Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB09/06/001

Address :
First Presbyterian Church 11 Stonard Street Moneymore Magherafelt Co Londonderry BT45 7PW

Townland:
Moneymore

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
01/10/1975 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
109/5

IG Ref:
H8572 8337

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A 3 bay wide gabled hall church, 4 bays deep, with hipped 2 storey rear projection, galleried within. The gabled south facing entrance façade has central square headed doorway with moulded architrave, 2 steps, pair of doors, each 4 fielded panels, over a fanlight divided into 12 small panes. Single boot scraper. On each side single segmental headed windows with plain narrow surround and cill. Windows subdivided into 20 no. small panes. At 1st floor 3 no. semi circular headed windows, symmetrically arranged with plain narrow surround and cills. Windows subdivided into 31 small panes, top astragals semi-circular. The gable has a pediment with plain defining band. In centre a louvred oculus with plain narrow surround. Rusticated quoins, plain plinth and walls smooth rendered and lined. At SE corner of plinth a foundation stone : “The foundation stone of this meeting house was laid July 10 1821 For Nathaniel Stonard and William Hammond, Esquires The Deputation from The Worshipful Company of Drapers By the Reverend William Moore Minister Samuel Weddell Esquire Master” Last line undecipherable. The quoins, plinth and pediment mouldings are painted probably over sandstone. The west elevation consists of 4 bay long block with a lower 1 bay adjunct to the N slightly setback. At ground floor 4 segmented headed windows with plain architrave band and cill, equally spaced, with 20 small panes. Above taller semi-circular headed windows centred over those below, having 31 small panes and similar architraves. Wall terminated on each side with rusticated quoins, plinth, smooth rendered and lined, unpainted. Eaves overhang, ogee extruded aluminium gutter and 2 similar downpipes. Adjunct bay has central semi-circular headed doorway, 5 panelled door, fanlight subdivided into small panes as windows. Over door an oculus divided horizontally and vertically into 9 panes. Wall finish and quoins as before. Roof, high block gabled, slated, thin barges, roof to adjunct hipped and slated with plain hip tiles. The north elevation has a pedimented gable with glazed oculus, adjunct has 2 segmented headed windows, centrally placed and one vertically over the other, each has 20 small panes and plain architrave band and cill. Against the N gable a lean-to store and boiler room. Roof dips in middle and boiler room at lower floor level with internal steps. 3 no. single doors. Walls smooth renderd, unpainted and unlined. 2 narrow later inserted windows light ground floor toilets. Some trunkheads are original bearing the date 1821. East elevation similar to West but plaster unlined. The building, freestanding, within graveyard, forms a pleasing vista from Bridger Street. The extensive graveyard lies to the west while to the north, where the site has been extended, a large carpark. On the west a random rubble grey stone wall and to the north a white limestone rubble wall strengthened in several places with hefty brick buttresses. To Stonard Street a low wall with railing, vehicular and pedestrian gates each with substantial rusticated piers. Within the site a few coniferous and broad leaf trees.

Architects

Gibson, Jesse

Historical Information

The present meeting house replaced a previous one in Conynghan Street. O.S. Memoirs records “It was erected by the Drapers’ Company in 1823 and cost 4000 pounds”. Some delay must have occurred for the site was cleared during the visit of the Deputation of 1818. It was decided that “all doors, windows and joinery made up in London”. Gibson, architect, retired in 1822 because of a gout complaint, and George Bridger, Clerk of Works, Contractor, probably ensured the completion of the structure. W J Booth became company architect in 1822. The O.S. Memoirs describes the building “ a substantial, stone finished square building, 76 and a half feet long and 50 feet wide. A spacious gallery extends along 3 sides of the building and it is otherwise neatly and comfortably fitted up ….. This house stands in a pretty enclosure tastefully planted with evergreens, and the side fronting the street secured by a neat cast iron railing”. The building forms a pleasing vista to Bridger Street (road to Stewartstown). The building is no longer stone finished but smooth rendered. The site was enlarged recently, being extended to the rear. References Primary Sources 1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46. 2. O.S. Map 1832 Rev. 1856 Londonderry sh. 46. 3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry XI, 1821, 1833, 1836-7 p. 38. Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B. 4. Curl J.S. Moneymore and Draperstown. UAHS, p. 34, 35, 36, 37 5. Curl J.S. The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 p. 196. Secondary Sources 1. Rowan, A, North West Ulster, Buildings of Ireland p. 424.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A neat temple like classical pedimented late Georgian style meeting house typical of the earlier work of Jesse Gibson. It has retained its characteristic detail in windows and interior fittings and probably the replaced smooth rendering of later years is more appropriate to the classical concept.

General Comments

Date of Survey

22 November 2000