Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/11/017

Address :
Presbyterian Church Meeting Street Warrenpoint Newry Co Down BT34

Townland:
Ringmackilroy

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:
22/09/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:
26/03/2004 00:00:00

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:
277/9 NE

IG Ref:
J1402 1848

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

Earlier 19thC Presbyterian meeting house with later 19thC additions. The original church is aligned parallel to the NW side of Meeting Street. Front elevation faces SE. It consists of a large late 19thC gabled return to centre and a three-staged tower on its left cheek. Immediately to their rear is the original church and to its rear is a later church hall, all forming a single structure. Original church has hipped natural slate roof with slightly advanced eaves supporting half-round metal rainwater goods. Most of its front elevation is abutted by the tower and return leaving only a narrow portion of wall exposed to right end. This is wet dashed and painted, and contains a tall Y-tracery stained glass lancet, with rendered chamfered reveals and splayed cill. All windows are similarly detailed unless otherwise stated. The gabled return to its road elevation has a pitched natural slate roof which ties into front pitch of original church. It has a slightly lower eaves level and higher ridge line with scalloped ridge tiles. Small rendered chimney on ridge. Walls are painted smooth lined render. Its right (NE) cheek has two openings. At left is a t+g sheeted door in a Gothic opening with chamfered reveal and which is flanked by a two-stage buttress. At right is a window as that to main block but much smaller. The front (SE) gable has three small windows (as that to right cheek) at ground floor. To either side of central window is a single-stage buttress; at each corner are similar two stage buttresses. Filling gable at first floor level is a large Gothic window with hood mould. It is divided into three lancet panes (central one taller) with glazed spandrels. The left (SW) cheek of the front return and the left part of the original church façade are completely abutted by the tower. Tower is in three stages with a steep pyramidal natural slate roof with iron finial, exposed rafter tails and half-round rainwater goods. First and second stages are exposed at SE and SW side only; the third stage is free on all sides. First two stages have two-staged buttresses at left and right, up to start of third stage. On the SE elevation the right buttress rises from the wall head of the left cheek of the front return. Between the second and third stage is a moulded stringcourse which steps up in centre on all four sides. The third stage has stop-end chamfered corners. First stage (ground floor) on SE elevation has an advanced gabled entrance porch, the front wall of which is flush with the front gable of the return. It has a pitched natural slate roof with longer left pitch which continues to a moulded gabled kneeler and a small front buttress. The right pitch is shorter as the tower is built onto the left cheek of the front gable. Porch gable is coped, and has a small granite gablet to its apex. The main entrance is contained within a Gothic opening with stop-end chamfered jambs and head. The t+g sheeted door has strap hinges. In gable apex is a small blind roundel. The left cheek of the porch has a pair of tiny lancets to ground floor with painted stepped architraves. Second stage of tower is the stairwell and has a single window (as others) on each cheek. Third stage is the belfry and each cheek has four narrow lancet openings separated by thin mullions. Each has four scalloped timber louvres and a steeply sloping flush common cill. Left (SW) elevation of main church is pebble-dashed and unpainted. To centre is a large window (as the others). Rear wall of original church is blank and almost completely abutted by early 20thC hall. Church hall has a pitched natural slate roof with a lower eaves level than the original church and small ventilation flue to centre of ridge. The top part of the roof ties into the rear pitch of main church. Small cast iron skylight to left end of NE pitch. Walls are pebble dashed and unpainted. Its (SW) elevation contains a door to centre with single Gothic window opening to left and right. T+g sheeted door is set within a Gothic opening with rendered architrave. To either side is a two-staged buttress. On wall over door is a circular panel reading “WAR MEMORIAL HALL 1914-1919.” Each flanking window opening has a rendered architrave and Y-tracery timber lancets with a quatrefoil light in their common spandrel. Rear (NW) elevation of church hall has three similar window openings containing leaded lights. Above in the gable apex is large rectangular timber ventilator. The NE cheek of the church hall is completely abutted to ground floor by a lower modern extension block with flat roof, pebble dashed walls and modern openings (of no interest). The remaining wall over has the lancet heads of two former window openings at centre and right (still leaded) and tops of dividing buttresses. The SE elevation of the church hall abuts the main church. The NE elevation of main church is detailed as the SW one. Setting. The churchyard is paved with a boundary of rubble stone walls to all but the front. At front are original railings, comprising spear headed verticals and matching dog bars on a chamfered granite plinth. Plain godfather posts to rear. The gates and posts to centre are modern, in a similar style with scrolled finials. A plaque set on the ground abutting the front gable states “ THE RENOVATIONS TO/ CHURCH GROUNDS/ WERE MADE AT THE EXPENSE OF/ DR GRAHAM, SOUTH AFRICA/ AS A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF/ MRS SUSAN GRAHAM/ IN THE CENTENARY YEAR/ OF THE CHURCH 1934.”

Architects

Watson, W James

Historical Information

Erected in 1834 at a cost of £750. The Valuation town map of this year shows a building of cruciform plan. The tower and gabled return were added to the front in the 1880s. Bassett, writing in 1886, states: “The Presbyterian Church, in 1883, under contract with Mr Wheelan, was provided with a tower and spire and re-seated in pitch pine at a cost of £900.” It is likely that the interior was remodelled at that time as the pulpit, gallery, and organ are a similar style, with matching details. The HMBB first survey card states the works were to designs by architect W. J. Watson of Newry. The 1905 photograph shows the interior taken from the W corner. All is shown as it is today (1999) although the windows are plate tracery and leaded with rectangular quarries. That to NE gable of original church has three cusped lancets with three trefoils in the arch head. The SE (front) window on the original church is a pair of lancets with a cusped lights in its head, and the window to the right cheek of the front gable is similar and smaller (with head obscured). These windows were presumably changed in the 1960s when the present glazing was installed. A hall was added to the rear in the earlier 20th C. Primary Source: 1. Valuation town map, 1834 (PRONI, VAL/1D/3/2). 2. 1905 Photograph in church. Secondary Sources: 1. G. H. Bassett, ‘County Down, A Guide and Directory 1886’ (Dublin 1886), p.181. 2. HMBB First Survey Card dated 28 November 1969. 3. ‘Buildings of interest in Warrenpoint’, in Warrenpoint Historical Group Magazine, vol.17, Spring 1991

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This 19thC church has been extensively altered in late Victorian times and in the 1960's. It is not of special interest, historically or architecturally.

General Comments

Date of Survey

11 October 1999