Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB20/14/014

Address :
Gartree C. of I. Church Gartree Largy Road Crumlin Co Antrim

Townland:
Gartree

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
11/12/1974 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
Yes

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
127/11

IG Ref:
J0993 7567

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

A basalt rubble church with sandstone dressings, in Gothic Revival style, consisting of a nave and chancel, with a pinnacled tower to the west gable and a gabled transeptal projection to the south side. Main entrance faces south, in the base of the western tower. South elevation comprises a three bay nave with a lower chancel to the right and a three-storey tower to the left. Nave roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses contained by sandstone copings to gables at each end; cast iron gutter with cast iron downpipe to each extremity; walling of basalt rubble with original pointing of lime mortar; projecting chamfered sandstone plinth; projecting sandstone eaves course; two-stage angle buttresses at extremities. Nave elevation symmetrical with one window to each side of a central projecting gabled transept which contains the private aisle of the original benefactor. South elevation of transept is three-bay comprising a gabled central portion flanked by flat parapeted bay to each side terminating in pinnacled angle buttresses. Moulded sandstone coping to gable and parapets. Walling as main nave except for five courses of brick filling to corners below ends of parapets. Central gabled portion marked by two-stage buttresses with sandstone weatherings, and containing a central Gothic lancet window. Window has projecting chamfered sandstone surrounds, partly spalling, surmounted by a projecting moulded label. Metal tracery to window, painted white: two-light with cusped roundel to head; lozenge pattern glazing bars containing two bottom-hung vents. Nave windows to each side of transept are similar, with one vent. West wall of transeptal projection: walling as previous, with moulded sandstone coping to parapet, which abuts a label stop of the nave window; Gothic arched doorway with sandstone dressings similar to windows; stop chamfered jambs; rectangular timber door, 4-panelled with upper panels glazed, and lower panels raised and fielded; Gothic arched fanlight containing two glazed panels of Gothic quadrant shape. Cast iron downpipe in corner with nave. East wall of transeptal projection similar to west except door 6-panel, and panelled timber rail between door and fanlight. Roof of transeptal projection slated as nave. Side of chancel, to right, is a blank wall with projecting plinth and eaves course as previous; slated roof as previous contained to right by gable copings; metal gutter and downpipe. Tower three-storey, of square plan. Walling as previous to nave, with moulded projecting stringcourses. Ground and first floor have clasping buttresses of basalt rubble; second floor has octagonal sandstone pinnacles to each corner, projecting up as octagonal finials with what looks like smooth rendered crenellated parapets; sandstone copings to crenellations. Ground floor has a Gothic arched doorway of similar design to previous doorways but larger; rectangular timber 4-panel door with 2-panel Gothic arched tympanum; wrought iron handle; sandstone doorstep. Above doorway is a projecting sandstone shield without inscription. First floor has a roundel with moulded sandstone surround, filled with a timber panel containing a small circular opening. Second floor has a Gothic lancet opening, dressed as previous windows, containing wooden louvres. Western face of tower similar to south except it has a narrow Gothic lancet window to ground floor; lozenge pattern metal glazing bars in white painted metal frame. North face of tower similar to previous two except no openings to ground or first floor levels; cast iron downpipe to left-hand side to each level. East face of tower has similar treatment to top storey, as to other faces. West elevation of nave to each side of tower has plain walling with a pedimental feature to the top where the projecting eaves course returns up at an angle to form the gable coping. In west gable to south of tower at ground level, is a small rectangular opening containing an iron door with ventilation holes; inscription illegible. North elevation of nave has three windows. Roof, rainwater goods, and walling are as previous to south elevation. Windows are Gothic lancets as previous to south elevation, except for central window which has stained glass and protective steel mesh grille attached. North side of chancel similar to south side. East gable of nave: walling as previous to entrance elevation, with projecting sandstone coping; projecting eaves courses of north and south walls return for short length to each side; four rectangular cast iron ventilator grilles below gable copings, two to each side on raking line. East gable of chancel has similar projecting sandstone copings with short projecting eaves courses returning from each side. Central Tudor arched window, dressed as previous windows, containing three-light perpendicular Gothic tracery in sandstone; stained glass and steel wire mesh grilles. Below window, at ground level, is a segmental relieving arch with roughly shaped basalt voussoirs. SETTING: The church stands in its own churchyard and in a remote location in a very rural area. Churchyard grassed, with gravel covered area to entrance front; numerous Yew trees; no memorials of any special architectural or historic interest. Churchyard entered by a large entrance archway with curved screen walls, approached by a tarmac driveway bordered each side by low concrete kerbstones. North and south boundaries of churchyard formed by rubble basalt walls of no distinction. East and west boundaries each formed by a belt of trees, with a plain iron gate to the east. Surrounding the churchyard is flat agricultural land, formerly a war-time airfield, with distant views to Lough Neagh. To the south are large industrial warehouses of no architectural distinction, and adjacent to the west end of the front boundary wall is a church hall of no special merit; single storey rendered with wet dash; slated roof; modern rectangular timber fixed light windows with top-hung vents; rectangular ledged timber doors. ENTRANCE ARCHWAY: A large Gothic Revival archway built of sandstone ashlar, painted, comprising square piers in two stages, with a Tudor arch connecting them. Front elevation faces south. Front face of each pier has a weathered buttress to lower stage; moulded cornice; rectangular sunk panel to upper stage of each pier, containing white marble inscription plaques; moulded cornice, plain blocking course, and tall pyramidal pinnacle on top with foliated stone finial. Spandrels of arch have moulded quatrefoil motifs and moulded cusping; moulded quatrefoil piercings to parapet over. Wrought iron double gates, painted silver. To each side are short curving screen walls, smooth rendered, lined and blocked, with flat sandstone copings, all painted, terminating in short square piers with weathered caps. Abutting pier to east is rubble stone boundary wall of churchyard. Abutting pier to west is a rendered wall, wet dashed and using small stones, with a projecting smooth rendered coping; connects with the single storey church hall. Rear elevation of gateway similar to front but without inscription plaques to piers, and with plain unmoulded rear faces to arch and parapet.

