Killinchy Non-subcribing Presbyterian Church, Comber Road, Ballyministragh, Killinchy, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 6P?

Killinchy Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church

A well-preserved, large two-storey classical church erected in 1846, standing set back from the west side of Comber Road less than one mile north-west of Killinchy village. The building is enhanced by its attractive rural setting and comprises a rendered front south facade with stone-faced side walls.

The front facade consists of five bays divided by six outer and intermediate pilasters with moulded capitals and bases, rising from a plinth to an entablature. The lower storey wall face is channelled horizontally below a plain platband at first floor level, with the upper storey face left plain. A full entablature breaks forward above the outer pilasters and across the three central bays, surmounted by a triangular pediment. In the outer bays, the lower entablature member is omitted and replaced by a blocking course.

The central entrance contains timber-sheeted double doors, modern in appearance. Above the doors is a semicircular radial fanlight with panelled archivolt and keystone dated 1846, rising from panelled pilasters with moulded bases and capitals. The bays flanking the entrance contain recesses with plain cornices resembling blind doorways, while the outer ground floor bays have narrower recesses with semicircular heads and plain architraves in the upper part only. At first floor level, the central bay contains a square-headed recess with cill and a matching sash window with Georgian and margin panes, flanked by similar sash windows in the two bays either side. The two outer bays contain narrower recesses.

The treatment of the front facade is returned to the east and west elevations for the width of a single bay. These projecting bays are flanked by pilasters rising to a cornice with blocking course, extending the full length of both side elevations. Each projecting bay contains a full-height semicircular recess; at upper storey level sits a semicircular sash window with panes as the front, lighting the gallery stair. The remainder of both east and west facades are rubble-finished with four full-height semicircular recesses each, featuring brick dressings to arch heads and flat arch windows at ground level.

The rear facade is blank and constructed of rubble. The roof is gabled at the rear, appearing gabled behind the pediment, covered with Bangor blue slates with a parapet to the rear topped by what appears to be a chimney pot. Attached at ground floor level is a small brick and corrugated iron lean-to store or boiler house with a tall cast iron pipe raising the height of the gable. A small graveyard lies to the south-west of the church.