Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/01/041

Address :
Ballinderry Parish Church Lower Ballinderry Road Ballinderry BT28 2NL

Townland:
Ballyscolly

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
01/05/1991 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:
145/14

IG Ref:
J1600 6725

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

A rubble stone Church of Ireland church, dated 1824, located to the north side of Lower Ballinderry Road, Upper Ballinderry. The church is rectangular on plan aligned east-west and abutted by three stage stair tower with slender octagonal ashlar spire at west. Roof is pitched natural slate with raised stone verges. Rainwater goods are u-profile cast-iron on corbel table. Walling is roughly squared rubble, built to courses with projecting chamfered ashlar sill band; ashlar clasping buttresses with pinnacles to nave, chancel and tower. Windows are lattice glazed lancets set in stepped brick surrounds with ashlar pointed arched hoodmould. Pointed arched entrance doors set in chamfered ashlar surround. Principal entrance gable faces west and is abutted at centre by square on plan three stage tower with slender spire; exposed section at right is blank, internal angle at left is abutted by lean-to annex. Tower first stage contains principal entrance at south comprising replacement double leaf timber panelled door surmounted by pointed arched timber mock Y-tracery panels set in pointed arched chamfered ashlar surround; west elevation contains pointed arched stained glass window set in brick surround with flush chamfered ashlar sill; north elevation is abutted by later addition lean to extension of similar detailing with pointed arched lattice glazed window to north set in plain ashlar surround with flush chamfered sill. Second stage at west contains a diagonal recessed ashlar panel with plain surround which reads; ‘Erected/ A.D. 1824/ by a Donation from the/Marquis of Hertford./of £1000/and£1200/presented by the Parish/Rev James Stannus Vicar./Turtle Bunting and Tho Russell/Church Wardens; square headed lattice glazed window at north and south set in stepped brick surround with flush chamfered ashlar sill. Third stage contains louvered opening to belfry at all sides with brick surround surmounted by a clock face with semi circular ovolo label mould; third stage is surmounted by a crenellated parapet with plain pinnacles and recessed spire. North elevation is three windows wide, that at right contains leaded stained glass. East gable is abutted by double height (lower) chancel of similar detailing with pitched roof, exposed section is blank. Chancel east gable contains central stained glass reticulated flowing bar-tracery window within stepped ashlar surround; south elevation is blank; north elevation is abutted by single-storey lean-to extension comprising paired lattice glazed lancet windows at north and pointed arched door opening at east containing square headed timber panelled entrance door surmounted by glazed fanlight, entrance accessed by two stone steps. South elevation is three windows wide. Setting: The church is set on a relatively large site and accessed via a tree-lined avenue at south from the Lower Ballinderry Road. Access is through a symmetrical arrangement of square coursed rubble piers with galleted joints supporting a double leaf cast-iron gate and cast-iron overthrow. Piers are abutted by plinth wall with segmental coping supporting cast-iron railings which enclose the site from the road. Roof: Pitched natural slate Walling: Roughly coursed squared and snecked rubble stone Windows: Lattice glazed lancets RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Boyd, John

