Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB21/11/001

Address :
Church of St Patrick 113 Jordanstown Road Jordanstown Co Antrim BT37 0NQ

Townland:
Jordanstown

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
26/02/1976 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:
114-6NW

IG Ref:
J3557 8435

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached double-height Celtic Revival Church of Ireland church, built c.1866 to designs by W. H. Lynn, located on the north side of Jordanstown Road. Rectangular nave; apsidal chancel to east end; engaged tower over vestry; aisle and porch to south; porch to north-west; and return to north-east. Pitched natural slate roofs; clay ridge tiles, corbelled eaves; lead flashing to raised verges; chimneystack to east gable, square chimneystack to north-east surmounted by circular chimney with coping. Squared-and-snecked white sandstone walls with moulded sandstone sill course and red sandstone string courses over rubble basalt plinth. Round-arched windows; leaded stained glass in rebated white sandstone surround with sandstone voussoirs. Principal elevation faces south, abutted at left by porch containing principal entrance which consists of round-arched rebated chamfered opening with bead-moulding; sill course forms hood moulding over ashlar stone voussoirs, inset with red sandstone archivolt with chevron carving, supported on red sandstone colonnettes with Celtic motif to capitals and white sandstone base with leaf carving at sill height; blind oculus in apex containing cross motif. Abutted to centre by aisle, two windows wide, with gabled end at right containing single window surmounted by timber framed rose window in ashlar stone surround with bead moulding, and small window in apex. To right, round tower contains single window to first stage (ground floor) where sill course forms hood moulding; string course to eaves height, stair windows at intervals around tower to upper levels; final belfry stage contains six round-arched-headed openings surmounted by conical roof on bead-moulded eaves. Abutted at rear by chancel. West elevation is gabled, comprising a pair of windows above moulded sill course surmounted by central rose window with ashlar stone surround and bead mouldings; small window to apex. Abutted at left by recent porch with sloped parapet containing single window. Abutted at right by aisle containing single window, separated from nave by a buttress. To right, the main porch contains a single window. North elevation abutted on left by return with catslide roof containing single window to each elevation, separated from nave by buttress. Abutted on right by recent porch containing a single window to left and a square-headed timber sheeted entrance door to right. Exposed section of nave comprises three pairs of windows above moulded string course. Abutted at left by chancel. East elevation abutted by apsidal chancel; chevron carving below corbelled eaves. Four windows above moulded string course, each flanked by red sandstone colonnettes on plain base with decorative square capitals with Celtic motif; surmounted by archivolt with chevron carving and bead moulding springing from further moulded string course. Abutted to left by round tower connected by link block containing vertically sheeted timber door with decorative cast-iron strap hinges in shoulder-headed chamfered opening flanked by colonnettes (detailed as chancel windows) and accessed by seven stone steps; above is a moulded string course surmounted by semi-circular voussoirs containing blind oculus, as porch. Setting Set within churchyard and mature gardens. Site bounded to Jordanstown Road by coursed rubble walling surmounted by hedge. To south, pair of cast-iron gates with cross motif supported by square sandstone pillars; bead moulding to corners, chevron carving to top surmounted by pyramidal coping. Further alcoved entrance with square rubble pillars to south-east. To west, single-storey Victorian red brick church hall, bounded by hedge. Modern car-park and rectory to north. Roof Natural slate Walling sandstone Windows leaded stained glass RWG aluminium box gutters; cast-iron downpipes

Architects

Lynn, William Henry

Historical Information

The Church is first recorded on the third edition OS map of 1902 and is captioned 'St Patrick’s Church'. Described as ‘one of the prettiest Celtic Revivalist churches in Ireland’ (Walker, p, 137) this church was built in 1866-68 to the designs of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon (Brett, 68). Charles Lanyon, who resided at nearby Abbey House (HB21/07/011) was a parishioner. Simon Walker in his book ‘Historic Ulster Churches’ claims that the archdeacon of Connor at this time was Charles Chichester Smythe, whose brother General James Smythe, was a noted antiquarian and it was he who helped ‘[instigate] the building of the new church at Jordanstown in the Celtic style’. Both Walker and Brett note that the inspiration for the design is said to be the twelfth century round tower and church of St Finghan at Clonmacnoise. The church has many features evoking Irelands past including its tower. The South West entrance has a Romanesque door, and features a ‘splendid tympanum’ by Rosamund Praeger dating from 1932 that illustrates St Patrick as a shepherd boy on Slemish Mountain. (Walker, 137). Also the interior has Clayton and Bell windows which portray the Irish Saints; Patrick, Comgall, Brigid and Columba. The nineteenth century saw the spread of the Celtic Revival, which can be seen as an attempt to rediscover a ‘forgotten’ Ireland; this enthusiasm or nostalgia was in part fuelled by the ‘Ossian’ poems translated by the Scottish poet James Mac Pherson in the late 18th century. References Primary Sources: 1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 –First Edition OS Map (1832) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1857) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 –Third Edition OS Map (1902) Secondary Sources: 1. Historic Ulster Churches: Simon Walker, Institute of Irish Studies, Belfast, 2000. 2. C.E.B Brett, Buildings of County Antrim, UAHS, 1996

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

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

Evaluation

A detached double-height Celtic Revival Church of Ireland church, built 1866 by celebrated Ulster architect W. H. Lynn. The church is has been well-maintained and remains an outstanding example of its type, with recent alterations having been carried out sympathetically. Detailing remains intact both externally and internally, with chevron carvings, Celtic motifs and colonnettes, many of high artistic merit. This church, in its leafy suburban setting, adds much to the character of its surroundings. It is of major significance and high architectural and historic interest.

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 November 2008