Architects

Sands, James

Historical Information

Church built in 1831 as a chapel of ease to the parish church of Killead, under auspices of Sir Hercules Pakenham on whose estate it was built; architect James Sands from England; consecrated 6 December 1831 by the Bishop of Down and Connor; services began on 27 May 1832. The cost was £1200, comprising a grant of £900 from the Board of First Fruits and a gift of £300 from Pakenham himself, who also endowed the church with £100 per year. A contemporary reference gave the name of Edward Sands as architect, but as no such architect is known, this may be taken as a mistaken reference to James Sands, an Englishman who worked elsewhere in Ulster at the time. Entrance archway built in 1832 by the parishioners, at a cost of £80, to the memory of Captain John Armstrong of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, and agent of the Pakenham estate, who died in 1830. The church occupies the site of an old graveyard, ancient monument no. ANT58:4. References – Primary Sources 1. OS Map 1832-3, Co Antrim 58 (marked as ‘New Church in Old Grave Yard’). 2. OS Map 1858, Co Antrim 58 (marked as ‘Gartree church’). 3. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 35: Parishes of County Antrim XIII, 1833, 1835, 1838 (Belfast, 1996), pp 11-12, 24, 42, 44-5, 47. 4. S. Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (London, 1837), p 134. Secondary Sources 1. J.A. Pilson, History of the rise and progress of Belfast, and annals of the County Antrim (Belfast, 1846), p 164. 2. L. Ewart, Handbook of the United Diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore (Belfast, 1886), p 92. 3. U.A.H.S. West Antrim (Belfast, 1970), p 10. 4. C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of County Antrim (Belfast, 1996), p 51.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

This is an early 19th century church in Gothic Revival style which exhibits the plan form, proportions, spatial organisation and structural forms that are characteristic of the style. It retains its original features both inside and out, including the unusual feature of its former landlord’s family aisle intact. The church is of some special historical interest as a relic of the former Pakenham estate, as well as being of social importance today. It also enjoys a pleasant rural setting and together with its entrance archway forms part of an attractive architectural group.

General Comments

Date of Survey

19 May 1999