Manse, Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church, 15 Windmill Hill, Comber, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 5WH

Manse, Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church, 15 Windmill Hill, Comber

A two-storey manse with hipped roof, built in 1859 to serve the adjoining Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church. The building sits on a rise to the south of Mill Street, west of Comber town centre, with the church positioned to the north and the church hall immediately to the north. The front elevation faces south.

The ground floor south facade features a centrally positioned flat-roofed porch, which is a later addition, probably from the early 1900s. The porch has a panelled door with two-pane fanlight on its west face, and its south face carries a pair of narrow sash windows with horizontal glazing bars in 2 over 2 configuration. The porch has a cornice below the roof blocking course. On either side of the porch are further narrow sash windows of the same type. The first floor has four windows in total: one at each end corresponding to the ground floor windows, and a pair to the centre, all of similar design with horizontal glazing bars. All first-floor windows rest on a cill course.

The west facade displays two tripartite sash windows to the ground floor, with each section glazed 2 over 2 and separated by a rendered pier. The first floor carries two segmental-headed sash windows with horizontal glazing bars and margin panes. The north facade is similarly fenestrated with windows matching the first-floor west elevation on both floors, though the lower portion is substantially obscured by shrubbery where it abuts the southwest corner of the church hall.

The east facade has a large full-height lean-to projection, which has been modernised in recent times and appears to be an awkward addition. This lean-to does not appear to be original; the presence of an embedded gate post at the southeast corner suggests that a section of walling formerly extended from the main house to this post. The lean-to contains small windows with modern frames, while the main east facade beneath carries a panelled and glazed doorway to the ground floor and a semicircular-headed sash window (4 over 4 with margin panes) to the first floor. The far right of this facade is abutted by the church hall. An enclosed yard lies to the east with gabled outbuildings to the east and southeast; the church hall encloses the north side of the yard.

The building is predominantly finished in lined render with a sandstone base and in-and-out quoins; the porch has moulded quoins. The hipped roof has an overhang and is topped by a tall rendered chimney stack at the roof centre. Cast iron rainwater goods are present.

The manse was built by local builder James Bell and was largely financed by major benefactors including the Andrews family, local millers, and John Miller, owner of Comber's Upper Distillery. The flat-roofed entrance porch and the lean-to extension are later additions, probably dating from the early 1900s. The building has group value with the adjoining church and hall.