Historical Information

The Church at Upper Ballinderry first appears on the 1832 Ordnance Survey map where it is simply recorded as ‘church,’ and depicted as a single oblong building. By the second edition map in 1857 the Church has been altered and appears as an oblong structure with two additions visible at each end, which corresponds to the current layout of the Church with its tower and chancel. There is no discernable alteration to this plan in the later edition maps. The Townland Valuation (c.1835) records the Church as a 1a+ class building with an attached Town Office, Vestry and Stable, with a total value of £27. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs (1833-38) describe the church as a ‘rather handsome building 70ft by 36ft erected in the year 1824 at the expense of £2,200; £1,000 of which was given as a donation by the Marquis of Hertford and the remaining £1,200 was collected from the parishioners.’ The writer tells us that the church could accommodate 440 people in the 1830s. The memoirs also state that there was no graveyard within the church grounds at this time; the parish burial ground was situated at the Old Church in Ballinderry (HB19/01/040). Griffith’s Valuation (1859) valued the Church at £35, a value that was maintained until the end of the Annual Revisions in 1929. The Lisburn Herald reported that on 27th January 1861, the current Church Organ was played for the first time. A new organ was installed at the expense of Thomas Walkington Esq. and an Organist was supplied by the Marquis of Hertford. In July 1929 the Lisburn Herald recorded that the Church was reopened after being recently painted and redecorated, work that was carried out by M. Bullick & Son, College Square, Belfast. Kelly tells us that the new church at Ballinderry was erected in 1824, replacing the old ‘Middle Church’ which had been used as the Parish Church. It was erected during the incumbency of the Rev. James Stannus. The £1,200 not paid for by the Marquis of Hertford was granted by the Board of First Fruits in the form of a loan, supported by the parishioners. The tower and spire are 128 ft high and Kelly states that the chancel and vestry were added some time after the initial construction although the vestry appears in the Townland Valuation by the mid-1830s; the Ordnance Survey maps show that the chancel was added at some stage between 1832 and 1857 (Kelly, p. 41). Brett states that the Church architect was a Mr J. Boyd, either a James Boyd who built St. George’s Church in Belfast in 1816, or a Mr Joseph Boyd who built the Belfast Savings Bank in King Street Belfast in 1829. In 1862 a stained glass window was added by Thomas Walkington, resident of Oatland Cottage, Ballinderry, in memory of his parents and his ancestor, Edward Walkington who was Bishop of Down and Connor in 1695. A painting of Charles II’s coat of arms hangs from the gallery above the central aisle; it was brought from the Middle Church in 1859 and is a 17th century artefact which was originally hung in Portmore Castle. Brett tells us that it was moved after being restored at a cost of £6 by Anne Coates, Belfast (Brett, p. 48; Kelly, p. 41). The church baptismal font was added in 1895 and was dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Benjamin Tisdall. The pine pews date from 1915 and in 1920 the current heating system was installed by Mid Ulster Heating Services. The church clock was no longer operational in 1996; Brett states that it was made at the Lagan Foundry by Messers Coates and Young, costing around £60 (Brett, p. 48). Field research carried out at the site has found that the clock has not been repaired since 1996. It is unclear whether the current organ is the one installed in 1861. The Church was listed in 1991. An order of service tells us that in April of that year the Church was reopened after an extensive renovation and decoration project which included the installation of a new lighting system, toilet facilities, a new carpet for the aisle and new Church doors. A stained glass window was also rededicated, originally presented by the late Mr. William Gawley in memory of his parents (Glenavy History). The current rector of Upper Ballinderry Church is the Rev. Canon Ernest Harris (Kelly, p. 41). References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/63 – Field Map c.1830 2. PRONI VAL/1/B/167 – Townland Valuation 3. PRONI OS/6/1/63/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832 4. PRONI OS/6/1/63/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1857 5. PRONI OS/6/1/63/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-1901 6. PRONI OS/6/1/63/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1921 7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/58 – Griffith’s Valuation 1859 8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 A – Annual Revisions 1863-1879 9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 B – Annual Revisions 1880-1888 10. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 C – Annual Revisions 1888-1901 11. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 D – Annual Revisions 1902-1912 12. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 E – Annual Revisions 1913-1929 Secondary Sources 1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of County Antrim’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1996. 2. Kelly, D., ‘Lisburn’s rich church heritage: Churches and places of worship in the Lisburn city area’ Lisburn: Impression Print and Design, 2009. 3. NIEA file – HB19/01/041. Online Resources 1. Glenavy History: http://www.glenavyhistory.com/ (Genealogy website).

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

A well preserved Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church, dated 1824, located to the north side of Lower Ballinderry Road, Upper Ballinderry. The church, typical of the type and period, is a hall and tower type surmounted by a tall elegant spire. It displays good proportions, enhanced by simple detailing and the interior detailing remains largely intact. It is a fine example of church architecture and occupies an unspoilt rural setting. This local landmark has retained its social importance and makes a positive contribution to the built heritage of the local area.

General Comments

Date of Survey

21 September 2010