Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB21/07/007

Address :
St John's Church of Ireland Shore Road Newtownabbey Co Antrim BT37 9SR

Townland:
White House

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
14/03/1989 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:
114-14

IG Ref:
J3501 8087

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached Gothic-Revival double-height gable-fronted stone Church of Ireland, built c.1840, facing west with a two-stage tower at northwest, transepts to north and south, a gabled chancel to the rear with a gabled projection to either side of chancel. Set back from the road on the east side of Shore Road on its own grounds with a church hall to the south, built c.1970 and a rectory to the northeast, also c.1970. The church appears to have been recently restored (at the time of the 2008 survey) with the roof newly slated and some replacement stone detailing added. Steeply pitched natural slate roofs (re-roofed c.2006) with ridge tiles and lead valleys. The front gable rises above the principal roof with chamfered sandstone coping (concealing the slope of the roof) and diminutive raised gablet with a blind Gothic panel. Moulded sandstone copings to the rear and side gables (some replacements). Replacement ogee metal guttering to sandstone corbelled eaves (some replacements) and metal downpipes. The roof to the tower is not visible, and sits behind a crenelated parapet wall with sandstone coping and a corbelled string course. To all four corners is decorative sandstone corbelled pinnacle with blind panels. Catslide roof to the north vestry. Coursed and squared rubble blackstone walling with a projecting cement plinth course (simulating sandstone ashlar) and sandstone detailing. Rubble stone to the transepts with sandstone ashlar quoins. Angle buttresses with off-sets to the lower stage of the tower and to the northwest corner of the front gable rising to form a square pinnacle with four gablets. Chamfered sandstone stringcourse rests on the off-sets and continues on all four sides with a plain frieze below, the frieze to the front elevation is adorned with a Gothic arcaded moulding. Paired lancet openings to the belfry stage of the tower have a single sandstone hood moulding, a shared splayed sandstone sill, splayed sandstone reveals with diamond-shaped timber louvers. To the front gable of the nave is a large Gothic window opening with a hood moulding and a flush sandstone surround. Carved sandstone tracery divides the window into three trefoil headed panels, a cinquefoil panel above with several spandrel panels, all having stained glass and weather glazing. A small lancet opening sits above the door opening to the lower stage of the tower while a double-height lancet opening is located to the north with a hood moulding and stained glass. Lancet window openings to both side elevations with cement hood mouldings, stepped cement deep reveals and surrounds dropping to the plinth course and splayed sandstone sills. Iron trefoil-headed window frames with stained glass. To both transept gables is a further tripartite arrangement of lancet openings formed in red sandstone (that to the north is mostly replaced by red cement) with a stone relieving arch above and stained glass with weather glazing. To the rear gable, lighting the chancel is a further large Gothic window opening with sandstone hood moulding, flush splayed surround and sandstone gothic tracery with stained glass and weather glazing. Mostly trefoil-headed sandstone window openings to the other elevations with stained glass, a paired square-headed opening to the vestry carved in stone with leaded lights. Four-centred arch door opening to the front of the tower with deep moulded sandstone surround. A sandstone hood moulding is terminated by a fleuron to either side with a vertically-sheeted timber door with iron furniture. Door opens onto a sandstone flagged front area. Square-headed door opening is set within the catslide section of the vestry with a chamfered sandstone surround and a vertically-sheeted timber door with iron furniture. Setting Set within its own grounds with a bitmac forecourt enclosed by a low rubble stone wall with a pair of sandstone piers with decorative ogee-shaped capstones supporting decorative iron gates. The gates are flanked by a further matching pedestrian gate with a further pier (of a later date) in red sandstone and decorative capstones. Roof natural slate Walling coursed and squared stone with sandstone dressings Windows stained glass RW goods metal

Architects

Lanyon, Charles Welland, Joseph

Historical Information

Built c.1840, to designs by Charles Lanyon, as a chapel of ease to accommodate 360 people, for the parish of Carnmoney (Irish Architectural Archive). Transepts thought to be added later, in 1859, by J Welland & Son (Irish Architectural Archive). Brett attributes the designs to Lanyon. Griffiths map dated 1859, records the church without transepts. Griffiths Valuation records the occupier of the Church, school house, sexton's house and yard as Rev. Thomas Black. The buildings were valued at £22. Brett argues the church is one of the most successful of a group of sixteen churches all designed free of charge by Lanyon (p 55). References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/1-First Edition OS Map (1833) 2. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/57-Griffith's Valuation Map (1859) 3. PRONI VAL/2B//1/13A-Griffith's Valuation Fieldbook (1859) Secondary Sources 1. Brett, C.E.B. (1996) 'Buildings of Antrim'. Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. Belfast. 2. Irish Architectural Archive. 'Dictionary of Irish Architects'. [Internet source] (Accessed 05/05/09).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

The modest scale of this Church of Ireland church conceals a wealth of decorative fabric to the interior including high quality panelling, pews and altar furniture and an elaborate exposed timber roof. Impressive carved stone arches to the transepts and chancel are joined by a fine collection of stained glass windows to complete a most attractive church interior. While the twentieth century has had a negative impact on the exterior of the church, with cementitious replacement elements, the recent works have sought to reverse some of these replacements and restore the original appearance of the church with appropriate materials. Overall this is a most attractive church which greatly enhances the appeal of the area.

General Comments

Date of Survey

16 October 2008