1885. (Rankin; Banbridge Historical Journal) In July 1888 Young and Mackenzie advertised for tenders in connection with ‘sundry repairs’ to the church. (Belfast Newsletter) Two rooms at the rear of the church were used as classrooms for Banbridge Academy in the 1940s. W H Crowe, the head teacher at the time, recalls the mice and smoky chimneys in this part of the building. (Crowe) The building was listed in 1976 and re-roofed in 1979. In 1980 external repairs and redecoration were carried out. A thanksgiving service was held in March 1981 after two years of renovations. (Banbridge Chronicle; HB file) The windows of the church were severely damaged following a bomb in 1991. However, a 275th anniversary service was held the same year which was attended by David Trimble MP and his wife. (Banbridge Chronicle) References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/1 First Edition OS Map 1833 2. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2 Second Edition OS map 1860 3. PRONI OS/6/3/27/3 Third Edition OS Map (c1900) 4. PRONI OS/6/3/27/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1903-18 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/7A-C Annual Revisions (1899-1930) 6. PRONI VAL/12/F/4/1/1 Annual Revisions (1930-35) 7. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/4 First General Revaluation (1936-57) 8. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/2/A/10 First General Revaluation (1933-57) 9. Bassett’s Directory of County Down 1886 10. Belfast Newsletter 7th July 1888 11. Banbridge Chronicle 5th March 1981 12. Banbridge Chronicle 23rd May 1991 13. NIEA HB file Secondary Sources Banbridge Historical Journal 1. Brett, C.E.B., Dunleath, Lady “List of Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Buildings of Architectural Importance in Borough of Banbridge” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, April-July 1969 2. Crowe, W H “In Banbridge Town” Banbridge Chronicle, 1964 3. Crowe, W H “Bridges to Banbridge” Dundalgan Press, 1980 4. Lewis, Samuel. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837. 5. Linn, Captain R “A History of Banbridge” (edited by W S Kerr) Banbridge Chronicle Press, 1935 6. McGuire, J and Quinn, J, eds “Dictionary of Irish Biography” Cambridge: Cambridge University Press and Royal Irish Academy, 2009 7. Ministry of Finance, Government of Northern Ireland “An Archaeological Survey of County Down” Belfast: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1966 8. Rankin, K “The Linen Houses of the Bann Valley, The story of their families” Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2007 9. Walker, S “Historic Ulster Churches” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 2000 10. www.dia.i.e.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A stucco Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church in the classical style symmetrically arranged about a tetrastyle Ionic portico on a granite plinth; built c.1845. An fine late example of the classical phase of Presbyterian churches of Ulster in the nineteenth century. The church is unaltered with architectural detailing and fabric largely intact. Housing a well-preserved interior with detailing of good quality, this is one of the better surviving examples of its type. Flanked by at the gabled rubble stone Methodist Church in Gothic-Revival style(HB17/06/002) at right and the neighbouring Edwardian Old Technical School (HB17/06/020) the Church is part the character of the Downshire Road here and represents the development of this area of the town

General Comments

Date of Survey

18 January 2012